How many girls do you know who are “skinny fat”?
You know what I mean. Girls who are super thin but are still flabby, have bags under their eyes and a gray skin tone.
That used to be me.
Yes, I was dealt a lucky hand of cards and somehow won the genetic lottery. I’ve always been one of the naturally thin, attractive girls, though I was “skinny fat”.
And most important, I was unhealthy and I was unhappy.
What most people don’t realize is that it doesn’t matter how beautiful or how skinny you are. Most girls today have body image and health issues.
Healthy and confident is a far cry from where I started before I began my journey to truly become healthy, whole and happy.
Let me back up.
My Story Then
A few years ago (when I was “skinny fat”), I ate like crap. I lived off of Cheerios, ramen noodles, Papa John’s pizza, Trader Joe’s ice cream and Dunkan Hines cupcakes.
I overindulged frequently and mostly in secret. Whenever I finished a binge, I always felt ashamed and guilt-ridden.
I went to the gym, but never consistently enough to really count.
Life was hard. At least that’s how I saw it. I didn’t sleep well, had major digestive issues and was always irritable. My hair started falling out, my nails became brittle and I could barely keep my eyes open as the day went on.
On top of that, I was on birth control for over ten years just to keep my skin clear. Every time I tried to go off of it, my skin went haywire.
I was miserable.
You see, being skinny doesn’t mean healthy.
The longer it went on, the worse my body and my life became. The cellulite became visibly noticeable (at least I could have sworn it was), my gas issues were becoming nearly uncontrollable (and affecting my dating life!) and I lost some friends as well as my job (both of which I’m thankful for now as the experience forced me to grow). Towards the end, I started to gain weight.
All of these things eventually lead me to rock bottom.
I had an epiphany. I looked in the mirror and hated what I saw staring back at me. I was disgusted with myself and flabbergasted that I let everything get so out of hand.
In that moment, I took back control and changed my life.
My Story Today
Now I’m a fit skinny girl. I’m healthy and I’m happy. And I have energy and confidence I didn’t even know was possible.
I run an international virtual health coaching business helping women transform their bodies and their lives like I did. I help them shift their mindset and change their eating habits so they can finally stop worrying about their body, feel sexy and start having fun.
Many find it ironic that I’ve never been truly been overweight and now I’m helping women with their weight issues.
But it’s more than that.
My goal is to help women be healthy so they can live a fun, adventure-filled life. For some of you, that means losing weight. And for others, that means gaining weight. For both of you, as well as those who already have a great figure, that means healing you from the inside out. Regardless, I can help you cut the crap out of your life, believe in yourself and feel better and more confident than ever before.
To All the “Skinny Fat” Girls
You don’t have to pretend everything is perfect. Just because societal culture and media tell you that you should be happy because of your slim figure, it doesn’t mean that your health or happiness is any better off than anyone else.
Give yourself permission to ask for help. Admit to yourself that things aren’t always roses and butterflies. It’s ok to be open and vulnerable and allow yourself to reach out.
In fact, ignoring the signs or putting a band-aid over them (like a fake smile) just because you’re already thin, may cause far more problems later in your life… things that you can never anticipate like clinical depression or chronic disease, and maybe even weight gain.
The Skinny Girl Stigma
I’ve met so many girls who want to/need to gain weight and can’t. They have acid reflux problems, can’t sleep through the night or avoid sleeping during the day, and have anxiety through the roof. Some of them are clearly too thin and as much as they eat, they can’t seem to change it.
The media only recognizes the obesity epidemic for the overweight population, but rarely addresses the “skinny fat” girls. It’s time to break the taboo and talk about how most of our population is undernourished – overweight or not. And that, my new friends, is unacceptable.
Next time you see a beautiful skinny girl, don’t judge. Remember she has layers. What she lets you see may not be what’s really going on underneath it all.
Whether you’re “skinny fat” or overweight, we all have our own health and body image issues.
If you’re ready to feel sexy, radiant and live your life in a healthy body you love, learn more here.
Lots of love,
Brittney