I struggled as a teenager and young woman with anorexia. It got so bad that in college one of my sorority sisters encouraged me to go to counseling because my sisters were worried about me.

I still try to be on the slender side but I don’t let it consume me.

Today I read an article about a woman who had been bulemic and the fear that her daughter was going down the same path as she had traveled.

The other side of this coin is the majority of Americans who are obese.

Either side of the coin does not ensure a healthy outlook on life.

When you have an eating disorder you are constantly obsessed with your weight making that the measure of your worth.

When you are obese you are focusing on food and consuming large amounts of it.

I came up with a philosophy about food a few years ago.

I chose to view it in terms of body value.

If I ate junk it had no value.

I chose to eat things which would provide vitamins and minerals to my body.

I would check nutritional labels for vitamin content, sodium content, fiber and fat content. I was amazed at how labels could claim something was healthy when really all they contributed was calories and fat to my body.

I have exercised the majority of my life. It is a habit which my body has demanded since I was fourteen years old.

My children are all slender and very athletic. I cooked homemade meals and tried to make those meals delicious and healthy when my children were with me.

My daughter sticks to a very healthy diet and exercises on a very regular basis. So do my sons, although I don’t think my son who lives with his dad ever eats a homemade meal.

I believe that the role model we choose to give to our children is what they may choose to be.

So if you don’t want your kid to be obese then try eating healthy and exercise regularly first, then they may listen to you when you encourage them to make better choices.

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