Is Your Obsession with Body Image Alienating Friends and Associates?

It is no secret that many Americans - particularly women - struggle with body image issues. It's also no wonder, given that we are inundated daily with media images of mythical creatures who bear some resemblence to actual human beings but appear to have few, if any physical flaws. With so much deception and hype over the superficial, it is easy to become obsessed with body image and begin to frequently verbalize one's frustrations. Unfortunately, this can happen to the detriment of meaningful friendships and important associations.

Not many people enjoy hearing someone complain constantly about their appearance and how they wish it were different - except in those cases where misery loves company. And after a while, these complaints can alienate perfectly wonderful people. So how does one spot the signs that they are pushing people away? If you are worried that you could be overdoing it and are on the verge of losing some valuable relationships, here are a few signs that you might be right:

The friends and/or coworkers that you once frequently dined with now all have "other plans" when it's time for lunch or dinner.

This is a possible sign that they have grown weary of dining with you. This may especially be the case if all you do is talk fat calories before, during and after meals. You may not be fully aware of just how much you talk about this, but it can easily happen. People who are obsessed with their weight can ruin a perfectly good dinner date by complaining about how fattening the appetizers are, how they absolutely must pass on the bread and how they can hardly consume more than a leaf of lettuce without gaining 5 pounds. While it's okay to be conscientious about what one eats, constantly discussing this at every opportunity can be a real turn-off for people who just want to relax, relate and unwind.

People take offense when you complain about an aspect of your appearance that you are unhappy with.