We are obsessed with how we look, individually and collectively. Movie starlets and models are wafer thin, yet our country is heavier than it's ever been. It's led to lots of new ideas and phrases that seem to be making the rounds in popular culture.

"Thinspiration" is one that just strikes me as wrong. Looking at photos related to this phrase you can see how out of whack some priorities are. Phrases such as "every time you say no to food you say yes to thin," are horrible. Young women see these movie starlets and read these phrases and stop eating in an effort to be skinny. Many will develop problems such as eating disorders because of this obsession. It's great to look good, but at what cost?

Another phrase that is just as troublesome to me is "fat acceptance." We are an obese nation and I have had my struggles with weight, especially when I was younger. I think you should be proud of yourself no matter your size, but you should also strive to be better as well. By accepting obesity you're not just accepting how you look, you're accepting all of the risks that come with it. High blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, joint problems are all associated with being very overweight. I know this because I am watching my mother deal with these issues currently because of the weight issues she's had for thirty years. It's fine to be proud of yourself, but know what you are doing to your body.

One phrase though I think has it right:"Fit is the new skinny." That is how I think we as a society should be thinking. Like I mentioned earlier, I've dealt with weight issues throughout my life. I was the pudgy kid in school, the one scared to take off his shirt at the pool because of his belly, but a few years ago when I turned thirty I decided I wanted to get fit and healthy. Since then I work out and try to eat somewhat healthy and become fit. Not sculpted body fit, but fit nonetheless. I'm healthy and have gone off of medications that I'd been on for years after losing a little weight and increasing my exercise. I've been amazed at that. And I'm not thin, not by any stretch. My body type will never allow me to be long and lean like the swimmers we've all seen at the Olympics. But I can be fit and healthy, and by making even one person feel that being fit is just as good as being skinny then this phrase is a success. Because being fit might mean that some people are skinny, while other never will be, but they'll still be healthy and should feel good about themselves. As a society we should be striving for that and not to look like a size 0 model on a magazine cover.