TresSugar

Do Tell: What Was Your Mother's Relationship to Food?

TresSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:00:00 -0700

Did you "thin-herit" food issues from your mother?

According to a poll conducted by teen magazine Sugar, girls ages 12 - 18 said that their mother's eating and/or dieting habits and views on food were the biggest influence on their own relationship to food. It was found that if a mom diets, she's twice as likely to have a daughter with an eating disorder.

What was your mother's relationship to food? Do you think it has affected you positively or negatively?

Ralph Lauren Rep Apologizes For Photoshopping Model

TresSugar — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:10:00 -0700

When controversy erupted over an image for Ralph Lauren's Blue Label - model Filippa Hamilton's body appeared to have been digitally retouched, so that she looked bobble-headed and emaciated - I was convinced that the image wasn't the original ad. I was sure that it had been retouched by one of those "thinspirational" proanorexia blogs you hear about which feature models Photoshopped, so that they look like Holocaust victims.

Wow, was I wrong. A spokesperson for Ralph Lauren made this comment about the controversial image:

"For over 42 years, we have built a brand based on quality and integrity. After further investigation, we have learned that we are responsible for the poor imaging and retouching that resulted in a very distorted image of a woman’s body. We have addressed the problem and going forward will take every precaution to ensure that the caliber of our artwork represents our brand appropriately."

Website Boing Boing was first to criticize the image by saying, "Dude, her head's bigger than her pelvis." When Ralph Lauren asked them to take the image down, claiming copyright infringement, they refused, citing fair use laws that that allow for the reproduction of images "for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting."

Maybe this will be a message to the cabal of Photoshoppers gone wild who don't seem to recognize that they're contributing to the unrealistic body images that make normal women feel inadequate. When an uberthin model isn't thin enough for the fashion industry, something is seriously wrong.

Men Who Struggle With Eating Disorders

TresSugar — Wed, 13 May 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Nineteen-year-old Chris Hardy recently shared his struggles with anorexia with the BBC. Chris said that limiting his food intake gave him a sense of achievement after he experienced upheavals like his parents' divorce, moving homes, and changing schools. Now that Chris has sought help to fight the disorder, he's urging other men to do the same.

While anorexia often has a female face, many men struggle with it, too. Experts say that men with eating disorders, many times male athletes, typically aim for well-defined muscles and chiseled abs.

Dr. Thomas Holbrook, author of Making Weight: Healing Men's Conflicts with Food, Weight and Shape has described his long battle with anorexia. After an injury prevented him from running, he became preoccupied with his weight. He said he spent the next 12 years obsessed, sometimes exercising 20 hours each day while starving himself.

Studies suggest that 25 percent of people suffering from anorexia or bulimia are men, while 40 percent of binge eaters are men, too.

Do you know one of these men?

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Book Bag: Wintergirls

TresSugar — Mon, 11 May 2009 14:00:00 -0700

“I bit the days off in rows. . . . Bite. Chew. Swallow."

Laurie Halse Anderson's new novel, Wintergirls, is narrated by 18-year-old Lia, who has had anorexia since the 8th grade.

It begins on the morning that she finds out that her best friend Cassie has died, and follows her through her struggle with anorexia and its paradoxical dictates: sickness is strength, courting death is taking control, and nourishment is weakness. Having lost Cassie, with whom she bonded over anorexia, Lia finds comfort in "pro-ana" anorexia chat rooms. To find out what one reviewer thought of Wintergirls as well as why some experts worry about anorexia narratives, read more.

Described by one reviewer as "a fearless, riveting account of a young woman in the grip of a deadly illness," Wintergirls and other books with eating disorders as their subject nevertheless spark fears among those who work with anorexic patients. Will these narratives help them to explore their disorders in order to get well, or will it serve as a "thinspiration" trigger, stoking their self-destructive desires to waste away?

"There is a dangerous trend to view anorexia as a lifestyle choice rather than a serious mental illness," says Cynthia M. Bulik, director of the eating disorders program at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. "It is true that seeing someone they perceive as thinner, seeing pictures of other thin girls, hearing about someone’s new approach to starvation, can all trigger someone with anorexia or someone who is on the verge. There is an inexplicable competitiveness about the starvation process in this illness."

Have you known anyone with anorexia or have you struggled with it yourself? Do books like Wintergirls help or harm?

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Pro-Anorexia Groups Masquerade as Support on Facebook

CitizenSugar — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 13:30:31 -0800

Pro-ana, or pro-anorexia, sites have been infuriating the Internet for years by proclaiming eating disorders are not disorders at all, but lifestyle choices. Just like my entire high school, they eventually made their way to Facebook, but according to Newsweek, the social-networking site du jour isn't having it. Facebook regularly deletes groups, citing promotion of self-harm and harm to others.

How's that working out? Not terribly, if you only measure the surface. None of my "pro-ana" or "ana" searches returned anything fruitful, but these groups are way too savvy to give it away in the title. Most overt pro-ana groups have become private or operate under less obvious names. The better to avoid turning up in search results.

But even while they hide beneath the radar, I didn't have to search hard to find "support" groups with people looking for dieting tips and tricks. "Don't always purge until the morning. And I'm packing the weight back on. Any suggestions?" That kind of support. It's like there are two conversations going on: one genuinely looking to break the eating-disorder cycle and another looking to perpetuate it.

To be fair, the majority are legitimate recovery groups. But unlike the more, um, "inclusive" groups, those focused on getting better openly and adamantly oppose pro-ana talk, clearly telling users to look elsewhere if they've come to post measurements and pictures.

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If tabloids were about muppets...

GiggleSugar — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 03:00:00 -0800

Cookie Monster dishes about his life, his loves, and his plans for a cookie-binging free future: "Me will always be Cookie Monster, but me will no longer be a cookie monster."

