My Weight

by Allie
(Harrisburg, NC USA)

I have a problem with my weight. When I was in 2nd grade, I was diagnosed with Epilepsy. I was on a medication that decreased my appetite and made me lose weight. By the time I was in 5th/6th grade, I had the perfect body. When I was going into 6th grade, I got my braces too. I loved my braces. Once I got my braces off, I would have the world's most beautiful smile and I would be skinny and just perfect. I would like myself. Well, I eventually got off the medicine in the summer as a rising 7th grade because my doctor prescribed me a medicine that seemed to work better. Without the medicine that helped me stay skinny, my normal genes came in for weight. My dad's side of the family has a weight problem, so I must get some of it from there. My mom has big thighs too, but she was adopted, so we don't know what her genes are. But, for a 5 foot 7 13 year old girl, it's hard being 160-170-175 pounds. I want to be skinny. I am sure there are kids younger than I am that weigh about the same or more, but my BMI is overweight and sometimes even obese when I throw my age in. I am working on losing weight, because I would like to be in the healthy BMI range. I have always believed that if I were able to change my weight, that I would feel better about myself. Sometimes though, I think that if my weight was where I wanted it to be, I would find something else to worry about. Sometimes that keeps me going, but other times I think of society. When I say this, I mean that society these days has explained through the media how the perfect person should look and they expect everyone to follow that example. My friends like me for me, but sometimes I feel like if I was skinnier, they would accept me ... more. On a day to day basis, my opinion normally changes. It's sad what the world has come to, but I know that with enough praying, God will help me.