I read an interesting article in the local paper today on the psychological effects of the pro-Ana (anorexia) websites. After healthy weighted women view the sites, they were in a ‘worse mood’ and felt overweight, even though the images on the sites are shocking and so painfully sad.
It seems to me that the same thing can happen to any of us if we spend too much time reading fashion magazines, watching “celebrity” shows, or even many popular primetimes shows on television. We can easily begin to see them as normal and see ourselves as less-than. It clearly happens to teens all the time, and I wonder how much of an influence it has on us, even short term.
While I think that posting an inspiring picture of ourselves at thinner/healthier time, or of a healthy sized woman from a magazine on the frig can remind us to make a better choice when we’re wanting to munch, so many of the women our society has elevated to ‘perfect’ or ideal are not ‘normal’ or healthy in weight or lifestyle.
Perhaps we should consider fasting from certain shows, magazines, and movies if we find they are discouraging to us in our weight loss journey (or in any other way distract us from the life God has called us to live).
Laura, that’s an excellent point!
I know when I was engaged I had to cut out Friends becuase I could not handle watching all the characters sleeping around and I couldn’t! 
Seriously, it’s so easy to let ourselves be decieved by what we are feeding our brain … whether it’s thru TV or reading material or whatever.
Comment by stephanie — August 10, 2006 @ 1:57 pm
I TOTALLY agree!!! We are currently fasting from television for this month and it has changed some things in my home in two weeks that I had not realized were infiltrating my home. Oh, the kids still fight over toys but they have stopped asking to watch something all day - even videos. We have evening family time and focus on spiritual things and great stories instead of letting the TV tell us how to live, what to wear and what to eat. It changes EVERYTHING!!!
Comment by Leann — August 10, 2006 @ 2:00 pm
We haven’t had “tv” since we moved to Kansas the beginning of last month - it has helped me for sure. We have watched some movies that I’ve said, “Uh, no more movies like that one - ok?” Seems like there is so much trash!
As for the “thin” images, they are impossible to live up to and unrealistic. I want to be free! Not in bondage to an image.
Great Post Laura!
Comment by Blair — August 10, 2006 @ 3:43 pm
I remember a National Geographic article I read a year or two back about our concepts of beauty. It mentioned some remote island nation which finally got TV. They were receiving U.S. programming via satellite. Within a year, eating disorders skyrocketed amongst their teen girls.
Yikes.
Comment by blestwithsons — August 10, 2006 @ 9:06 pm
I was at the supermarket and read that Lindsey Lohan’s waist is 25 inches. My THIGH is 23 inches. I cannot tell you how humbling it was to think that my thigh is almost as big as a grown woman’s wasit. Now I see this year’s trend is the “skinny jean”. ARGHHH!! I have to be so careful to not think hateful things about the perky fit woman sprinting past me at the walking trail. I loved the line from that song years ago that said, “Beauty magazines will only make you feel ugly”.
Comment by Mandi — August 11, 2006 @ 8:33 am