Skinny: adjective; (of a person or part of their body) very thin.

synonyms: thin, scrawny, bony, angular, hollow-cheeked, gaunt, skin-and bones, emaciated, skeletal, undernourished, underfed

Kate Moss is famous for saying, "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels." Well, Kate Moss, that's a bunch of bull. There are actually tons of things that taste way better! Like pasta, pizza, chocolate... the list could go on and on. In this day and age, being skinny is the goal for most women. The media feeds us this false reality of what we are supposed to look like. Billboards, magazines and ads parade skinny-Minnie models around, and news flash -- they're all photoshopped to have their bodies thinner and their breasts bigger! Sure, being thin is great, but being strong is greater. I don't know about you, but I surely do not want to be described as emaciated, skeletal or underfed.

Photo via Some ECards

I've been thin all my life, blessed with good genes I suppose, so I can't relate to the women who have struggled with their weight their whole lives. I have also danced my whole life, so I got great exercise, and with that, good muscle tone. I was strong to a degree, but mostly from the core down. A little more than a year ago, I began my journey with fitness. I really wanted to strengthen my upper body, since compared to my legs, it was weak. I hated it. Every single minute of lifting weights. It was hard, and I felt silly because I couldn't lift the heavy ones. But I kept at it. And over time, it got easier and my weight increased. I began to love weight lifting. My muscles began to tone up and grow, and I love them. I even gained so much energy, and overall I felt so much better due to the health benefits of working out.

Weightlifting has long been a man's sport. A lot of women are scared that their muscles are going to get too big and that they are going to look to masculine. Here's the thing: it takes years for women to build the kind of mass that men have. Our bodies don't work that way. Instead, your muscles will become more defined and toned. I can't speak for you, but I'd much rather have a toned arm than a skinny one. And bonus, if you're goal is losing weight, lifting is a great way to do it. The more muscle mass you have, the faster your metabolism works.

Photo via Funny Day

Oh yeah, EAT! Fitness isn't just about what you look like, it's about your health. Your body needs fuel! Our bodies get that through the foods we eat. You can't make it through a long or intense workout without properly fueling yourself. So step off the scale. Get the thought of a low number on the scale out of your head. Muscle weighs more than fat.

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I don't have or want a thigh gap. I have thighs with muscles that I use to squat and deadlift. I don't have skinny arms, I have strong arms. So please, stop trying to be "skinny" and start trying to be fit, healthy and strong.