Whether you're overweight or skinny as a rail, the truth is people will always judge and put you in a category based on your body's appearance while writing off what's on the inside. I'm not talking just about personality because that's your responsibility to choose how you act. Being a woman, especially a spirit filled woman of God, there are times when you can just see the judgement in people's eyes over their smiles and the thoughts running through their minds. Women are not clueless. Every person can feel it when they are being admired, looked at, or made fun of.

"With his mouth the godless man will destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered." Proverbs 11:9

Sometimes experience and maturity trump knowledge. So the best you could do is open yours ears and heart by getting to know someone before assuming they don't know the love of God. Share the love of God by expressing it in action before you start speaking of that type of love to a person who hasn't seen that love from you personally.

Now I'm also taking about health. I used to be 175 lbs. I did not lose the weight overnight. It took a choice to begin, positivity, learning what my body should and shouldn't have by being consistent. Ladies, I didn't hate my body beforehand. I was pretty then and I'm pretty now. I've been active my whole life so I have always been firmly toned. What made me choose to become the woman I am today did not come from social pressure, or a desire to look a type of way. I just wanted to be a healthier feminine woman going into my twenties and on through the rest of my life. Then eventually I hit a goal of 117 lbs. This was over FIVE YEARS of progress. I am now the strongest woman and most healthy my body has ever been because I chose this lifestyle. More importantly, I am more confident today because I chose Gods lifestyle. It wasn't about feeling better about myself, it was about becoming a healthier version of myself. I was not healthy before like I am now. I take care of my body inside and out because God gave me one soul and one body for this life. I refuse to misuse them. It is where the soul of my spirit from God lies, so I intend to keep it that way and live longer to do more of what He has planned for me.

In the left picture I was gravely sick more than once a year, very exhausted, I had asthma, could not run hardly a quarter of a mile. I was very insecure due to eating more to become an athlete that impressed others. But now, I'm more of an athlete than ever. I went on to dance professionally for the NBA where they conditioned me until my BMI read mostly muscle. I can run miles! I am also healed from asthma and have more energy to do the things I love because I want to. My body was meant to be where it is now, God has rewarded me for it. Others may be meant to be strong and have different body types that require other things that aren't associated with someone else, such as blood types or the way their body is built but it's different for everyone and we are all meant to be strong in our ways. I have decided to not do the things that others think are best for me anymore but what God and my body tells me are best. You have to have a relationship with your body almost as much as your relationship with God. It is meant to be a temple.

I had nicknames for my weight before and I have them now. Hateful people are everywhere. People have left me out of workouts, parties and more nowadays than when I weighed more. I'm judged for being attractive over my health. Being fit is overlooked as being full of yourself or unnecessary and being skinny is looked over as being unhealthy. Well I am now skinny, fit AND healthy now. So I'm proud of it. I'm not the girl who let people run over her anymore because that girl used to do things to impress everyone. I used to eat to become strong in a sport that I never whole heartedly wanted to do but I was great because I felt the pressure. No, I have chosen to be the woman that God gave a voice to and I mean to use it.

So now you can choose. You can live by the adversities Satan has tried to trouble you with by letting them dictate your future or you can choose to turn those adversities into an opportunity.