Maybe it is my roommate, who obsessively talks about the need to go on a diet and eat “healthier.” Maybe it is my mother, who, despite the fact that she has run 10 marathons in her life and runs every day out of the week, has to “get her body ready for swimsuit season.” Maybe it is the guy who I recently was seeing, who believed that he would be much better looking if he had six pack abs. Maybe these are the people in my life who have made me reflect on my own body and how I perceive myself.

As a dietetics major, I am taught that by eating nutritious foods, one will maintain a healthy weight. Though this is true, it does not mean that people shouldn’t enjoy the extra slice of pizza or the chocolate cake for dessert. I feel that people are becoming so preoccupied with dieting and exercise that they are looking past the great features their bodies already have. When I look at the people mentioned above, I see three beautiful people. However, I know that when they see themselves, they see a need for improvement. Someone once told me to never tell yourself something you would not say to another person. Basically, “treat yourself the way you would want to be treated.” I do not believe many people would tell another person they are fat, so why would one say that to themselves?