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''This is my body. This is the body of someone who has struggled with an eating disorder. This body is misunderstood. When people see it they assume I sit on the couch and eat McDonald's all day, when in reality Ive never even seen a Big Mac in person. They tell me its wrong. Its not okay to be fat, theyll say.
You need to be healthy. Lose some weight. But then when they see me at the gym, they whisper and giggle just loudly enough for me to hear. Im a joke, something to be put in a hole until Im pretty by the standards of society.

But before you tell me whats wrong with this body, let me tell you whats right. This body can run for miles and not give out on me. This body is strong. This body has curves. It has muscle and it has cellulite. This body is fueled with healthy foods, but doesn't fail if I feed it improperly from time to time. This is the body of a size 14, the average size of the American woman. And it should be represented the way it is: beautiful. This is the only body I will have for the rest of my life. It shows my struggles and it shows my progress. Why shouldn't
I be proud of it? Why shouldn't it be celebrated? Why shouldnt the path to health be every bit as beautiful as the finished result? I am thankful for what this body has done for me. I am thankful for the healthy path
I have taken, both mentally and physically. I am proud of what I've overcome.

This is my body.'' Loey Lane.