March 2010 April 2010 May 2010 June 2010 July 2010
August 2010
September 2010 October 2010
November 2010
December 2010
January 2011
February 2011 March 2011 April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011 January 2012 February 2012 March 2012 April 2012 May 2012 June 2012 July 2012 August 2012 September 2012 October 2012 November 2012 December 2012 January 2013 February 2013 March 2013 April 2013 May 2013 June 2013 July 2013 August 2013 September 2013 October 2013 November 2013 December 2013 January 2014 February 2014 March 2014 April 2014 May 2014 June 2014 July 2014 August 2014 September 2014 October 2014 November 2014 December 2014 January 2015 February 2015 March 2015 April 2015 May 2015 June 2015 July 2015 August 2015 September 2015 October 2015 November 2015 December 2015 January 2016 February 2016 March 2016 April 2016 May 2016 June 2016 July 2016 August 2016 September 2016 October 2016 November 2016 December 2016 January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017 January 2018 February 2018 March 2018 April 2018 May 2018 June 2018 July 2018 August 2018 September 2018 October 2018 November 2018 December 2018 January 2019 February 2019 March 2019 April 2019 May 2019 June 2019 July 2019 August 2019 September 2019 October 2019 November 2019 December 2019 January 2020 February 2020 March 2020 April 2020 May 2020 June 2020 July 2020 August 2020 September 2020 October 2020 November 2020 December 2020 January 2021 February 2021 March 2021 April 2021 May 2021 June 2021 July 2021 August 2021 September 2021 October 2021 November 2021 December 2021 January 2022 February 2022 March 2022 April 2022 May 2022 June 2022 July 2022 August 2022 September 2022 October 2022 November 2022 December 2022 January 2023 February 2023 March 2023 April 2023 May 2023 June 2023 July 2023 August 2023 September 2023 October 2023 November 2023 December 2023 January 2024 February 2024 March 2024
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29
30
31
News Every Day |

I struggled with anorexia for years — but people actually encouraged my weight loss because of my bigger size

The author, Jenna Clark, in 2022 at 23 years old
The author, Jenna Clark, in 2022 at 23.
  • I didn't realize until I was about 14 that my body was larger than some of my peers' bodies.
  • I stopped eating as much and exercised compulsively. That spiraled into an eating disorder.
  • Almost no one in my life except for my family saw it as an issue; in fact, many encouraged me.

I do not remember a day when I wasn't living in a larger body. While I always knew I was bigger than most other kids in my class, I didn't think about it much until I was about 14, when I realized none of the other girls in my class had their stomachs roll over the skirt that was part of our uniform when they were sitting.

None of my peers commented on my body, but the fact that I sat alone most days at lunch was a signal to me that I was different — and not in a good way. And as each day passed, the desire to fit in grew stronger.

The harmful rhetoric I overheard at gatherings from the older women in my family whom I looked up to — such as "a minute on your lips adds a pound to your hips," or comments that boys like girls with curves in the "right places" — didn't help my self-esteem much either. Though I was only a teenager, I understood what the so-called right places were, and I knew my curves were in the "wrong" ones.

I took these comments as an implication that I would never be loved or desired for who I was, in the body I had. This scared me and made me feel that I needed to lose weight to be accepted. The only way I thought that would be possible was if I were to exercise a lot and basically stop eating, so that's exactly what I did.

I started eating less and exercising more, and I pushed through the signals my body was sending that it needed more fuel

I started eating less than a third of what I was used to. I measured out every morsel of food I ate and was constantly thinking about my next "meal" because I was never satisfied.

In addition to having an extremely low caloric intake, which I tracked religiously, I would get on the treadmill at the end of each day and stay on it until the screen said I'd burned the same number of calories I'd eaten. I didn't care if I was lightheaded or exhausted; I pushed through the feeling.

I thought this routine was the recipe for success, but it only led to disaster. I continued living this way for about a year and dropped about 60 pounds.

The author, Jenna Clark, in 2014 at 15 years old
Clark in 2014, at 15.

During this period, my parents were growing increasingly concerned for my health and well-being. They tried sending me to eating-disorder specialists, nutritionists, and therapists, but I refused to go; I insisted to them that there was nothing wrong with what I was doing, though in reality I was silently suffering.

Over the course of that year, keeping up the unsustainable routine I'd created consumed me. I stopped hanging out with friends and going out to eat because I feared not knowing how many calories I would ingest or whether I'd have the time to "work off" the calories I'd eaten that day.

My doctor's comments about my weight only encouraged my unhealthy behavior

When it was time for my annual checkup, my doctor noticed the drastic change in weight. But instead of responding with concern, when she saw the number on her monitor, she simply said, "Good, good."

Hearing these words from a doctor solidified for me at the time that I was doing the right thing and should keep going, despite what my parents and other close relatives thought — after all, I reasoned that she was a medical professional and they weren't.

Most people — excluding my close relatives — saw me only for what I looked like. They'd say things like "You look great" and "Keep up the great work."

What they didn't see was that I was crying myself to sleep at night from the hunger pangs, or that I was about to pass out on the treadmill. They had no idea I was suffering from anorexia. My hair was falling out, I was more irritable than ever, and I was miserable. All they saw was a thin body, and they associated that with health, goodness, and a state of thriving.

