It’s already the second month of the year and I’m seeing posts about panic in getting the right bod for summer. Girls, you can be curvy and it’s fine. You can be naturally skinny and it’s fine. If you’re trying to reach a certain weight for you to be happy then go for it, girl! Go to the gym and get them abs! Lose or gain lbs for yourself, for self-love, and for health reasons. But if you’re doing it to please others then I’d like to suggest that you rethink your decisions.

I experienced bodyshaming at a young age, and I personally think it will be a miracle if that mentality ever disappears. Adults would make me feel ugly because I was too thin. Like it was my fault my collarbones and riblines were showing. Because of that I would eat too much in the hopes of making at least my jawline disappear (I guess that’s when I first started being matakaw lol). I was very insecure but kept it to myself.

As I grew older and wiser (charbagol) I realized that I got tired of trying to make people around me happy. When I did gain a little bit of weight I tended to lose it fast, except when I was an alcoholic and a smoker. I’m not proud of it, and I certainly would not want anyone to do the same. Even then when I wasn’t that skinny, people would actually come out of their way just to tell me I was prettier when I was thin (ano baaa). So I quit. I removed everything that was toxic in my life.

This is my body, that’s how it is. The comments will never stop but I shouldn’t let people stop me from doing cardio just because they say I’m already skinny. I love being physically active! I shouldn’t hide to eat my fruits and veggies so I won’t hear people say “Diet ka?” or “Anorexic ka na!”. This is an attempt to detoxify for my own sake. Besides, I used to live in a farm so the habit just stuck. I shouldn’t let what others say stop me from doing what I love.

Maybe some would think that these are all easy for me to say. But try to read everything again in a reversed situation. If I was a curvy girl writing all of these my point will still be the same. Do not let bodyshaming get to you. Cut off everything that’s toxic, whether they’re bad habits, friends, or other relationships. Call your insecurity by its name and bring it down. The point is to not lose or gain weight, but to stay healthy and happy. Looking good is just a bonus. Peace and love!

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Author: Colleen Lantajo

Colleen Lantajo loves to write. She contributes to sites that match her own interests, including Urban Ponder, Bentobox Manila, and The Film Traveler. She is a self-proclaimed Otaku, or a youngster obsessed with computers and certain aspects of pop culture, sometimes throwing social skills to the wind. She loves travelling, and is passionate about books, food, arts, and living a hippie life. She once had an acting stint in a music video that caught the attention of FHM. Yeah, she’s got the looks and the smarts.

She is a Registered Nurse, but is currently working fulltime as a Marketing Specialist at a SEO company. She is in the process of getting as much hands-on learning as she can. She intends to be awesome, if not the best, at the SEO circle in the Philippines. So watch out, y’all!