It’s the beginning of a new year and summer is around the corner. With that being said, many people have made resolutions to shed some pounds, make healthier choices and get skinny. This is all well and good, as long as we keep in mind the reason behind these resolutions.
If the reason you’re motivated to lose weight is because you believe becoming skinny will make you happy, I have a sad wake-up call for you. Being skinny does not make you inherently happier. The only way to be happy is to be comfortable with your own body. And believe me, I know this is easier said than done.
Photo courtesy of Lauryn Lahr
Many people believe that they will be more confident in their own skin if they are thinner. However, so many individuals have struggled with a sense loss or confusion after losing a significant amount of weight.
This is because, if you don’t start out with a positive attitude towards your goals, your end result will show it. As many fitness gurus have said, “Don’t exercise because you hate your body, exercise because you love it.”
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One thing that society has failed to realize lately is that skinny people have problems and emotions too. While often overlooked, naturally thinner women and men are almost always expected to be comfortable and confident.
This is not always the case. For example, when I was younger I was very thin. It didn’t matter what I ate or how little I exercised; I never seemed to gain much weight.
Now I know what you’re thinking, “Why is she even complaining? I would love to have that problem.” This is exactly the point I’m trying to get at.
Society believes that thinner men and women are immune to feeling self-conscious about their bodies. And because of that so many people make side comments without realizing how it affects others.
The comments, “You need to put some meat on those bones,” or “Why are you that skinny?” do more harm than good. They are remarks that are meant to insult and belittle others. Each of these comments eats away at the self-confidence and self-esteem of the targeted men and women.
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The assumption that all skinny people are happy and confident with their bodies is sadly, not true. To be completely honest, I wasn’t fully comfortable with my body until college. It took me time to understand that others’ perception of me does not dictate who I actually am.
For the longest time, I felt this unhealthy need to be “perfect.” I believed I had to present this happy facade all the time because of the way others treated me. Because I was thinner, people would make comments comparing themselves to me. Listening to people say things like, “I wish I was as skinny as you” or “I wish I could have your body” made me very uncomfortable.
I thought that I had to live up to their expectations of my own happiness. But just because someone is a different size than you, does not mean their happiness is lesser or greater than yours. This took me a while to grasp, but I now understand that my emotions are valid simply because they’re my own. I don’t need to put on a facade of happiness to live up to someone else’s idea of myself.
I’m sure, by now, that you’ve heard about the body positivity movement. But some people still seem confused as to what the actual meaning behind the movement is. The movement is not saying that one body type is better than another. It’s main motivation is to inspire each individual to seek self-love and self-confidence no matter what size, shape or color their body may be.
No matter what you look like, you do not have to live up to anyone else’s standards but your own. Learning to understand that each and every person is different and you are no exception, will allow you to be comfortable in your own skin. And that is what will ultimately make you happy.