i-am-the-problem

[i-am-the-problem]

I’m that girl who talked her friend out of suicide last year. I’m also the girl cutting her wrists. I’m the girl whose pain is being ignored, because I’m “not depressed. I’m just making it up for attention.” I’m the girl who calls suicide hotlines, and they’re the only numbers in my recent calls because no one cares about me enough to want to talk to me. I’m the girl who cries herself to sleep. I’m the girl who stood at the edge of a cliff and thought that I’d be better off if I took one step further. I’m the girl who didn’t tell anyone about my pain for over a year because I didn’t want anyone to worry. I’m the girl who gets hit by her older brother. I’m the girl who is expected to be perfect, to ace every test, win every game, But is failing at it all because she’s spending all her energy trying to stay alive. Help me. Save me. Please.

[i-am-the-problem]

Alright, I'm a cutter and I see a lot about covering scars and cuts. Why the Hell would you cover them? So you dont make others uncomfortable? I personally don't cover mine. If you cover your scars then people will never realize what they've actually done to you.

[i-am-the-problem]

max is gay

???

[i-am-the-problem]

Never.

[i-am-the-problem]

[i-am-the-problem]

[i-am-the-problem]

I️ think about this all the time….

[i-am-the-problem]

-Hotel Books

[i-am-the-problem]

[i-am-the-problem]

Never.

[i-am-the-problem]

Right now a future with you seems so far away.

@sixwordssayitall (via sixwordssayitall)

[i-am-the-problem]

I don’t dream at night, I dream at day, I dream all day; I’m dreaming for living.

Steven Spielberg (via wordsnquotes)

[i-am-the-problem]

identity fragmentation

[i-am-the-problem]

The 15 Worst Ways to Lose Weight

Doing a Juice Cleanse

A juice-only diet might leave you feeling light and clean. Problem is, juices have almost zero protein. “So you’ll lose water weight and muscle mass, but not fat,” Cederquist says. And once you go back to solid food, those pounds will pile right back on. Whomp, whomp! Curious about all the other wonky things that can go down when you say no to solids? Then don’t miss our special report, 27 Things a Juice Cleanse Does to Your Body.

Skipping Meals

Passing on breakfast, lunch, or dinner might be an easy way to drastically slash your calorie intake. But doing so will probably backfire. One recent animal study published in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry found that mice who ate just one meal daily wound up gorging on their food—and packing on unhealthy belly fat.

Going Gluten-Free

Despite what some celebrities might say, there’s no scientific evidence showing that a gluten-free diet will help you get lean. In fact, it might do the opposite—especially if you rely on gluten-free packaged foods like breads or muffins. “Manufacturers add extra fat, salt, and sugar to make up for the missing flavor and texture of gluten. So these foods are often higher in calories,” registered dietician Jennifer McDaniel tells us. Instead of going gluten-free, nix simple carbs like white bread and slim down with the help of better-for-you starches like quinoa, fruit, beans, or any of these 25 Best Carbs That Will Uncover Your Abs.

Drinking Vinegar Before Every Meal

Some findings do show that vinegar promotes healthier blood sugar levels and feelings of satiety. But since drinking highly acidic liquids like vinegar can irritate the throat and stomach it shouldn’t be something you do on the reg, Cederquist says, adding, “My recommendation is to use vinegar as a healthy alternative to salad dressings and to continue to eat a nutritionally balanced diet.” If you don’t have a go-to recipe, why not whip up this raw apple cider vinaigrette from Megan of the blog Detoxinista? We’re big fans!

Eating Fat-Free Everything

Foregoing all forms of fat—including healthy ones like olive oil and avocado—won’t just leave your food bland at tasteless, it could make you sick, too. Not eating enough fat has been assocaited with hunger, dry skin, and extreme mental fatigue. Not to mention, low-fat diets are completely ineffective for weight loss, according to a recent analysis of 53 studies and nearly 70,000 participants published in The Lancet. To discover which sources of fat can best help whittle your middle, don’t miss our report, The 20 Best Full-Fat Foods for Weight Loss.

Cutting Out Entire Food Groups

Sure, it might seem like swearing off carbs or sugar will be the answer to your weight problems but that's simply not the case.“Each food group contains vital nutrients that our bodies need to function,” Cederquist says. Plus, you could find yourself with massive cravings for the foods you cut out. “It’s all about balance,” Cederquist adds.

Drinking Ice Cold Water

If you prefer ice water over H20 that’s room temperature, that’s totally fine. But if you’re only adding ice cubes to your glass to lose weight, your efforts aren’t likely to pay off. You may have heard that drinking colder water forces your body to work harder (and subsequently burn calories) to bring the water up to your body’s internal temperature—and that’s 100 percent true. But the process only burns eight calories, say experts at The University of Washington. And sorry to say, when it comes to losing weight, eight measly calories just isn’t very meaningful. These 25 Ways to Cut 250 Calories, however, can help you slash enough calories from your diet to actually notice a difference over time.

