The Other Side of Weight Battles

When people say that they have an issue with weight, sight unseen one would assume that they are either trying to lose weight, or trying to maintain the weight that they've lost. This is an assumption that most people are guilty of - myself included. I am someone who has struggled with weight/weight loss my entire life, but I have never experienced the other side of weight struggles. I used to think "you can never be too thin unless you're anorexic or something."  I now know this way of thinking is completely false, however, it is rarely talked about unless someone is "scary skinny" like the model below. We are constantly shown images of thin, airbrushed models, ads for new fad diets, diet pills, etc. It's easy to blame the media for our fixation on weight when what we should really be concerned with is health.

I've said this before, and I'll say it again. One of the things I truly enjoy about Jen's Angles is the fact that we are so diverse in our fitness/health needs and goals. We have people on our team who have always struggled with yo-yo weight, ones who have always been fairly fit, ones who have been underweight and trying to gain weight, had an eating disorder... you name a scenario, and I bet someone on our team is able to relate. This is awesome! No, not the fact that we've all had to deal with these things; the fact that we can learn from each other, motivate one another, and rally around an issue. Our team has a Facebook page where we're able to communicate with each other, and recently a few members have posted before and after photos of themselves from times dating before this challenge. (How very brave they are!)

One person on our team knows both sides of the weight battle. Ericalynn started off at a weight that she was unhappy with, made up her mind to do something about it, set a goal, lost the weight she needed, and then it went a bit too far. Before she knew it, she was underweight for the first time in her life. Being underweight carries its own set of health risks. The sad fact is that we get recognition and praise for losing weight, and it can become increasingly difficult to switch gears and want to put weight back onto your body that you just worked so hard to lose. The important thing for people to remember is that a number on a scale does not define you, and you should listen to your body.

Since I do not come from a background to give the issue of being underweight the justice it deserves, I spoke with Sally about this issue. For those of you who don't know, Sally has Celiac disease which is an auto-immune disorder. Basically, it prevents her body from digesting gluten protein which is found in many foods. From 2004-2007 she was quite sick and pretty underweight as a result of being malnourished. When your guts are damaged from a disease like Celiac, you can no longer process the vitamins and minerals from any of your food. In her own words she "looked like a bobble-head doll and could barely drag herself to class." She says "I'm finally at a happy place with my weight after years of struggle. Sisters, listen, I know many of you are grumbling right now about this… 'This chick is wanting me to sympathize with her inability to gain weight? For real?' Hear me out. Just because a person is thin doesn’t mean they’re healthy. I look back at my old photos and see my sallow skin, the dark circles under my eyes, and my hollow chest and realize that I was just as far from being healthy as a person struggling with obesity is. Now that I’m able to process nutrients just like a 'normal' person, I’ve gained weight and been able to keep up with an active lifestyle. Jen’s Angels and the Fiona’s Challenge have really pushed me and made me add strength-training to my running routine. Now I’m seeing muscles sprout up when I’m throwing my hair into a ponytail. Soon, I’ll be cutting slits in my t-shirts so they’ll accommodate my wicked biceps! I kid, I kid."

All of us on Jen's Angels had different reasons for wanting to join the challenge that sadly is coming to an end quicker than I care to admit. Nonetheless, being active and exercising is a part of a healthy daily routine whether you want to gain, lose, or maintain your weight. We're all striving to maintain a healthy lifestyle for ourselves, and this challenge is just the tip of the iceberg! Let’s push ourselves and make each other proud!