If I were a model, I'd be considered plus-size. To a doctor I would be considered overweight. According to my BMI, I'm obese. And according to society, I’m seen as fat.

To me? Well I’d like to define myself as healthy.

I know that you’re thinking. If I were healthy then the doctors wouldn't be concerned about my weight, right? If I were healthy my BMI wouldn't classify me as obese, right? Maybe, just maybe, if I were healthy society wouldn't look at me as being fat, right?

Wrong.

I'm healthy. And believe it or not there are a lot of people out there who are very healthy and still seen as “fat” in the eyes of society.

Still not convinced? Well, I’m living proof: I’m an overweight girl who is very healthy.

And here’s how.

I work out five days a week.

I incorporate my physical activity by doing two days of running and three days of CrossFit. When I run, I run for 30 minutes straight.

Surprising, isn't it? Who would have thought a “fat” girl who would do anything to get out of the mile run as a kid, would be saying that they run for 30 minutes without stopping and actually like it? 10-year-old me wouldn't believe it either. But here I am, a “fat” girl running 30 minutes without stopping. A “fat” girl with endurance. And when you thought you were already in shock -- let me let you in on a little secret.

I'm not the only one!

And along with being a “fat” girl who runs, I’m also a “fat” girl who does CrossFit.

Yes, you read that correctly.

I do CrossFit, and I absolutely love it. Matter of fact, you can ask my trainer -- I can do some killer back squats!

I try my hardest stay away from eating processed foods.

This isn't a diet; it’s a lifestyle. I don’t restrict myself from processed foods to lose weight. Yes, that’s a bonus, but processed foods are not good for your body or health in general. Instead I eat a lot of naturally grown products such as fruits and veggies, along with a lot of protein -- which fills me up a lot more and is much better for your body to process.

I meal prep.

Preparing meals is probably the most crucial thing to do when trying to create a healthy lifestyle for yourself. This is so important because as people, we have extremely busy schedules that consume a lot of our time. It's easy to get caught up in our busy lives and end up eating what's “convenient” for us. And often what's convenient for me is something quick and pre-made (often processed) such as chips, a pre-made sandwich at a local market, a muffin for breakfast, and even a frozen dinner or takeout. Instead of letting myself fall into that trap of unhealthy food choices, I change what's convenient for me by preparing meals and snacks for the week. This makes it so celery and peanut butter is as convenient as a bag of chips, and grabbing a pre-cut piece of quiche for breakfast is as easy as grabbing a muffin. And along with all that I make sure to carry around a protein shake (protein powder and almond milk) so when I find myself craving something for a snack, instead of picking that chocolate bar, I have a chocolate protein shake -- which fills be up much more.

And lastly, I make mistakes.

Making mistakes is inevitable. There is no way anybody is perfect all the time. I’m a teenager, so of course there are times where I’m at a party with friends and I eat a piece a cake or have some pizza. There are some days that I can't fit in a workout. And with life being so busy it’s hard to be able to always meal prep and impossible to not find yourself eating a bag of chips on your way out the door every once in a while.

But that’s OK.

In fact, it’s more than OK to make mistakes. What's important is to be accepting of these mistakes and realize where you went wrong. Then from there you take those mishaps and use them to help you improve. Without mistakes there would be no improvement. It’s OK to fall back sometimes, as long as you get back on track.

I may be “fat,” but believe me when I say, that I’m a lot healthier than a lot of “skinny” girls out there. As long as you’re healthy size shouldn't matter.

A healthy lifestyle is the new skinny.