Skinny Equals Self Esteem?

Losing weight seems to be a huge issue in the 21^st century. It seems that more and more humans are being considered overweight. At the same time, women and men are trying every possibility to lose a few pounds because they feel being thin will boost their self esteem.

There are many reasons members of the human race are overweight. They could have medical problems, it could be gene related, they could be gluttons, or they have a very low image of themselves. The latter is the worse reason to want to lose weight.

Society has taught us that you must be handsome or beautiful in order to fit in; to be appreciated and loved. In reality nothing could be further from the truth. Our population is growing and is made up of a variety of races and physical features. Viewing ourselves as less of a person because we do not look like others is a sign of emotional defect. A sign that acceptance has grown to be overrated; ruling the mind of individualism.

My concern goes out to those men and women, who are fine just the way they are, seeking out quick ways to lose weight so that they can be as thin as the models they admire. What has happened to our individuality? Why do we feel so insecure about ourselves? When will we realize that it is our heart and soul that make us who we are, not our body? We need to learn to love ourselves just the way we are.

I will use my daughter and I as examples of this increasing "thin is in" dilemma. We are both fairly tall and weigh what we should to maintain a healthy look but, we are in distress every day because we feel so fat. Family and friends do not understand why we are feeling this way because they think we look fine. We have allowed ourselves to feel inferior to those who may be very slender and therefore we feel ugly. We do not even like to look at ourselves in the mirror and we cringe whenever we step on a scale. In the meantime we have spent numerous amounts of money on diet pills, powders, and even a patch that claim instant weight loss. Not only were we drawn to the false promises but we have challenged our digestive system and have caused our health to falter. So, striving to lose weight can be addictive, destructive, and expensive. I suggest contacting a physician or a specialist before digesting any diet product as well as taking the time to appreciate your inner, and outer, beauty. Don't look beyond your identity; build upon it.