And that’s okay.

We are all made up of different genetic backgrounds, and for some of us, it’s unrealistic to think that we’ll ever be skinny or thin. And that’s perfectly fine. What is not okay and fine is to accept being obese, overweight, and unhealthy. Those are very different things from being thin.

Our culture fixates and celebrates being thin. Look at our most famous models, actors and actresses and whose who we look up to in our society. They are mostly thin. There are the rare exceptions, but for the most part, how often do you see a pop star who is overweight? Not often.

I am in pretty good shape. I’m not thin, but I’m not overweight, either. I’m what I would call at a healthy size and weight. My body fat is pretty low, and I wear mediums or smalls when I buy shirts, and my pants are between 30″ and 32″ depending on manufacturer. I am within the Army’s height and weight standards, but what matters most to me is that my body is healthy. I have extensive physicals annually due to my military service and my age, and so far, I’ve been found to be very healthy. But I’m not thin.

People ask me all the time what my goal is, and honestly, for a long time, I used to answer that I want to be thinner. Now, I say that I just want to be healthy. I know I’m made up of Eastern European genes, and my forebears were not thin people; they were mostly stalky. I cannot go against that without becoming unhealthy, and I’m not willing to do that to myself.

Set realistic expectations with what your end game is, and be happy with who you are. Once you get to a healthy weight and your blood work results are that you are healthy, then you are probably at the right size for you. Don’t try to make yourself into something you cannot be in a healthy manner, and don’t think for a second that you need to meet someone else’s or society’s standard for what is considered beautiful; you already are. You just need to be healthy.