Should I Care About Being Thin?
A new look at an old perspective
Today’s Featured Collective Writer
I know better, but this constant pressure to be thin from both myself and society has recently popped its ugly head up again. It does that every once in a while.
I’m in the middle of my cycle in the middle of perimenopause and have been extra bloated lately, which is making me feel uncomfortable in my clothes. I just ate beans for dinner. I admit, not a wise choice to manage bloat, but I love them. I can’t wait to see what that does to me later. Plus, if I’m honest, it’s not all bloat - the twins are home from college for the summer, so there are extra snacks in the house that I don’t have to look at the rest of the year.
As long as I’m comfortable in my clothes (and by clothes, I mean the 3 sizes that I have in my closet, which is the marker of my size that I use instead of the scale), I’m fine and don’t think much about it, but once the clothes get tight and I’m constantly having to adjust them, things get tricky for me as I navigate not being happy with my body and trying to control it in unhealthy ways. Because it’s not just about being uncomfortable in my clothes, it’s about what this means to me as a woman.
This is when I turn to others for a new perspective and a reminder that I am not the sum of my body parts weight.
, writer of the Substack , knows quite a bit about disordered eating and body image because she’s been through these issues herself. She uses her Substack to share these important messages and to inspire others to understand what’s normal and what’s not.As she says in the below podcast episode with her guest,
, “all of these basic human needs got tangled up with being thin.” The more we talk about it and become aware of our thoughts and behaviors, the more we can untangle them.
Vibe: Supportive of all body types
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I hear ya, sister! I just got rid of the lowest tier of sizes. If I ever revisit that size again, at least I'll get new clothes that are in the current decade. Lol
Lately, what i miss is what i was capable of doing when I was in my skinny clothes and I felt stronger too.
Yes! An important topic that needs to be talked about - especially in midlife. We know at this point in our lives that our worth is not tied to the scale, yet why do we still feel the need to be thin to be accepted? Our bodies change as we age, as they have been doing for our entire lives. And our bodies will keep changing as we continue to grow older. It's time to advocate for stronger bodies, not thinner ones. ✨