Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Is weight a "real" problem?


The other day someone told me, "With what's going on in Paris, I have no right to complain about my thighs."

A Facebook group member recently celebrated her freedom from food obsession, adding, "it's hard to make posts like this with all going on in Paris. It feels like such a 'stupid problem' to be dealing with in comparison."

Another woman said she feels bad about focusing on her weight because other people have "real" problems.

Ouch.

These are examples of a type of analogy called "moral equivalency" in which two separate situations are compared as equal - when they are not.  

You probably feel saddened and horrified by the recent events in Paris.  And, you probably also feel upset about your weight or your relationship to food.  One is not actually connected to the other.
I doubt you'd tell a friend who got the flu, "What are you complaining about?  I know someone who died of pneumonia."

(probably not)

Your needs, wants, thoughts and emotions deserve attention.  If you struggle with weight, food, and body image, that deserves your attention, not your condemnation. 

Don't compare your situation to that of others.  As Theodore Roosevelt once noted, "Comparison is the thief of joy."

Be grateful for what you have.  Hug the people you love.  Allow your heart to go out to those in the world who are suffering because of terrorism, war, famine, or disaster.

And...

Take care of yourself.  Identify and process all your needs, wants and emotions, instead of dismissing them as unimportant.  

Be good to yourself.  You deserve it.


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