#macrobbodyimage

Hi there,

It would be best to consult your doctor or another health professional such as nutritionist/dietitian as FAM are not qualified health professionals, so we are unable to give you advice as we are not aware of your personal circumstances and how this might affect how you lose weight and what is an appropriate plan for you.

Hey,

We’re sorry to hear you’re experiencing this! In times like this, it is important to let your parents and family friends know how you feel about their comments or even just telling them to stop can get the point across. Stand up for yourself. Respecting them doesn’t mean you let them say whatever they want. Sometimes in these situations it is good to be blunt (but also remember to be polite), for example saying “can you please stop talking about my weight” and walking off. If that doesn’t work, you should try to have a conversation with your parents in private. If you’re not too fond of confrontation you could try writing a letter or getting a friend/sibling to tell you parents for you.

You don’t have to put a word in if that feels too directly confronting, of course it’s understandable that you’ll want to respect older people. You can just walk away, there’s no need for you to listen to anything that hurts you.

We hope this has helped you!

Hey,

It may be worth visiting your family doctor about this, get a checkup to make sure everything is fine. Not only will this doctor reassure your parents letting them know you’re okay but it will also reassure you, you may even be able to get some professional advice on how to lose weight in the healthiest way and know what diet is best for you.

Hey,

This is really awful and we’re sorry to hear you’re going through this. It’s horrible your parents are purposely doing this. You should kindly approach them about it and suggest going to a medical professional. Doctors can let you and your parents know what’s best for you, hopefully convince your parents that what they’re doing is not right. They can also help you with finding a diet that can increase your energy :)

If this is affecting you mentally, we highly recommend you have a talk with Gillian the school counsellor, who can be contacted via email ([email protected]) or at the wellbeing centre located at the end of K2.

There are some foods that give you more energy that you can try to edge a little more into your lunch as you convince your parents to expand your diet, so perhaps if you do talk to a doctor, ask them about what you should eat to maximise the amount of energy you get from your food.

Hi there lovely!

It is completely normal and natural for girls to be hairy as well. Please don’t let that affect you too much, because really, it’s societal beauty standards that have really gotten to our culture, which has a really negative effect on us, unfortunately. Because people think it’s awkward or ‘not right’ for girls to have body hair, they may go on and do procedures, and all this just seems to add up more and more and standards for beauty become even narrower and more shallow. This is unfortunate, please don’t let these societal attitudes affect your amazing self.

If you are still really uncomfortable with your body hair, perhaps you can talk to your mother or dermatologist? But really, please understand it’s natural. Like really, this is a ‘man-made’ thing that skin with no hair is usually sought after. I bet you are an amazing person with a wonderful personality, and the rest (appearance and all…) is just surface level.

Love,

Hey,

Depending on what your opinion of ‘good’ is, the strategies that will suit your preference will be different. For example, choosing slightly longer skirts/shorts will cover the thickest parts of your thighs and showing a bit of socks at your ankles will make your calves seem slimmer. High waisted shorts/skirts will make your legs appear longer overall and so do shoes with low vamps.

If you don’t know what a shoe vamp is, check out this link for an explanation: https://insideoutstyleblog.com/2016/08/what-is-shoe-vamp-and-why-does-it-matter.html

Remember that your body is beautiful regardless of what shape it’s in so keep loving yourself!

We know this is easier said than done but if you’re actively trying to be confident in your body and in the clothes you wear, that confidence will shine through and no matter what clothes you wear, you’ll be wearing the clothes, not the clothes wearing you (if that makes sense).

Love,

Hi there lovely,

We are so sorry that this is how you are feeling. Your parents only want you to be the best self as they perceive that you can be, and it’s not their fault because this could be a sign that they may be struggling with body negativity themselves. They are not trying to cause you pain.

However, when their comments are hurting you, don’t hesitate to correct them and explain your point of view. Let them know how you feel when they make those comments, and explain that you do in fact feel beautiful in your body exactly how it is. Odds are that your mum or dad don’t want to get in the way of your journey to self love, and will benefit from the breath of fresh air that your body positivity provides them. Don’t be afraid to educate them about the body positivity movement!

As you said, it is hard to feel self-love at this moment for you, don’t beat yourself up for that either! It’s perfectly normal to be upset to hear these comments, it’s okay to feel offended, and it’s okay to ignore them! Your feelings are completely valid so remember to take care of them and yourself. Give yourself some time to release that emotion or vent to a trusted listener. Set time aside to take care of yourself, give yourself compliments in the mirror, reach out for help friends, fam, the school counsellors, a therapist, etc.

Always remember that you are brilliant, beautiful and worthy person no matter what shape you are.

Love,

Hey,

This situation sounds all too familiar to me hahahah.

A quick google search gave me this: Moles occur when cells in the skin grow in a cluster instead of being spread throughout the skin. These cells are called melanocytes, and they make the pigment that gives skin its natural color. Moles may darken after exposure to the sun, during the teen years, and during pregnancy.

As for making sure they don’t get bigger or darker, make sure to apply sunscreen when you’re outside; slip slop slap. Don’t pick at them!! Also measure and photograph any larger ones, to make sure they aren’t growing. It is also good to get them checked by a doctor to rule out any chance of melanoma.

As for getting them removed, I’m pretty sure you don’t have to be 18, but you’ll definitely need parental consent. Most places don’t suggest getting moles removed before 18 as your body is still going through hormonal changes, and who knows your mole might fade away during that time.

Remember FAM is not your local GP, and you should always consult a real qualified doctor first before taking on any of our medical ‘advice’. :)

Keep in mind that imperfection is a kind of beauty and your unique features can be perfectly ‘you’, so keep loving yourself for being perfectly imperfect:)

Love,