Stop Shaming Me For Dieting

It’s a sad, tragic day for anyone when they realize their metabolism has slowed down. It comes sooner rather than later for some people. I look back on my teen years with such bliss. McDonald’s, pizza, cake, chips and dip, all the good stuff, without gaining a pound. Foods that now, I can’t even go NEAR without bloating up like a balloon.

I knew the day was going to come for me, but I was expecting it in my mid (to preferably late) twenties. However, I got a rude, horrifying awaking shortly after my twentieth birthday. My metabolism quit on me. I gained almost 20 pounds in ~3 months. This, on my 5’2” frame, was VERY obvious and VERY hard for me to deal with.

Due to lack of self-control, terrible, yet very habitual eating habits, and a foot injury, it took me TWO years to get back to my previous weight. I did it all through dieting. You can imagine that after such a struggle and such hard work, I am very determined to prevent weight gain.

Now, believe it or not, many people in my life seem to have a HUGE problem with my constant dieting. This is because, even during my weight gain, I was still what some people would consider “small”.

Apparently dieting is only socially acceptable if society considers you to be fat.

I see the way people look at me when I pass on free pizza. I see the way restaurant workers judge me when I ask for their “light” dressings. I deal with the insults from my co-workers when I am torn between eating the cookies someone left us as a tip, and I am fed up with it.

I AM ALLOWED TO CARE WHAT I LOOK LIKE.

I realize there are much, MUCH more important things in life. But what is also important to me is feeling comfortable in my own skin. I like to feel healthy, I like to be active, and I LIKE TO BE SKINNY.

I certainly don’t deserve to be made to feel like some superficial moron because of my healthy eating habits.

“But why do you need to diet? You’re so skinny!”
I LOOK LIKE THIS BECAUSE I DIET.

It is NEVER appropriate to comment on someone’s eating habits, unless they are so out of control that they are jeopardizing their health. Furthermore, if I want to comment on my own eating habits, I am allowed to do so. Eating is a HUGE part of life, and dieting can be really hard! I don’t want to be shamed every time I struggle about whether or not I should eat a cookie! Not understanding someone’s habits does NOT give you the right to shame them.

Just shut up and let me eat my lettuce!