No Body is Perfect

Fat. Thin. Fit. Slender. Chubby. Overweight. Underweight. Anorexic. Normal. Average.

Do you guys understand what I'm talking about? Well, I sure hope you guys do.

There are so many labels and names people call each other when it comes to the body.

"Wow. That person looks fit." "That person looks fat." "No, that person is not fat. They are normal."

Can you see where I am going with this? Our perception of what a normal body, an overweight, or thin body is skewed! We all have different views of it. And, you know what? It screws with how we view our own body. This is especially common among woman.

image from http://www.k-state.edu 

I'm going to be honest here. I don't like my body, but I am trying to accept it. My thighs are not the size I want them to be. It's the same with my arms. I want them smaller. However, I know that they are made of muscle. It's the good kind of bulk.

My friend who's naturally skinny wants to gain weight and bulk in her body. She says her thighs are small and she wants them bigger. So, she started weight training and running. And, you know what? She lost weight and got smaller and thinner. She's mad that she lost weight and inches. However, you can see her muscle definition better.

I, on the other hand, gained muscle and bulk was added. That's what happened when I added weight training to my routine. My thighs did not get smaller. They got thicker with muscle (which you can see). She wants her body to look like mines while I want mines to look like hers. As you see, the type of body one desires is different. Some want to be stick skinny while others want to look fit, curvy, and a bit muscular.

What I am trying to say is, everyone has something about their body they don't like. We shouldn't compare our bodies to others. Everyone is built differently. As long as you eat right and exercise, you will be at a good healthy weight and have the body type that's right for you.

Body Image

Mirror mirror on the wall, why do you always lie to me?

Looking in the mirror, I am dissatisfied with my body. I admit it. I've always been. But, I know that I need to change that. 

It all started when I was overweight in middle school. I was always jealous of the "skinny" girls that got all the guys. I finally lost 30 lbs by my freshman year of high school and you know what? I still saw myself as fat. My family, on the other hand, was worried about me. My bones were sticking out and they said I was too thin. 

I had severely restricted my eating to 1200 calories a day while switching unhealthy foods to healthy foods and exercising about an hour a day. That was a big change from not exercising and eating fast food a lot. My parents say that I didn't grow taller because I wasn't eating enough during that time. Now that I look back at it, they were right. 

Finally, during my sophomore year of high school. I gained some muscle and fat. I was at a healthy yet skinny weight. I even started yoga. My grandparents from Canada, who visit once a year, told me that I looked so much better and healthier. I was happiest with my body then. Sure, I didn't like that my face was fuller but I was eating enough for my body and I was still exercising. However, all of my workouts were cardio based (running). 

Sure, I did videos like the 30 day shred, jump-roping, yoga, pilates, hula-hoop, swimming and circuit training. But, I wasn't lifting weights. Real weights. I didn't have much muscle. And, I still saw myself as fat. I still wanted to lose weight, so, I increased my exercise time to about an hour and a half. 

I gained about 10 lbs near the end of my junior year of high school. I guess it made sense since I stopped counting calories during that time and I was really stressed out with AP tests and everything. I was also running an hour a day, which was bulking up my thighs (which I did not like). I used to only run 20 to 30 minutes. I did not like the number on the scale and it made me depressed and angry at myself. How did I gain the weight? I was running every single day for an hour! I was getting so frustrated. 

Finally, I started counting calories again and I lost those 10 lbs by the beginning of senior year. But, I also had increased my exercise too. I was exercising everyday and I wasn't taking any rest days. And, as you know, rest days are important as exercise days. My weight fluctuated a few pounds the rest of senior year.

Then, came my trip to China and instead of a rest day, I took a rest month. And, you know what? It felt bad to not exercise like I was at home. I didn't exercise at China, except for all the walking we had to do. However, I realized that my body needed the rest. After coming back, I started exercising again and eating more healthy. I lost a few pounds and I became more satisfied with my body. That is, until I learned about weight training. I felt and looked weak since I wasn't that strong.

I finally started weight lifting earlier this year. Sure, I have gained weight. But, I also grew stronger because of it. The body needs weight/resistance training as well as cardio. I think that now, I have found a balance with my exercise. I may not be happy with the numbers on the scale but I am now finally more satisfied with how my body looks. It's healthier now. I shouldn't compare myself to others. We're all different. I also learned that the numbers on the scale doesn't translate to how you actually look.