Heavy Thinking
By Tracy, age 14, Oregon
People often define themselves as either fat or obese, but not often as skinny. Skinny people call themselves fat, fat people call themselves obese, and the cycle goes on. No one knows the meaning of skinny, fat, or obese. Everyone is striving to be the perfect figure, and when you're striving to be the perfect figure you will risk anything. That's one way people become bulimic or anorexic, developing an eating disorder.
To overcome this wrong thinking and maintain a perfect figure that you're comfortable with, you should eat healthy and exercise regularly. Don't think that starving yourself will help you lose weight. Professionals say that by starving yourself you are either going to gain more weight or you will be lacking the proper nutrients that your body needs, which means you won't be able to function to your potential.
You might be healthy just the way you are. No two people are supposed to weigh the same even if they're the same height. If you weigh more than another person who is exactly as tall as you and as old as you, don't just assume that you're overweight. You might be healthier than that person and your body is supposed to weigh more.
Not all overweight people are unhealthy; it may just be their natural look. Someone else might carry more weight than you do, but he or she might be healthier than you are.
So, before you think that you're fat or obese, remember that you are in control of your mind and body. You can eat more healthy foods, exercise more often, and not hate that you're built the way you are. If you start loving your body, your mind will stop the negative thoughts and love you back.
