When you call yourself {FAT}

Sometimes our insecurity slips out from between our lips and comes out as one very ugly word...FAT.

I'm so fat.

We say it to ourselves in the mirror, or to our husbands on Sunday morning when we're getting ready for church, or to our friends in the dressing room, trying on swimsuits. I would like to suggest that this is not doing anyone any good.

When you call yourself fat:

1. You force people to make a statement about your weight. Your poor husband or friend is standing there and you say, "I'm so fat." What are they supposed to say? No matter what, they are making a statement about your weight, and they probably don't feel comfortable doing so. Don't put that on them.

2. You force others to compare themselves to you. You've heard the saying, "Comparison is the thief of joy." When you call yourself fat, you are forcing the person next to you to think, "Well, if she's fat, then I'm morbidly obese." No matter if we are overweight, underweight, or just right, there is likely some insecurity there regarding our weight. Don't make your friends feel worse than they already do.

3. You chip away at your own self-esteem. You wouldn't talk to someone you love that way. If you love yourself, speak words of encouragement to yourself. "I'm excited about getting healthy," is one example. See? You can say it without being hateful to yourself.

4. You cause your children to wonder if they are fat or skinny. When you say you are fat in front of your children, you are setting them up to think the same of themselves. These young minds are so easily influenced. You can talk about healthy foods and exercise to your children without putting yourself down.

Instead, try these phrases:

1. I'm excited about getting healthy (as mentioned above).

2. I'm looking forward to losing weight.

3. I need to eat healthier and exercise.

Pledge with me to remove the F-A-T word from your vocabulary. If you're saying it about yourself, you're not doing anyone any good. If you're saying it about someone else, well, then you're probably not being kind.

Are you with me?

 - Sara Grace