"OMG, you're so skinny! Why are you going to the gym?" "You do NOT need to work out; stop it!"

Sound familiar? If these are things you hear from others often, I empathize with you on a daily basis. If these are things that come out of your mouth, I encourage you to walk in our shoes and understand how uncomfortable these words are for us. Just because somebody isn't overweight does not mean he or she is living a healthy lifestyle or proud of his or her body.

1. Eating healthier is not a crime.

Skipping out on a large pizza or a trip to McDonald's doesn't mean I'm hard-core dieting; it means that I don't want to clog my arteries too quickly or eat an abundance of overly greasy foods. Adding spinach to my meals and opting for salads at lunch instead of chicken tenders and fries also doesn't mean that I'm hard-core dieting; it means that I'm trying to add more greens to my diet for better digestion and heart health. If fruits and veggies (and a well-balanced diet in general) tastes yummy and is healthier for me, why wouldn't I find a way to change my diet?

2. Not everyone goes to the gym to gain weight.

I realize that I weigh 110 pounds. I'm not trying to lose calories or burn a ton of fat when I'm running on the treadmill. I'm there to tone and stay healthy. My paternal genes are a lower metabolism than my maternal genes and that means that, eventually, my poor eating habits of the past are going to catch up with me- unless I go to the gym and get ahead of my childhood mistakes. On top of that, getting older means that your metabolism slows down regardless of your genetics. If I get into a habit of working out now, then it'll be easier to fit time for the gym into my schedule post- graduation (and if I get a rockin' bod in the meantime I won't complain).

3. Everyone has their insecurities.

Just because I'm "tiny" and "weigh nothing" doesn't mean that I don't get self- conscious. I have a little extra in the middle I'd like to get rid of, sure, but my real issue is my tiny arms. I am skin and bones in the bicep/ triceps area and it embarrasses me. I used to not wear tank tops in public unless I had to because my shoulders are so bony and skinny. I'm trying to gain some muscle at the gym and have some arm strength. Asking my boyfriend to carry all of my heavy objects or to open a pickle jar is embarrassing and demoralizing. Being able to be at least somewhat self- sufficient would be nice.

4. Everyone wants to look good.

I want an hourglass figure. Yeah, I said it. I want to walk into a party in a tight dress and make heads turn. Doesn't everyone? Being too small makes people question if you eat at all, having curves in all of the right places (or lots of muscles, for the boys reading this) wouldn't be a bad thing...

5. It's mean.

Calling someone too skinny is the same as calling someone too fat. It's not nice and it hurts our feelings. I was called anorexic in middle school because I was "too skinny". It's my genes (and the fact that I was dancing 3 days a week for 9 years) that made me so small in stature, just like people who are heavier in weight when they're young have their genes to blame. It isn't nice to call someone fat, so when did it become acceptable to call people skinny?

Everyone wants to be healthy and feel happy with their bodies. It is nobody's job nor business to tell any other person how to live his or her life. Being healthier is okay and people shouldn't have to explain themselves or their reasonings for being healthy. Saying someone needs to go to the gym because of his or her weight is just as sh*tty to say as saying someone needs to not go to the gym because of his or her weight.