My Body, My Rules

This week, my friend and very skilled PT/Coach/Athlete/Entrepreneur made a post about people telling her how much better she looked when she was pregnant. My friend is a very slim and small frame who has worked extremely hard to pack on lbs of muscle and mass to perform at her best whether that be in daily life and training or on the stage. 

She hadn't really heard this comment before but it was one that I was well acquainted with. When I began losing weight at the age of 17, I was well over 245lbs. I carried it decently but was still quite overweight. As we know, I was extremely bullied for this weight and I didn't have the best social experiences because of this. When I began losing weight, I had countless people tell me that I looked so much better "NOW". That I looked healthier "NOW". That I was prettier "NOW". This did some major psychological damage. I kept wanting to look better, and people's opinions of my body was the driving force behind that goal of losing weight. I developed severe body dysmorphia and an ED.  

Unless you somehow managed to have my body (didn't think there was anyone else living inside me here though...), I'm going to need you to keep your opinions on my looks, physique, and shape to your damn self. You don't have the right to comment on someone's body like that. You don't know how hurtful and how backhanded those words are (or maybe you do, and in that case you need some serious work on your personality). Don't you dare presume to know about the intimate details of my health, and do not tell me I look better thinner (or heavier).  

This is my body. These are my rules. It is her body. Her rules. Their body. Their rules.

So respect the hell out of both. 

   -Angie