Step #1. DON'T!

This topic shakes me to my core, but I feel as though it is extremely important to talk about. More and more, young girls and boys are developing eating disorders and self-consciousness towards their body because of the constant pressure to look a certain way and be a certain weight. This topic is very personal to me because I am apart of the growing statistic for eating disorders, and I have struggled with self-confidence for years now.

It always annoyed me when people would say, "Everyone is beautiful in their own way!" That never helped. The truth is, when I was at my lowest with my eating problems, it didn't matter what people would say to me, how I viewed myself was not going to change because of a simple compliment.

So after years and years of hardship and struggling with my body image, I have finally guzzled up the confidence to write this post to younger girls or boys, in hopes that it would help them, because God only knows if I read something like this, maybe it would've helped me sooner.

The truth is, not everyone is going to be Victoria's Secret model and have the flat stomach and thigh gap. It is also nearly impossible to get that without intense exercise and a strict and **healthy** diet, and when I say healthy, I do not mean minimal food. I mean extremely organic and raw fruits and vegetables, and honestly, who has the time or money for that? Being a full-time student, it is really hard to work out and train like a full-time model, and honestly, it is just dumb.

If you feel as though you are actually overweight and need a lifestyle change, I have created a few healthy ways to drop a healthy (key word: healthy) amount of weight.

1. Go on walks every evening or morning.

2. Eat healthy!! This is so easy!

3. Eat decent sized portions. It's okay to eat bad food, just eat it in a good, healthy portion.

4. It is okay to lay on the couch all day, so do not shame yourself for that.

5. Make a list of healthy good foods that you actually enjoy. For me, I love avocados with eggs and goat cheese. This has saved me because actually being able to go buy good groceries would help me maintain control over my food, and it also eased my mind when I was able to compile a list of good food that would not make me feel guilty.

Everyone's bodies are different. Everyone's metabolisms are different.

Obviously, this is not a post for people with serious eating disorders. If you feel as though you do have an eating disorder, do not hesitate to seek help.