The Trap of Watching Weight

Just today I saw a report on Good Morning America about little girls and how they view themselves, particular in respect to weight. They interviewed a six year old who has been told by classmates that she is fat and she worries all the time that she needs to lose weight. The problem? Not only is this a six year old already obsessed with weight, but, in fact, she is not overweight. Her pediatrician says she is right on average and doing well and very healthy. So why is she being told she is overweight?

We live in a culture that has become preoccupied and obsessive over weight. It is one thing to be healthy; it is another to become obsessed with what we look like. Everyone is dieting, running and complaining about weight because as a culture we keep telling ourselves that if we aren't skinny minnies, something is wrong. I think it has become far less about health and a lot more about how people perceive us. We care a lot more about what people think and we don't want people thinking we are fat. Thus, people who are healthy go around worrying and obsessing about weight because we are so afraid of what people think. We have put our worth in what we look like and not in who we are: humans made in the image of God and thus possessing invaluable worth.

Even I find it hard to remember my worth is in God. As a mother who has struggled to lose all the baby weight (curse you, last 12 pounds!), I find that I think a lot about my weight and how people see me. I worry that people will think negatively about me, will chastise me, will describe me as fat. I know that most people won't try to know me and my heart, know that I am a mommy and a teacher with a lot of busyness and very little time to exercise. They won't realize I still hold weight from my body making a miracle. They'll just judge me from the outside and never care for my heart. That fact keeps me worrying daily about weight. And I hate this. I don't want to worry. I know that "Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." So why can't I get my mind around that? Why can't I find my worth in God and let go my fear over my body image?

My culture has gone the way of the unhealthy, focused on junk and fast food. I don't think it is a bad thing that we are trying to be healthier and lead healthier lives. But when a culture becomes obsessed at all times with weight so much so that children call other children fat who aren't and a healthy six year old worries daily about her weight, maybe we need to reevaluate how we handle health and weight. Maybe we shouldn't always complain in front of our kids that we are fat. Maybe we shouldn't make our kids watch us run after fad diets. Maybe we should simply feed them healthy, balanced meals and run around the park with them. And maybe we should also tell them that their worth isn't wrapped up in their looks. Maybe we should affirm that they are a treasure and a miracle from God no matter what.