The Skinny Trend

“Summer is almost here! Let’s go on a juice cleanse, and start running every day.”

Whoa. Slow down.

I keep hearing this from girls all over campus, or something similar to it, and it makes me cringe. Why are we all trying to get skinny for summer, when we could be healthy for life?

Let me rewind, and tell you my story.

Growing up, I was always a bit bigger than everyone else, both height and weight. Most of my life, all the way through high school, I got bullied for it – and it wasn’t so great for my self-esteem. Words hurt, people were mean, and from that my weight fluctuated up and down.

So one day, a few months after I graduated from high school, I decided to do something about it. And over a span of four to five months, I took it too far.

I was about 15-20 pounds underweight for my height, and the hurtful words came back again.

“You look sick with legs that tiny.”

“I can feel your bones, you need to eat something.”

I would sit alone in my room every night, isolating myself because I was so scared of gaining any weight back that I worked so hard to take off. I was so strict with my meals and workouts, I wouldn’t even let myself out of my room, and it became an extremely unhealthy cycle.

Fast-forward a few more months to one night when I was making a normal meal of chicken and broccoli, and I couldn’t eat another bite. I needed something more. I drove to the nearest fast food restaurant, and from that day on it turned into a binge, and my weight started to unhealthily fluctuate again.

But luckily, life isn’t over after one hard blow – you get to go back into the ring for another round. And today, I’ve found a balance. So don’t get me wrong, I still struggle every day, but by the grace of God I am in the healthiest state, mentally and physically that I’ve ever been in.

I don’t blame my body image struggle only on myself, or the people around me, but on these unrealistic beauty standards that society tells us we need to look like. It makes people feel like they will never be good enough, fit enough, or pretty enough.

But beauty comes in all shapes and sizes, so stop comparing yourself to everyone else. You are beautiful. Do not let society tell you otherwise. If you want that cookie, eat it! If you want to go on a run, go for it! Find a balance.

I have a challenge for you: Encourage someone today. Be kind, tell your friends they’re beautiful, or look in the mirror and give yourself a few words of encouragement, if you need it.

But before you’re so quick to go on your summer diet, remember that skinny doesn’t bring confidence – healthy does.

God personally made you with his own hands; don’t try to change or damage his masterpiece. Embrace it.

 

Tori Jones is a senior at Oklahoma Christian University and the Online Coordinator for the Talon.