Diet Culture & Eating Disorders

Hey everybody! I hope all is  well ♥

Today I want to talk to you guys about something really sensitive to me.

If you look at ANY magazine these days, you will see some startling headline like:

"WOW! Beyonce 60 lbs. thinner"

or

"Kim's Revenge Body".

Diet Culture is everywhere. And it affects everyone it touches. I never used to think anything of dieting or food. Food was just food for me, and nothing more. But clearly, this is not the case for everyone. 

"35% of “normal dieters” progress to pathological dieting. Of those, 20-25% progress to partial or full-syndrome eating disorders"

Wait, wait, wait, are you serious? YES. So called "diet culture" has turned into something serious. When I was 13, I created my first Instagram account. With a few clicks and random searches I came across something called 'thinspo', or 'thin inspiration.' They were basically black and white photos of emaciated girls, deemed "artistic". 

Disturbing, yes. 

These photos actually led me to begin starving myself. Which led to bulimic tendencies. Which led to depression, anxiety, self harm, and suicidal thoughts. 

So, I wonder, is diet culture and 'thinspo' to blame for my eating disorder, or am I?

If I'd never gotten Instagram, or been exposed to so many dieting ploys in my lifetime, would losing weight have seemed so appealing? 

This here is a before and after picture of me.. before and after my eating disorder.

In the first picture, I was at a point in my life where I was excercising like crazy, cutting myself, starving my body, and throwing up the little food I ate. In the second picture, it's obvious that I'm much healthier & active. Though I had gained 20+ pounds, I still looked great.

If you or someone you love is dealing with an eating disorder, I encourage you to seek help. There are hotlines you can call, and websites with a lot of information for you. Recovery is worth it, I promise. ♥

Xoxo, Grace