Sipping Laxative Teas

Laxative teas might leave you feeling, er, a little lighter. But they don’t actually help you lose weight—and they could be harmful. “Teas that cause an increase in bowel function are not helping you lose fat,” Cederquist says. “Rather, you are losing fluid, and can have [health] issues [as a result of] disrupting electrolyte levels.” If you like the idea of sipping tea to slim down, add some of these gentle—and safe—weight loss teas to your diet instead.

Eating Just One Food

There’s a reason gimmicks like the Grapefruit Diet or Cabbage Soup Diet never really caught on. “They’re crash diets in disguise,” McDaniel says. “They might lead to short-term weight loss, but long-term, it’s a guarantee for weight gain and an unhealthy relationship with food.” Plus, eating only one thing makes it impossible to meet your nutritional needs and increases your odds of deficiencies.

RELATED: 17 Nutrients Your Weight Loss Diet is Missing

Switching to Diet Soda

Going from sugary, high-calorie soda to diet pop may seem like it would help you drop pounds—but don’t be fooled. Diet beverages come with their own set of health risks. One long-term study published in The Journal of The American Geriatrics Society found that subjects who consumed artificial sweeteners (in diet soda and in other drinks, like coffee or tea) gained more weight and belly fat compared to subjects who skipped the stuff—even without increasing their calorie intake. Yikes! While we aren’t fans of soda, you'd be better off cutting back on the amount of regular cola that you drink and slowly weaning yourself off of it over time.

Trading Your Meals for Weight-Loss Shakes

Having a high-quality protein shake for breakfast or lunch can help you control your calories and lose weight. But only if your other meals consist of real foods like lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats, Cederquist says. If the only things you consume all day are shakes, that’s a recipe for deprivation. And when you do go back to solid food, the weight will pile back on.

Working Out For Hours and Hours

More exercise means more calories burned. But upping your activity level will likely make you hungrier and drive you to eat more, suggests one PLoS One study. And piling extra food on your plate—even healthy stuff—can easily erase that hard work you put in at the gym. Cut yourself off after an hour or two to ensure you’re able to control your hunger.

Eating Tons of Protein

Cutting all your carbs in favor of meat, meat, and more meat might help you lose water weight in the short-term. But in the long-term, these kinds of diets aren’t actually any more effective at helping you drop pounds, says McDaniel. And after a while, you might start to really miss the occasional piece of bread. “That can leave you feeling deprived, which usually sets off a binge and restrict cycle that leaves you heavier than when you started,” she explains. To discover even more not-so-great things that happen when you overdo it on chicken, eggs, and beef, read up on these 7 Things That Happen When You Eat too Much Protein.

Working Out On An Empty Stomach

You might’ve heard that exercising when you’re hungry prompts your body to burn more fat. But a review article published in Strength and Conditioning Journal concluded that the opposite is true. When you hit the gym without fueling up, you’re more likely to end up losing muscle. And that’s bad news since muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than fat tissue.

Adding Coconut Oil to Everything

Some research suggests that the fatty acids in coconut oil could give your metabolism a small boost. But “there’s no evidence showing that it actually leads to weight loss,” says McDaniel. Plus, like other fats, a tablespoon of coconut oil contains 120 calories—so it’s easy to overdo it. Enjoy it if you like the flavor, but do so in moderation—and don’t expect that it will help you shed pounds, she says.

[i-am-the-problem]

8 Common Unhealthy Ways to Lose Weight

No-Calorie Diet: Our bodies need fat, plus healthy fats actually help you burn fat. Unfortunately, the zero-calorie trend is one of the most popular, leading people to consume harmful artificial sweeteners in the name of losing weight. Also, diet drinks can actually cause weight gain.

Drugs and Pills: We’re all familiar with this one and we know there’s not a magic pill that will make you skinny. Sadly, drugs, like cocaine, are often used as a quick fix for weight-loss. But in the long run they can severely damage your heart and your brain. There are certain supplements that can aid in fat-burning, but they must go along with healthy eating and exercise, and the healthy supplements are whole-food based.

Fad Diets: The Annals of Internal Medicine reviewed 10 of the nation’s most popular weight-loss programs and found that except for Weight Watchers, none of them show proof that they actually work at helping people lose weight and keep it off. About 45 million Americans diet each year, spending $1 billion to 2 billion each year on weight-loss programs. Yet America remains the most obese country on earth. Not eating a balanced diet will not help you lose weight and can actually inhibit any weight-loss.

