"Thinspo" Whats your view?

Destinie589

Hey people,

Hope you are all well, I don't know how to quote a few posts at a time but there are a lot of useful posts on here!!! nice one girls :-)

I went on a calorie controlled diet in 2008 using My Calorie Counter (pretty much like this). I lost my weight but then because I was so scared of putting it back on I turned bulimic. It took over my life for 2 years but in April 2010 I finally realised I actually loved myself, my family and my friends too much to continue down this road.

"Thinspo" as you put it is what carried me on through Bulimia so personally I don't like that idea of comparing yourself to someone else anymore. I am now in recovery - I would like to say I am recovered but I still have to tell myself you need calories to love...you need energy to be able to give love and receive it, its hard each day is a struggle but I have a lot of love in my life which helps me carry on. The reason why I joined MFP is because I have put all of my weight back on which I lost, I needed to do that to fully realised that being skinny doesn't make you happy, neither doesn't being over weight! happiness is a state of mind, its not determined by what is on the scale, or in a picture of the size of your clothes! I am here now to lose the weight I feel I need to to be healthy again...not happy as I am extremely happy now :-D my mum is keeping close tabs on me so I know I can do this the right way.

I think everyone needs inspiration in their lives to reach their goals and I will never deny that! but I think you should get that inspiration from real people and not a picture. After all if your goal is to look like Kate Moss or Angelina Jolie...that is totally unrealistic and will never happen...you are NOT them!! and why the hell would you want to be when you are YOU...you are amazing in your own right and I think to truly be happy you have to realise that...don't ever believe that losing weight will make you happy because if that is what you strive for you will never be truly happy, it comes from the experiences in life and the love we give and take from each other as humans.

Healthiness is an amazing aspiration...if you aspire to be healthy you set such a good example for everyone around you. Don't ever strive to be perfect, perfection isn't real, nothing in life is perfect and sometimes people do forget that - I know I do.

Everyone please know this...you are ALL AMAZING...and you need to APPRECIATE yourselves for who YOU are!!!

Thanks for replying. You have a very interesting perspective. I think that thinspo could be very triggering to someone who struggles with an eating disorder. But (and I dont know much about disorders) can it trigger someone who doesnt have any kind of disorder? I think there needs to be more serious research placed on eating disorders and how and why they occur. And to add to that why the media places so much pressure on women to meet an unrealistic size.

bmqbonnie

I have a folder of it. I used to use it more in its negative connotation when I used to starve myself. These days it has healthy and muscular women with similar builds to mine, not waifs.

ciaobellakiss

I like to see weight loss transformations in real people, not celebrities or models.

wcsangel

I have a picture of myself five years ago at my School Leaver's Ball (kinda like a Prom) - weighing around 115 pounds, looking completely lovely and happy in my own skin. That's all the inspiration I need, and I'm almost there again.

SachaMichel

I don't really like thinspiration... I used to use it when I was a teenager but it just killed my self-esteem.

capriciousmoon

Thanks for replying. You have a very interesting perspective. I think that thinspo could be very triggering to someone who struggles with an eating disorder. But (and I dont know much about disorders) can it trigger someone who doesnt have any kind of disorder? I think there needs to be more serious research placed on eating disorders and how and why they occur. And to add to that why the media places so much pressure on women to meet an unrealistic size.

I think thinspo could possibly trigger someone that is predisposed to having an eating disorder, for someone without an eating disorder it may affect your self-esteem but I don't think it would be as harmful.

http://ed-bites.blogspot.com/2011/01/brain-disorder.html

I can't speak for others but the media and all of that never had any effect on me at all. I never felt pressure to be a certain size because of actresses or models. Sometimes it has nothing to do with weight or size at all and those are just a distraction from the real issue.

Destinie589

I like to see weight loss transformations in real people, not celebrities or models.

I love to see before and after pics. It always gives me a push. Especially when its a female my size with a not so great tummy and her transformation is a nice flat toned stomach. I dont think images like that are unhealthy especially when they make you strive for a healthier weight.

donyellemoniquex3

My kinda fitspo - it's not always skinny and unattainable..

amen

soulfulsally

Depends on how the thinspo makes you feel. If the pics serve as a reminder for you not to pig out on empty calories, great. If looking at them brings on negative anorexic thoughts, obviously that's not good.

Am I the only one who gets more motivated by looking at photos of fit men?

bcattoes

I don't see how anything that motivates to you work harder towards your goal(s) should be considered bad.

bcattoes

I meet with a group once a week and the question was asked "in all honesty would you be happy if you could be underweight" every person said yes. so I feel like maybe there is something about thin women that we all secretly wish we could possess.
*Note*: the group is now going to be working on body image.

I could see getting that answer. For most people, it is easy and fun to put on weight. Even if someone doesn't want to be underweight on a regular basis. Many would probably rather be underweight and have that awful problem of having to eat a calorie surplus.