Chloe talks about the pressures of suffering from an eating disorders in the run-up to summer, and how all bodies are perfect, no matter what the media says about them
- Chloe Murray
Now that Spring has sprung and summer
is just around the corner, it's that time of year when everyone is focused on
getting that "summer body". I am sick of seeing fad diets and
exercise routines plastered on magazines and television advertisements. As a
former anorexic, it is hard for me to ignore these diets, in which the media
tells me I must follow in order to have a "flat tummy" or "toned
arms".
Although I disagree in the idea that
the media can cause eating disorders, I do believe that it can be very
triggering, and can definitely prolong recovery or aid relapse. Nowadays,
everyone is so focused on body image, with celebrities being criticised all the
time for being "too big" or "too small" that we forget what
is important in life.
This time of year can be difficult, as I am in the process
of booking holidays - an exciting job for most people. Yet for myself, although
I can't wait to travel around Thailand with my best friend, I would not feel
comfortable in a bikini and shorts right now. I hate showing my body. I don't
want to succumb to the fad diets I see in magazines, where the photos of
beautifully toned and slender women make me dislike my body even more.
It's hard not to compare yourself to the
photoshopped images we see daily, and not want to change a single thing about
ourselves. Anorexia will always make me conscious of my body, but the media
will emphasise this greatly. All bodies are beautiful, no matter what shape or
size, and we must all remember that there is no such thing as perfect!
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