I am suffering from body dysmorphia lately. I knew it would
happen. A year and a half ago, I was down to 103 pounds and was almost solid
muscle due to complications from Lyme Disease- I was vomiting and convulsing in
pain almost constantly, which, as it turns out, really builds up muscle. I had
the “best body” I have ever had; I put
best
body in quotes because that is based on our unhealthy, media influenced
American standards. Once I got healthier (vis a vis Lyme) recovered from the
nausea and was able to eat again, I began to get back to a healthier body type.
As I gained weight, I was very conscience to keep saying affirmations that I
was beautiful, that growing out of a size 0 is healthy. I knew moving from a
media driven “ideal type” to a healthy ideal would be hard on me
psychologically but with my conscience effort, my self perception didn’t spin
out of control.
I then contracted a respiratory infection and wasn’t able to
work out for a few weeks. I also got in a relationship. Before I knew it, I was
up to 132 pounds. I found myself growing from a size 2/4 to a 4/6 to a 6/8 and
I now find myself no longer fitting in my size 8s and having to purchase size
10s. Per our Wii Fit, I still have a healthy BMI, although just barely. I am
5’2” with a thin frame, so I am definitely heavier than I should be; I most
definitely shouldn’t gain any more weight. But here’s the thing that strikes
me: I shouldn’t feel as hideous as I feel. I really noticed this when looking
at photos from graduation this year and cringing at how much weight I had
gained. I went back and looked at last year’s graduation pictures (the ones
where I, ironically, thought I was fat) and I saw how I was too skinny then. I
went back to the current pics and forced myself to see myself as normal and
healthy. I looked at pictures of other women (who I consider beautiful) who are
of a similar body type to me. I realized that I look no different from them; it
is merely my own negative self-perception that is different.
I know that I am not the only woman who feels this way. I am
here to say: you are not alone. I will continue to work to see myself as
beautiful, no matter what my body looks like. I will also continue to work out
and will try to eat healthier (much easier said than done for me). I want to be
strong enough to conquer Lyme and everything beyond that is gravy. (And while I
must force myself to say this) I am beautiful as I am, this day. I know that I
will eventually learn to believe myself when I say it.
I am beautiful as I am.
