Something Most People Don't Know About Me

I was writing a post about my entire year in review, but I decided to focus on one thing.
My biggest struggle.

A lot of people are so impressed and even jealous of how much weight I've lost. But I'm here to tell y'all: Stop it. I didn't do it the right way. I was an idiot.

Sophomore year, I was a healthy weight of 140. It's a bit over the average weight, but I didn't really care. I looked fine.

Junior year, I'm not sure what happened. I gained a lot of weight. I was pushing 160. And no girl wants to go through that feeling of not being confident in her looks. Well, that's how I felt. I gained a lot and didn't really know what to do to stop it. So I did what any desperate high school girl would do. I stopped eating. I didn't eat breakfast. Ever. And usually I would only eat a small dinner.

The craziest thing is... I LOVE food. More than most things. So I don't even know why/how I did this.

Because of this poor choice, my weight started plummeting, and so did my happiness. I got really annoyed and upset at people who cared about me. I mean, I knew what I was doing, right? HA. No. I usually never do.

In the midst of this, I started working out. A lot. I pinned hundreds of workouts on my Pinterest. I obsessed over looking healthy and skinny.

(spoiler alert: you won't look healthy if you don't eat)

Because of skipping meals, I started getting light headed anytime I'd do anything, even just standing, and during my runs I would nearly pass out.

I'd been confronted about it a few times, be it by my friends or by my mom. Guess who denied it every time? This girl.

I was down to about 125, which is almost underweight for my height.

I physically looked unhealthy.

Then God hit me hard. I realized a few things.

GOD CREATED ME WITH HIS OWN HANDS

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Psalm 139:13-14

THE PERSON WHOSE OPINION ACTUALLY MATTERS DOESN'T LOOK ON THE OUTSIDE

The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
1 Samuel 16:7b

I THINK THIS ONE IS PRETTY SELF EXPLANATORY

So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.
Hebrews 10:35

I'm all for bettering our bodies, which are temples for God. But don't do it like I did. I was doing it for myself. In hopes that I'd gain more confidence. All it's done is made me more self conscious.

Be confident in the Lord and don't question your worth!

So here's a collage of...

               Junior year                                    Skeleton self                              Now (remake of first)

You can clearly see the difference, even in the middle and right photo. I decided to stop starving myself and gain muscle instead. There are ways to lose weight the right way, Claudia.

So I'll leave y'all with one of my favorite quotes. Do this. Don't be irresponsible like me.