Why Are You Trying To Look Like Someone Else?

I was browsing videos on YouTube today, and I came across this video. The little girl on it is so adorable, and I think she really drives home the message behind the video:

"Beauty Is Not How Skinny You Can Be"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fULtU2NfPQA

I just have one thing to say to Sophia (the little girl in the video) and "MuggleSam" (who posted the video): Amen!

So many girls today are obsessed with being thin, that they're seriously hurting themselves, and the media isn't helping. We look around and see models, celebrities...even our peers that are thin and we think "If I could just look like that, I'll be beautiful"

The fashion industry is only adding salt to the wounds. A while back, the girls in our youth group went to the Galleria in Birmingham and spent the day shopping and hanging out. One of the girls that was with us was in a store, grabbed a random pair of shorts and tried them on. They fit. Guess what size they were? "00"...or "0"...one of the two...I'm not entirely certain either way. The point is, the fashion industry is changing how girls and women view themselves.

I will admit, I am uncomfortable with my body size. But I have been told by my doctor that, for my health, I need to lose a little weight.

Back in November, our Girl Scout troop went to the Moscow Ballet and we had an extra ticket. The day of the ballet was also my friend, Becca's birthday. When she got into my mom's car, the zipper on the back of her dress split open. Her mom was able to fix it, but for the rest of the night, she was like "I'm fat." The first time she said this, I nearly fell out of my seat (which would have been remarkable, had I done so, seeing as we were in the car). I can describe Becca in many ways- funny, goofy, random, strange, beautiful- but "fat" is the last thing that comes to mind when I think of her.

I am absolutely floored when I hear some of my friends call themselves fat and say they need to lose weight. A few of my friends, when they say this, the first thing out of my mouth is "has your doctor told you you need to lose weight?" The way I see it, if your doctor doesn't specifically tell you to start losing weight, then don't worry about it. No, that doesn't mean eat what you want when you want. You should still eat healthy and get at least some excercise in. But you don't need to go on a diet.

On that note, I was reading a teen fitness book, and the author made a comment that has stuck with me: "Has anyone ever noticed that the first three letters in 'diet' are 'D-I-E'? Who wants to die?" It's true, though. For most teenage girls, a "diet" means eating little to no food, and, often, forcing themselves to throw up the tiny amount of food they've just eaten. This viscious cycle of anorexia/bulimia can become so dangerous that girls could lose their lives.

One last thing before I finish my...rant, for lack of a better word. Eating disorders don't just affect women...men are allowed to feel insecure about their bodies, too.