In a time where my metabolism ran faster than my appetite I was the socially acceptable weight of 133 pounds at a height of 5 feet 7 inches.

At this time I still questioned whether or not I was “skinny enough” because magazines would tell me that at my height, 120 pounds was where I should be.

I did nothing to lose that weight, and eventually my appetite was an evident friend that appeared with me as a part of my reflection.

This weight gain is what is known as the teenage girl’s downward spiral into a loss of self-esteem and the introduction to the new and horrifying term: plus size.

The two words are what seem like a punishment for women that do not live up to the beauty standards that are plastered across the covers of fashion magazines.

The term casts a group of women into a different section of the store as if they are no longer categorized as just women.

I now weigh a whole 204 pounds at the same height of 5 feet 7 inches.

Transitioning from a size seven to 14 was one of the hardest battles my self-esteem has taken on.

While wrestling with my self-hatred towards my body, retail therapy was no longer a coping mechanism because even the stores would alienate my appearance.

This idea also goes for thin women, and the separation of women, plus sized, and petite.

The first step of fighting off these insecurities was to realize that the only thing standing in the way of my confidence was myself.

It is so easy to hate your reflection and even harder to accept what you see in it.

Regardless, I refused to let corporations peg me as the wrong representation of a “correct body type.”

I decided that every new curve and stretch mark was a symbol of the path I have taken to learn how to love myself, no matter what the scales or magazines were whispering into my ears.

The second step was sticking to the methods of advocating self-love.

Advocating self-love is important for myself and for other individuals because it is contagious.

Inviting others to feel accepted will give them the room to see themselves in a more positive light, and can even prepare them for any changes they want to make in their appearance.

Self-love advocacy is essential in making women of every shape and size feel more comfortable as opposed to being torn down and pressured to shed the pounds immediately.

While I do sometimes miss being the 133 pound version of myself, my weight gain was an important transition.

It revealed the deceiving propaganda of the fashion industry, and taught me that it is okay to be over 120 pounds and to love myself even if society is telling me not to. 

I hope my article inspires others that have experienced or are experiencing these insecurities to find a way to accepting who they are.

Abbey Whittington is a freshman journalism major. She can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]