You're Not 125 Pounds - So Friggin What!

by Lisa Irby
Ladies, we've got to stop obsessing over our bodies. It's OK to want to be fit, but too many women are taking extreme measures just to live up to society's ridiculous standards.

We live in a society that is completely weight obsessed, and it's really getting out of hand. When I created my fitness site, I had no idea it would generate such a large amount of e-mails from teens and young women who are literally obsessed with their weight.

I'm not talking about the people who are indeed overweight and need to lose weight for health reasons. I'm talking about young ladies who are a healthy weight, but obsess over their bodies because they feel they aren't good enough.

It's one thing to want to be fit and healthy, but it's another thing to obsess over it and tie your self worth to how much you weigh.

What really made me realize how pathetic this world has become was when former supermodel, Tyra Banks was called "fat" because of her 20 pound weight gain. C'mon folks. If Tyra is being called fat by the media (when she's hardly not!), what are people who are bigger than Tyra supposed to think about themselves? And more importantly, what kind of message are we sending to young girls about what's acceptable?

We are in a crisis.

TV shows and magazines are teaching young women the standard on weight, and if they don't have role models to teach them otherwise, these messages become ingrained into their heads and it affects their self esteem.

I love what Tyra Banks is doing with her "So What" Movement. It's teaching women to admit they have things they don't like about their bodies, but at the same time, don't obsess over it. Sure, you can workout to tone your body and lose weight, but you aren't unlovable or less beautiful just because you have some extra tummy flab or bigger thighs.

Ladies, we have to be the ones that step up and learn to love ourselves for who we are. Because if you can't accept yourself, how do you expect other people to? It's OK to want to be in shape, take care of your body, etc. but it's not OK to compare yourself to someone else and think you are less of a person because of how much you weigh.