Skipping Meals: This approach may appear to make sense, but really it’s a harmful and unhealthy way to lose weight. Your metabolism increases after eating, and if you chronically skip meals, your metabolism can slow down and actually lead to weight gain. Starving or skipping meals is extremely ineffective in weight-loss.

Purging: Purposely throwing up is incredibly dangerous to your health. Purging often comes with serious psychological effects on the individual. The act of throwing up is either a symptom of, or leads to bulimia and it can also increase your cravings for unhealthy foods. Purging creates an illusion that the hunger craving has been satisfied by consuming food, but the calories are lost by throwing it up.

Laxatives: Excessive use of laxatives in the form of pills, powders, suppositories and teas in order to lose weight is not a new concept. Continuous use will weaken your digestive system and can cause abdomen related complications.

Smoking: Another popular way to suppress hunger. Smoking sends vague signals to the brain which increase the metabolic rate, and consequently kill hunger. Chronic smokers can skip meals and not feel any effect. However, this method causes long term damage as the body becomes weak and more susceptible to cancers and other infections.

Over-Exercising: If your body is already undernourished, over-exercising can be one of the worst things you can do to lose weight. Sticking to a rigorous exercise regime can rarely be considered a bad thing, but extensive amounts of cardio won’t help you drop the remaining weight. Burst trainingfor 20 minutes, 3–5 times per week is an appropriate amount, along with strength training.

Working out and sticking to a healthy diet should complement one another in order to lose weight in a healthy way. Losing weight requires a lifestyle change, especially if you want it to stay off. It’s hard work, eating healthy and exercising.

You might also be interested in How to Lose 20 Lbs with Diet and Supplements.

[i-am-the-problem]

10 Unhealthy Ways To Lose Weight Fast

1. Starving Yourself

A surprising number of people are unaware that eating consistently is the key to a healthy metabolism. Of course, this also requires the foods we regularly ingest to be healthy. However, the method of starving yourself is perhaps one of the most counterintuitive ways to keep off weight in the long-run.

According to Livestrong, not only does starving oneself harm the body’s metabolism that keeps us from gaining weight in the first place, but it makes us lose the wrong type of weight. Instead of losing internal body fat, we shed water weight and lose muscle mass as a result of self-starvation. Furthermore, due to the fact that the body’s metabolism slows during starvation mode, your body is not really burning as many calories off in the first place, and instead the body is more likely to store ingested calories as fat.

A safer and more effective alternative would be to eat small portions of healthy food consistently throughout the day.

2. Purging

We have all heard stories of high-profile runway models using this approach to losing weight. Most of us are aware that it is terribly unhealthy and dangerous, yet bulimia remains a prevalent health problem in the western world, especially within the young female demographic.

According to nationaleatingdisorders.com, purging can cause severe dehydration and bodily weakness, leading to potential hair loss, kidney failure, and slowing of the heart rate. You can say goodbye to healthy white teeth; constant vomiting erodes the teeth and causes cavities and decay. In severe cases, death can occur as a result of bodily organ damage and complications.

As we suggested above, a great way to combat purging and eating disorders is to formulate a meal plan filled with healthy foods that you can feel good about. It is important to recognize that bulimia and anorexia are classified as both mental and physical health disorders, so feeling good about what you are putting into your body is vital in providing support and relief.

3. Excessive Exercise

Compulsive exercise or excessive workouts puts extreme stress on the body and our organs. Many professionals that work with patients who suffer from eating disorders recognize that this approach often goes hand-in-hand with methods like self-starvation and purging. The impact of putting too much physical stress on the body can be dangerous, especially when paired with starvation or purging.

Some negative effects of excessive exercise include increased injury, insomnia, and decreased immune system functioning, causing people to become sick more frequently. When considering all of the unhealthy ways to lose weight fast, over-exercising is the most likely to put people at risk for dangerous injuries to occur.

Instead, a daily routine of short-duration, high-intensity cardio, combined with resistance training and a healthy meal plan is the best approach. Yes, exercise is a great way to lose weight fast. However, excessive exercise is dangerous and should be avoided.

4. Dinitrophenol (DNP)

Many studies performed by health professionals have cited this weight-loss agent as too dangerous for human consumption, and therefore one of the unhealthy ways to lose weight fast. By the year 2011, 62 deaths were confirmed in medical literature directly linked to the use of this weight-loss supplement. It is known for effects that include appetite suppression, increased internal body heat, and increased heart rate.

In 2003, the UK Food Standard Agency labeled DNP “not fit for human consumption,” with many other countries following suit shortly after, effectively banning commercial production and distribution. However, it can still be obtained over shady trading sites on the internet, which poses a health risk to dieters and consumers worldwide.

