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The Life of a Plus Sized Girl

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UC Riverside chapter.

             Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve been chubby and have always struggled with my weight, and a lot of people do suffer with weight issues that can affect them emotionally, socially, and physically. I am no different. I have days where I am content with myself and then there are days I wish I was thinner because I think that life would be so much easier if I were thinner.

            I’ve always had self-esteem issues because of my size and the constant teasing that came with it. It takes a tremendous toll on a girl who has been bullied about her size since she was seven years old. I have been through so much in my life that I don’t open up to people easily. I can seem happy and confident on the outside, but on the inside I am screaming for help. With so many issues in my life, I completely neglected my well-being. I would be that girl that “ate her feelings” because it was the only way I could cope with my emotions. It’s not something I like admitting but it’s something I have tried to overcome for so many years.

            I am not going to lie; I have compared myself to other girls. I have had my moments where I wish I had Beyoncé’s body, or had the looks of other celebrities, but at the end of the day, I am not going to look like any celebrity. The media pressures women to look a certain way and I have fallen into that mindset for so many years. We are all beautiful in our own way and we all need to love ourselves for who we are.

I am not writing to generalize that this is how all girls feel, but I just want to write for those who feel the same way and for them to know that they are not alone. I feel like I was meant to be a plus-sized girl, but I am trying to become a healthier and happier me. I’m not expecting to become a size 3 anytime soon but my goal is to create a new lifestyle change and encourage others to take this journey with me. Even if it only affects one person, I know that I have made a difference in someone’s life.

My new journey begins now and will not disappoint. My goal is to lose 10 pounds by the end of the quarter and record my progress on a weekly or bi-weekly basis depending on how busy my week gets. I am doing this as motivation for myself as well as others. I want to prove that anybody can do it with dedication and strength.

Are you ready for change?