A lot of people who begin dieting do so because they don't feel good ABOUT THEMSELVES, they often blame their body, but their body can often simply be the tool that they use to make themselves feel better about themselves. We very often hear people saying things like "when I lose 7 pounds then I'll be happy" I wonder is that true? Maybe it is true for a short time when the compliments are rolling in (we live in a society that does congratulate weight loss) but then what's next? How do you maintain that false sense of security that everything is ok now? What happens when you stop dieting? When you don't feel good about yourself? A seemingly easy way to fix that is to alter your body to something that you perceive to be better or more acceptable to yourself and society. It can certainly seem like an easy way to increase low self-esteem.
Self-esteem can be defined as an individual's subjective evaluation of their own worth. Are you really only worth something if your weight is a certain number? I know most people in my life are worth more to me than the number they weigh.
The problem with trying to increase your self-esteem through changing your body is that it's very likely it's only temporary. It's a bit like building a house with no foundations, it will stay standing for a while and then come crashing down around you. if diets really worked long term, then why have so many people been on multiple diets throughout their life?
I'm not denying that some people have weight issues and I'm not naïve enough to believe that somebody who is really struggling physically and emotionally with their weight can just "learn to love themselves" but what if they could learn to like something about themselves outside of their shape and size? What one thing could you approve of in yourself that's not weight related? This is where the real self-esteem building work happens, the solid foundations. I wonder if somebody has a solid self-esteem, a high regard for themselves and a sense of respect, would they end up eating more than their body actually wanted or needed in the first place?
Like most things, people try to tackle problems on a surface level but this will only bring surface level results. Any long lasting changes need to be addressed on a level that goes beyond the body.