We all have those imperfections about ourselves that we can never get truly over. We will always look at others and wish to have exactly what we don't. To me losing weight is important. But, what I have noticed over my years of living, was the way I was doing it, mattered.

There needs to be some type of balance and an internal acknowledgement that you are doing this for yourself and yourself only. How many times do you actually look at a person and care about their weight? Has weight ever discouraged you from being someone's friend? Probably not. We look at ourselves more than anyone ever will and we have this socially constructed idea that it's society. Of course, if you are a model or stand out to someone in a positive way, you are sure to be noticed.

What I'm trying to say, is that losing weight is perfectly fine. The one thing that determines what is healthy, is your mind set. If you are working out right now, think about why you do it.

Is it to fit better in your clothes, to help you feel good in your own skin?

Is it because of people who have judged you harshly based on your appearance?

Is it to get back at an ex by showing how much "better off" you are?

Is it to prove everyone wrong?

The thing is, where do you fit in this equation? In what part of the questions does this actually have to do with your overall health?

Changing how you look, will never change who you are inside. It won't make you a worse or better person than anyone else.

For me, my mindset on working out has definitely evolved. We need to relate positive words to people to get rid of this stigma of "weight" vs "health". Instead of saying "wow you look so skinny," say "wow you look so healthy and fit." Those words set you up for a way of thinking that is correlated with hard work and strength.

Saying someone is fit, is a better compliment in my opinion and might even change how they perceive themselves (for the better).

We need to focus on combining a healthy diet, a good amount of exercise (for health and weight purposes), and a "THIS IS FOR ME" mindset. Forget everyone else. They are irrelevant to how you want to workout and how you want to be healthy.

Also remember to set realistic goals. If you are just starting, don't feel discouraged if your goal is to walk a mile. If that's your goal, then that's your goal. When you get to that, make a new goal, and the sense of accomplishment you receive in the end will be much more satisfying than anything anyone can say to you about what they perceive you to look like.