The beauty within

Sage Sherburne, Herald Writer
May 2, 2022

It is no secret that the fashion industry and acting industry gives young girls of color and non-color alike a confusing mindset. Most girls who are overweight see girls on TV, online and in real life rocking that perfect attire, and they think they’d be happy if they look like that. Going on a strict diet only works for a short amount of time because most of the time, sticking to something is pretty hard. Take, for example, how I became a vegetarian. At first, I still ate meat. But, I took it one step at a time and now I don’t eat any meat.

Sometimes we can be our own worst critic. When trying to lose weight, we go at it in the wrong ways. Yoyo dieting like Keto or low carb only works for a short amount of time, and half of the time it works and half of the time it doesn’t. It is also important to consider that when losing weight, you want to do something that will work for you. Something that worked for someone else may not necessarily work for you.

A lot of people assume that anorexia is the only eating disorder out there but less than 2 percent of the American population actually have it. At least 9% of the worldwide population experience eating disorders in their lifetime. To make things worse, it is a stereotype that people of color are overweight. Because of this, they’re more likely to get asked if they have an eating disorder. Black teenagers are 50% more likely than white teenagers to exhibit bulimic behavior, such as binge-eating and purging. Hispanic people are significantly more likely to suffer from bulimia nervosa than their non-Hispanic peers.

Children are taught about the world from a young age by seeing Disney princesses and Barbie dolls. However, the Bratz dolls are a different approach to teach children that beauty isn’t about the size of your waist but by the size of your heart.

Many models end up developing eating disorders because of their strict diets, such as Kim Kardashian. The model industry pushes girls away who are not seen as perfect. I strongly believe that people should try to get fit and lose weight because it will make you happier to look in the mirror and be proud. However, if you’re happy with your own weight, stick with it. No matter the size, the key to success is confidence, which means confidence in what you wear and confidence in your own skin. Lose weight or don’t lose weight because you want it. This is something you control. This is something only for you.

Always remember to contact your doctor before starting any weight loss program or exercise workout:

Personal Primary Care

Springfield, MA · (413) 798-0301

Be Vital Wellness, LLC

Hadley, MA · (413) 387-0219

Yannis Raftopoulos

11 Hospital Dr · (413) 535-4757