Teenage Girls and Body Image Essay Example

Beautiful teenage girls, there isn’t one “perfect” body type, and there never will be. This world is so saturated with diets and restrictions. Things here and there telling us to eat “healthier”, try this diet, and lose weight to be “prettier”. Today I’m here to tell you that these things are unnecessary and even unhealthy.

Everything I am going to say today comes straight from my heart. I’m so passionate about this stuff because I’ve been in these situations. I’ve done more than my fair share of dieting, restriction, and losing unnecessary weight. I have gotten through that tough time. As a result, I understand what you are thinking and feeling and can tell you with a surety that every single thing we are going to talk about today is completely true. 

Before I say anything else, I just want to mention that it is completely normal to see your body change as you grow. This happens to everyone! Our bodies are all different and they are all beautiful the way that they are.

Let’s talk about fueling our bodies. All food is energy. Your body needs food to be able to function properly. Food keeps your heart beating, your brain active, and your muscles working.

In relation to that, there is no such thing as completely “healthy” or “unhealthy” foods. All foods are good foods in moderation. Is it the best idea to eat 12 donuts all by yourself in one sitting? Probably not. But is it good for you to eat 7 bags of carrots in one sitting either? No! So now let’s throw some moderation in there. Maybe you have some carrots, and then you have a donut or two as well! Doesn’t that sound like the best of both worlds? Isn’t it great to know that you can be healthy and still eat all the foods you love?

Your body is super amazing and it is going to let you know when you are hungry and when you aren’t. Listen to it! If you want to be eating the right amounts of food, listening to what your body tells you is the best way to do that. There are so many dieticians and nutritionists out there that will tell you that exact same thing. 

Now, why does fueling your body, eating all the foods you love in moderation and eating intuitively matter so much? Why should you care about these things instead of dieting and trying to change your body?

First let's look at this question from a physical aspect. There are so many health problems that come from not eating enough food. Bone density issues and anemia to name a few. Guess what? You can avoid so many of these problems by eating all kinds of foods. Your food is full of nutrients and vitamins that your body needs. One of the saddest issues that can arise from simply not eating enough is infertility. Imagine how terrible it would be to learn that you can’t have children of your own because of decisions you made when you were a teenager. Wouldn’t that be so sad? I’ve witnessed this first hand. I have a family member who dieted and lost weight to the point where she couldn’t have kids. It was heart wrenching for her! There are also many immediate repercussions of dieting and not eating enough. Fatigue is a great example of this. When I had my personal eating issues, my body never felt good. I was always tired even if I had sat on the couch all day or slept really well the night before. When I would go to dance it was so hard and I had no stamina. As I got back into healthy eating habits, I started feeling so much better. I felt so alive and everything was so much easier and more enjoyable.

Next let’s inspect this question from a more mental aspect. It may not seem like it in the moment, but dieting, restricting, and obsessing over every single thing that goes into your mouth can actually lead to depression, stress, and anxiety. When I was in the middle of my issues with food, I didn’t feel that way at all. I thought that I was winning at life. Looking back on that time now, I can tell you that that was a total lie. I am so much happier now! It feels like a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. Being so worried about food made things that should’ve been fun not fun. For example instead of being excited about going to a birthday party, I would be so stressed about how I was going to get out of eating cake and ice cream. I began to remove myself from my social life and my friends without even realizing it. Now that I don’t worry about avoiding every food that I thought to be unhealthy, I can truly live life to its fullest and enjoy it. 

Ladies I know that these things can be hard to understand. It was really hard for me to heal my relationship with food. I understand how difficult it is and that it isn’t an immediate switch. It is a process. It will take time. But, I promise you with all the sincerity that I have within me that it is worth it in every single way you could possibly imagine. Be patient with yourself and love your body because it is truly amazing. Thank you.