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Dear Poll: Have You, or Someone You Know, Ever Been Affected by an Eating Disorder?

DearSugar — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 10:00:00 -0800

This week is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, and since as many as 10 million females and one million males in the US are suffering from an eating disorder, I'm thankful that we have resources such as the National Eating Disorders Association. Their main goal is to raise awareness, educate, support, and eventually help eradicate eating disorders altogether.

Body image issues are common all over the world and they can easily manifest in an eating disorder so I'm curious to see how many of you have either suffered from one yourself, or known someone that has. I know this is a very personal topic of conversation, but if you're willing to talk about it, please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Source

Handle This: Your Friend Has an Eating Disorder

DearSugar — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 10:00:00 -0800

You've started to spend time with a close family friend from childhood that you lost touch with. The only thing that's changed besides your age is her appearance - she's sickly thin.

When she confides in you that she has an eating disorder, you immediately want to help her. She swears you to secrecy, begging you not to mention anything to your parents so it doesn't get back to her family. You decide to keep quiet since she promises you that she's getting help and you don't want to lose her trust.

It's clear that her problem is getting worse and one day her mother calls you. Your friend won't tell her anything and her mom begs you for information. You're really scared for your friend, but you know that if you tell her mom the truth, there's a possibility that your friend will close herself off from you too, leaving her more alone than she is now.

I know this is a very touchy subject, but how would you handle this?

Source

You Asked: How Can I Help Her?

DearSugar — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 06:00:00 -0700

Dear Sugar--
My workmate/friend is severely bulimic. She has dropped 3 dress sizes in less than six months by throwing up every single meal. She will eat a cup of instant soup, calmly put it down and then openly go to the ladies room to vomit. Most of the workplace has heard her vomiting. She carries a stick in in the pocket of her overcoat as a 'tool'. She has also stated that she carries weights in her pockets when she is weighed by the doctor. She stopped talking to her sister 2 years ago when her sister mentioned that she felt Lara was too thin, and stopped talking to her mom, who she lives with, for 6 months for the same reason. She is losing her looks and has started staggering when she walks. She is the kind of person who will cut off anyone completely out of her life if they say anything - she would leave her job, never speak to her best friend or relative in an instant.

We are going on holiday together soon, and the trip was organized BEFORE I realized how ill she is. How do I help her without becoming one more person she can just stop talking to? -- Looking out Laurie

To see DEARSUGAR's answer read more

Dear Looking out Laurie --

Your friend sounds like she is severely ill and is in need of some serious professional help before she causes herself irreversible damage. Eating disorders are very serious illnesses that need to be treated just like any other disease.

I understand that you are afraid of her cutting you out of her life if you try to help her, but standing by and not saying anything isn't going to do her any good either. Talk to your friend in a safe environment and let her know how worried you are about her in a loving and supportive manner. Since she will no doubt act defensive, be sure she knows that you will be there for her no matter what.

Is your friend in any kind of therapy or does she confide in any family members or friends? Someone suffering from an eating disorder has to be ready to get treatment on their own unless they are clearly putting their life at risk - in which case someone must step in. From the way you are describing her daily routine, it sounds like she is unfortunately in that category. Hospitalization sounds like the best thing for her right now. Being a friend or relative of someone suffering from a severe eating disorder can make you have feelings of guilt, anxiety, and confusion, but know that no matter how hard you try, the decision is ultimately up to her, so feel good about being her friend and doing everything you can. The National Eating Disorders Association and The Aware Foundation are great resources for asking questions and 24 hour hot lines for both sufferers of eating disorders and family and friends wanting to help.

As for your trip, you need to do whatever makes you feel comfortable. If vacationing with someone this sick is going to cause you more anxiety than fun, don't go. Eating disorders are manageable with a lot of hard work and a great support system, so at the end of the long road, your friend is going to be extremely grateful to have someone like you in her life. Good luck.

Source

You Asked: My Boyfriend Thinks I'm Fat

DearSugar — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 06:00:00 -0700

Dear Sugar,

I entered a relationship with my current boyfriend while I was recovering from a long-term eating disorder. I never really went into detail with him, but I did tell him I was gaining weight to be healthier. I went from 80 pounds at five feet, one inch at the very beginning of our relationship to 92 pounds now. He never said anything negative about the gain - he actually said I was looking better. But earlier this week, we were in the shower together and he told me I would look better if I lost a couple of pounds.

I was incredibly hurt and could hardly speak to him for a while. I eventually explained my situation and told him that losing weight would be dangerous to my health (I gave myself a heart condition). He took what he said back and told me not to lose any weight and told me that he loves me the way I am, but I can't help but realize he's just putting aside his initial reaction to make sure I don't hurt myself. How do I handle this? - Healthy Weight Heidi

To see DearSugar's answer, read more.

Dear Healthy Weight Heidi,

Let me first say that you're doing the right thing for your body by gaining the weight and living a healthier lifestyle - I don't need to tell you how much long-term damage you could do by succumbing to an eating disorder. I also commend you for being honest with your boyfriend. I know it must have been hard to open up about such a personal issue.

With that said, I think the only way to move on from your boyfriend's statement is to talk it out with someone. If you don't feel comfortable talking to him, confide in a girlfriend, your family, or a therapist. Confidence plays a huge role in eating disorders so it's important not to let him make you feel insecure - I'm sure you look amazing just the way you are!

We all say things we don't mean sometimes and I know the damage has already been done, but if you hold on to his hurtful words, it'll just make things worse. Decide if you want to forgive him, and talk about your concerns with your loved ones. An eating disorder won't go away overnight, so lean on your loved ones for support and keep well.

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