Since this was such a traumatic experience for me, I can't recall the exact moment I experienced a wake-up call. But what I do remember is that over time, I gradually started to eat more, develop a healthier relationship with exercise, and realize that self-love had to come before romantic love, at least for me.

The author, Jenna Clark, in 2022 at 22 years old.
Clark at 22.

Creating a better relationship with my body has taken time and is something I'm still working on — but it's worth it

I began to understand that undernourishing and overexerting my body was the opposite of loving myself, regardless of what I heard around me.

Acting on that new understanding took a lot of strength. Some days were better than others, but over time, new habits formed, and my mindset shifted from one of self-hatred to self-love.

Though my parents didn't say anything to me at the time about this shift, I could tell they were happy to see that my joyful and youthful light was starting to shine through again.

I am in a much better place with my body now, even though I still am in a larger one. My journey with food and exercise has not been easy or linear, and it's one I will be on for the rest of my life. But I'm happy that I started the process of recovery because I feel like I can finally live my life again. I can go out to dinner with my friends or to a theme park and eat ice cream without constantly worrying about whether my weight will fluctuate because of it or whether I'll be able to "burn it off" later that day.

I see now that I spent so much of my life attaching my worth to the look and shape of my body. Today I realize that I am much more than that.

Read the original article on Insider
Симферополь

Краеведческое посвящение «Крымскому первооткрывателю Василию Георгиевичу Ене – 100 лет»

Top 10 Love Affair Movies of the 2000s and 2010s

The 10 Intense New Action Movies on Netflix That Left Me on the Edge of My Seat!

Top 5 Websites to Watch FREE Movies - TV Shows (No Sign up!)

Top 10 Emmanuelle Seigner Movies

Ria.city






Read also

The Song From the 1500’s That Blows Rick Beato Away: An Introduction to John Dowland’s Entrancing Music

Verdict on Nicolaou’s death expected on May 10

Daily mortgage rates for March 28, 2024: Rates ease down on popular terms

News, articles, comments, with a minute-by-minute update, now on Today24.pro

News Every Day

Top 5 Websites to Watch FREE Movies - TV Shows (No Sign up!)

Today24.pro — latest news 24/7. You can add your news instantly now — here


News Every Day

Top 10 Emmanuelle Seigner Movies



Sports today


Новости тенниса
WTA

WTA отреагировала на битву Елены Рыбакиной с топовой теннисисткой за полуфинал турнира в Майами



Спорт в России и мире
Москва

Трехкратный обладатель Кубка Гагарина уволил тренера и назначил нового



All sports news today





Sports in Russia today

Москва

Трехкратный обладатель Кубка Гагарина уволил тренера и назначил нового


Новости России

Game News

Шапки женские вязаные на Wildberries, 2024 — новый цвет от 392 руб. (модель 466)


Russian.city



Губернаторы России
Спорт

Югра – победитель Зимних Игр Паралимпийцев «Мы вместе. Спорт» по следж-хоккею


Шапки женские на Wildberries — скидки от 398 руб. (на новые оттенки)

Московская область - Изготовление металлических навесов

Четверых фигурантов дела о теракте в «Крокус Сити Холле» внесли в список террористов и экстремистов

Шапки женские вязаные на Wildberries, 2024 — новый цвет от 392 руб. (модель 466)


Семен Слепаков решил избавиться от последнего бизнеса в России

Invest AG настраивает на своем // Земли в Новой Москве останутся структурам компании на жилых условиях

Певица Диана Арбенина призналась, что улетела из России ради матери

Ольга Бузова стала человеком-невидимкой на ТВ-3 в новом сезоне легендарного шоу о звёздах


Российская теннисистка Калинская покинула WTA-1000 из-за проблем со здоровьем

Рыбакина о том, что не играла в Индиан-Уэллс из-за болезни: «К сожалению, восстановление заняло много времени»

Рыбакина, наряду со Свёнтек, имеет 70% побед на WTA-1000 против соперниц из топ-10

«Бомж» Дарья передает всем привет»: Касаткина ответила на слова Винер



Заказать недорогой ремонт кухонной мебели в районе в Москве и Московской области

Рынок вторичной недвижимости Крыма: цены растут, а спрос?

Эксперты КА «Главный Советник» приняли участие в форуме «Тренды и антитренды корпоративного видео сегодня»

Выпуск ЦФА на платформе «Атомайз» поможет снизить нагрузку на экологию


Стартовал конкурсный отбор на участие в летней выездной программе литературного проекта «Языковая арт-резиденция»

Выставка художников-любителей открылась в Национальном музее

КАМАЗ обновил дизайн электробуса — первое фото

Ритуальный агент Борис Свистунов: комплексная поддержка в организации похоронных услуг в Санкт-Петербурге и Ленинградской области


Заседание ОП о регулировании работы строительного комплекса пройдет 3 апреля

На Калужском шоссе произошел сильный пожар в торговом центре "Красная Пахра"

Москвич продиктовал мошенникам номер карты и лишился всех сбережений

Один из фигурантов дела о теракте в «Крокусе» обжаловал арест



Путин в России и мире






Персональные новости Russian.city
Пётр Чайковский

В Воткинске могут благоустроить набережную в районе музея-усадьбы Петра Чайковского



News Every Day

Top 10 Emmanuelle Seigner Movies




Friends of Today24

Музыкальные новости

Персональные новости