There has been so much on the TV recently about this and its in almost every magazine that I pick up. I was watching a programme about it on Sunday, the 2 journalists who did the 00 experiment ( did you see it?) Women who diet in such an extreme way are putting their bodies under so much stress and themselves in so much danger. Apart from the fact that size 0 or 00 is a bad look ( my opinion) and where is the fun in eating a bowl of watercress soup and only drinking water, it is a very dangerous fad.

It makes me very angry that young impressionable girls are looking to these celebs and thinking they look good.

Look at celebrities like Victoria Beckham and Nicole Ritchie, then look at Beyonce or Charlottle Church, who looks the happiest? I just read this morning that Posh Spice makes half a glass of champagne last 5 hours when she goes out to avoid unneccesary calories.

Ridiculous

Not to open up the debate further - well I suppose I am actually - but there is also I flip side to this argument.

As those of you that have met me know I fit into the size "0" category. This is not by choice - I have always been very slim and probably haven't put on weight or grown since I was about 13. I had a baby and only put a stone on throughout my pregnancy and the weight was lost the minute I gave birth. I can eat what I want, drink as much as I like and the weight simply will not go on.

Now before you all start to attack me and say how lucky I am and that I shouldn't complain, put yourself in my shoes for a minute.

People look at me and instantly asume I have an eating disorder. If for what ever reason I don't feel hungry (either because I am unwell or usually because I have a hangover) people try to force feed me. I have had so many incidents of people quite literally shoving the food into my mouth, because they presume I don't eat at all. Other women constantly look at me with hatred and jealousy - a night out can often turn into a bitch fest when I can hear them talking about me. I can never get clothes to fit properly (and that leads me to another point in a moment). For years I was bullied and called names because of how I looked to the extent that in my late teens I had absolutely no self confidence at all and eventually resulted in me undergoing expensive and painful cosmetic surgery to change certain features to stop me looking quite so skinny.

Back to my point about clothes - over the past year or so, since the size zero debate started I have noticed that many clothes sizes are actually getting bigger. I used to buy a size 8 and know that it would fit fine, however lately I have had to buy a size 6 and in some places if I buy trousers in a size 6 I still have to pull them in with a belt. Perhaps the manufacturers make them bigger so they can sell the size "0" clothes to get the headlines?????

My point here being that don't judge a book by it's cover. Not everyone that is super skinny has an eating disorder, and not everyone actually wants to be super skinny - some of us are just born that way and have to put up with it - and trust me, it's not as great as what many of you may think it is - sometimes it sucks!!!!

I agree with a lot of what you said Sam1 and sympathise with what you go through, even though im not and will probably never be a size 0, i know a few people who are similar to you, and suffer from just being naturally thin.
However i do disagre with some of the press who advertise for young impressionable teenages to try and loose the weight to become a size 0, when their natural shape is bigger. People should begin to realise that not everyone is made from the same cast, and one of the best things about living in this world is the fact that we are all different, and enjoy that fact.

You lucky bint!!!! ;)

I must say, having met you Sam, the thought of you having an eating disorder never even crossed my mind. I do remember thinking I wish I could carry off that dress, but nothing else. I reckon you look fab!! (thumbs up)

I suppose while TV, magazines and Hollywood put so much importance in being slim it's going to continue. I think the worst aspect of this relates to what Cerian said. It's one thing when you're naturally the way you are, but it's another to try and force yourself to be something you're not.

I've resigned myself to being the size I am. My physique isn't made to be a size 10, but it annoys me when I go into somewhere like Next for something which should fit me but doesn't because there is so much discrepancy between sizes in different shops, and I honestly believe that's a contributing factor to the dress-size debate also.

Until these kids, and that is where I believe it starts, are happy with themselves and don't place as much importance in what the press tells them it's going to be a continuing problem and nothing anyone says is going to change that.

Sorry Sam I wasnt being critical of anyone who is this size naturally. I am only talking about the people who have purposely slimmed down to this size simply to conform to what celebrities are looking like. Of course some people are this size naturally. I was really skinny when I was in my teens and twenties and struggled to put weight on ( I am making up for this now tho!) I mean the women who are starving themselves , like the 2 journalists on the TV, not the women who are naturally slim and petite.

I hope I havent offended anyone!