Our suggestion regarding weight loss supplements is this: a weight loss supplement plan with no long-term healthy meal plan is pointless. If you are looking for that extra “boost” to shed extra pounds, it is important to understand that quality results do not happen overnight, and most of these supplements (both legal and illegal) are not going to give you the results you are seeking. Eat healthy, exercise in a safe and smart manner, and get quality sleep.

4. Dinitrophenol (DNP)

Many studies performed by health professionals have cited this weight-loss agent as too dangerous for human consumption, and therefore one of the unhealthy ways to lose weight fast. By the year 2011, 62 deaths were confirmed in medical literature directly linked to the use of this weight-loss supplement. It is known for effects that include appetite suppression, increased internal body heat, and increased heart rate.

In 2003, the UK Food Standard Agency labeled DNP “not fit for human consumption,” with many other countries following suit shortly after, effectively banning commercial production and distribution. However, it can still be obtained over shady trading sites on the internet, which poses a health risk to dieters and consumers worldwide.

Our suggestion regarding weight loss supplements is this: a weight loss supplement plan with no long-term healthy meal plan is pointless. If you are looking for that extra “boost” to shed extra pounds, it is important to understand that quality results do not happen overnight, and most of these supplements (both legal and illegal) are not going to give you the results you are seeking. Eat healthy, exercise in a safe and smart manner, and get quality sleep.

6. Protein-Only Diet

I use the protein-only diet simply as an example when grouping together all the fad diets related to cutting out specific food groups, or eating items that come exclusively from one group. Most of us know that humans derive nutrition from eating a variety of different food from different food groups, however some dieting fads urge people to cut out some foods while increasing the intake of others.

With protein-only diets, for example, the Mayo Clinic warns that people who eat protein-only foods can experience insufficient fiber intake, constipation, and decreased liver functioning in more severe cases. Some high-protein foods can also put people at higher risk for heart disease, such as full-dairy products and red meat.

Our suggestion? Incorporate steamed complex carbs such as broccoli and kale. Pair these with small portions of healthy whole grains, such as brown rice or quinoa. Cut out simple carbs or unnecessary sugar.

7. Tapeworm Diet

Although the use of parasites for dieting purposes is not as common as it used to be, some dieters ingest these nasty organisms into their bodies hoping to shed those few extra pounds. According to medicinenet.com, these parasites attach themselves to the intestinal walls of humans, and can grow up to 15 feet in length. They absorb many of the nutrients we get from our foods, resulting in vitamin deficiencies if they are left untreated. Of all the unhealthy ways to lose weight fast, this is possibly the most disgusting.

Our suggestion? Well, just don’t do it.

8. Laxatives

This is another common trend seen among patients who suffer from eating disorders. According to nationaleatingdisorders.com, this method is most often used by people trying to get rid of unwanted calories, or to “feel thin.” Repeated abuse of laxatives essentially rushes food and calories through the gut before they can be absorbed, resulting in some serious complications.

Laxative abuse disturbs the body’s internal mineral balance, depleting the body of healthy nutrients like sodium, potassium, and other electrolytes needed for healthy cell functioning. It can also result in severe dehydration which damages our vital organs, qualifying this method as another unhealthy way to lose weight fast.

As an alternative, we suggest a diet rich in healthy fibers and complex carbs for normal and regular digestive functioning. Instead of depleting the body of essential minerals, a nutrient-rich diet will assist both digestion and healthy cell functioning.

9. Smoking

Needless to say, smoking is terrible for you. With health implications ranging from lung cancer to increased risk for heart disease, we don’t see any reason why smoking would EVER be considered a viable weight loss option.

Nonetheless, some people still utilize this method due to the appetite-suppressive effects it can have. Nicotine interacts with the brain’s neurotransmitters such that it stimulates receptors that decrease hunger. However, if appetite suppression is what you are trying to achieve, there are far healthier methods to try to achieve the same goal.

Our suggestion? Replace snack foods with healthy options. When you get hungry, have some baby carrots and hummus!

10. Narcotic Use

From Kate Moss to Naomi Campbell, we are all too familiar with famous models and celebrities who have suffered from substance abuse problems. Whether explicitly stated or implied, the use of coke and other stimulants has been linked to fending off hunger pangs and staying skinny. Of course, using drugs as a method of weight loss and hunger prevention is a terribly unhealthy option.

Like nicotine, the active ingredients in stimulants such as methamphetamine and cocaine interact with the brain in ways that are known to suppress hunger and appetite, sometimes for days on end. As previously mentioned, it unhealthy and simply dangerous for the body to enter starvation mode, and the long-term effects on both the brain and body can be severe.

Bottom line: real, long-lasting results are only obtained by quality dieting, smart exercise, and sufficient sleep.

[i-am-the-problem]

It’s hard to give up on someone. Even when you know you should, because part of you will always hope.

Babbar Sher (via wnq-writers)