"Dieting to Death"

A new year is approaching and it's time for many of us to dust our resolutions off. It seems that so many people suffer from some type of mental dysphoria when it comes to their image. In a culture that glorifies WASP's and calls anything else an acquired taste, there's no wonder people will do anything to fit in. From tape worms to diet pills and marathons to living in a gym, have we become too obsessed with outer appearances?

Luckily, you're not alone. When it comes to celebrities, they also find themselves in the shallow spotlight of unreasonable standards. The greatest thing about earth is the fact that, anyone and everyone could be considered an acquired taste. Whats hot to Americans is distasteful to some in the middle east and vice versa. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" is actually an absolute truth.

While this topic really is not new, it is still important we gain our own personal perceptions of beauty. Recently, Oprah Winfrey did a interview with Barbara Walters, Ms. Walters asked if she still dieted and Oprah's reply was "No". If you remember, like I do, Oprah Winfrey's weight has gone up and down for many years. While some would say it's because she ate too much, I would say it's probably because she was trying to write a check her body can't cash.

In my life, I have gone up and down in weight as well. My issues stemmed from me trying to live up to the men photo-shopped in 'Men's Health' or 'Detail's' magazines. What's more interesting is that the lack of black or ethnic men in media, really made me feel like I had a huge standard that was impossible for me to fulfill. I'm not white and I'm not lean and you know what? So What!

It is important for us to love ourselves as individuals. If your naturally a size 8+ or 34 waist+, so what! It is important for you not to obcess over your looks and just find a way to live and be healthy while merry. Some great tricks to being healthy is finding a hobby, trying different outdoor activities, using moderation and just saying "No" to fad diets and cooky exercise machines at Bed, Bath and Beyond and "Yes" to an occasional slice of rich moist chocolate cake.

I say we stop dieting to death, stand up and say "Hey, I'm hot too!", because you are.