Feeling Hungry Means You’re Actually Feeling Something Else [VIDEO]

Any woman who has struggled with weight, body image, or both should watch this powerful video. And it's also a great message for your daughters. A young woman who struggled with body image and bulimia for years shares her experience in the video, 'Fat is Not a Feeling.'

The woman in the video is Caroline Rothstein and her experiences are somewhat extreme. Rape and the death of her brother contributed to the emotional issues that fed her eating disorder. But she starts the video talking about body image issues as a child in ballet class, long before the other issues were a factor.

The video really touched me, because I've always struggled with body image. A naturally slim person as a child, I found that my teen years were not so easy. Diagnosed as a borderline anorexic when I was 15, I was told by a doctor to 'EAT.' So I did. The weight went on and I looked and felt a lot better! But, there's no switch that says, 'Stop eating and gaining weight!' When my weight started going too far in the other direction, I'd diet. (which for me meant skipping meals) During my college years, I stayed slim but that's mostly because I walked everywhere on campus and ate only one meal a day.

Ever since having three children, I've struggled with my weight, which is usually far above what's considered 'normal.' I've tried many diet programs, exercised, and stressed about the way I look. One day, it occurred to me that I'd wasted way too much of my life worrying about my weight and avoiding situations that made me uncomfortable. This is who I am and, whether my weight is up or down, I'm still the same person.

Ms. Rothstein really brings up an important point. Fat is NOT a feeling. You don't 'feel' fat. You may feel unattractive or insecure or self-conscious. And those emotions need to be dealt with, but not through emotional eating. Stop beating yourself up and start feeling good about the person inside the body. You're beautiful, whether you're a size 2 or a size 22!