Fear of losing weight?

I really do want to lose weight, but for some reason I have a sort of hidden psychological fear.

We are studying the Holocaust in school, and seeing all of these disturbing pictures of starving bodies really frightens me. I am half Jewish, and although we say, "Never again"..... what if it DOES happen again? I realize that my fears are a little unrealistic, because that was 60 years ago, but it still haunts me. If I was thin and I went into a concentration camp I would have a lower chance of survival. I'm also starting to obsess about my running. I should be able to run fast, in order to escape the Nazis. When I'm on the treadmill, the thought slips into my mind. I know that there are no Nazis out to get me, especially here in America, but I still worry.

Why am I thinking these thoughts? Does it have to do with self image, or just a fear of the Holocaust?

Do you ever have similar thoughts? Not just about the Holocaust, but about all the starving people around the world? All the famines? I see pictures of children dying of starvation and I suddenly feel so terrible. I don't want to be thin like that. It scares me, to the point that I almost want to be fat.

There's a huge difference between being slimmer and healthier and suffering from terminal marasmus.... Your fears aren't just 'a little unrealistic', they're completely irrational.   The poor people you're referring to didn't get that way counting calories and exercising sensibly... they've been subjected to apalling famine, escaped war-zones or been deliberately starved and tortured. 

You mention a history of disordered eating in your profile.  Do you have severe anxieties about other areas of life?  Do you make mountains out of other molehills?  Do you always see the worst in situations?  If so, you could be depressed and you should speak to someone... possibly a doctor.

Never mind. I want to delete this now. I do have a lot of worries and anxieties. This is not the place for them. I want to close this thread. If only there was a way to delete it!

The place for worries and anxieties that severe is probably one where professionals can help you.  Are you getting medical treatment at the moment?  If not, I'd recommend you seek it quite soon.

My mother grew up in the USA but her family was from else where, they survived the holocaust.  Even though she grew up here she obviously still feared nazis.  For example, she has told me many times that she wanted to give me a Jewish name, yet she named me Christina which means child of Christ.  She had me baptized Catholic, and I went to private Catholic school for a while.  That way if anything like the holocaust happened again, I would pass as non Jewish. 

I have felt a similar way. Not about the holocaust, but there was a time where i did want to lose weight but i didnt at the same time.   It started with me thinking"what if i lose weight and still feel fat then i become anorexic" that had me not doing anything for a while. I was so afraid of getting like that it was insane. Then i would think, "i dont want extra skin, what if it gets so baggy that i look nasty"    But then i finally got my head in the right place and said im doing this for my health and i will save money for if i need some type of tummy tuck. If i dont then i will have a bunch of money for new clothes :)

You just need to look at the bright side. Imagin how much better you will feel and the more stuff you will be able to do.  Yes, its sad to think about the starving people, but is it really fair that we eat more while they are starving?

I don't think you need to worry, Sweetie. If there are any Nazis left the only one I can think of at the current moment is Mel Gibson.

I also suffer from anxiety and sometimes we do get worried over things that people find to be irrational, but you shouldn't feel guilty about it. EVERYONE is guilty of it in a sense, some are just very secretive. If it gets to the point that it gets really bad I suggest you see a therapist who are there to talk you through it and not judge. Good luck with everything.