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Summary of Question:Lifting Weights-Namely, My Hips!
Category:Health
Date Posted:Tuesday, 11/27/2001 3:43 PM MST

Sat siri Akaal!!!


The guy who asked about weight lifting brought up something that has been bugging me a while... I quit smoking about the same time I started studying Sikhism (a little over a year ago.) Now I walk regularly, go to the gym and do most of those things a person should do to remain healthy. But boy, did I get huger than I thought possible- at least 3 dress sizes!

I have always been a tall, big chunky person; I start looking unhealthy if I hit 200 on the scale. My first question is, do you figure that our Divine Creator meant for some people just to be very big, the way He means for a person's hair to go only to a certain length without cutting? I don't want an excuse to be Madame Fatso, but I know I am never going to be a supermodel. I'd be satisfied to be strong and fit even if it means I have this I-Quit-Smoking weight hanging around. Have I inadvertently altered my body to the point of sin? And is it possible to be a strong, fit, gorgeous girl even if I don't wear a size 12? Or am I being slapped by the media image of the stick-figure woman as perfect? Any input?

Thanks!!!

Elizabeth


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REPLY
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Hello,

When you are doing something that you know is wrong (like smoking) and keep doing it, then I would call that a "sin". However, since you know that smoking is wrong, and bad for your health, you have quit. That's admirable.

The way you are is the way you are. There is no point in thinking about "what if" or "why am I the way I am". Now, you should try to stay healthy, for some people it is easy for some hard. The hardships and comforts of your life are due to your actions, either from this life or from other past deeds. The best thing to do is to make sure that your deeds in this life are good so that in the future you will have comforts.

For example, you can go to college when you are young and work hard to get a good job. Going to college is not easy and takes a lot of strength, especially if you go into a challenging, secure career. However, because you worked hard, you will be rewarded with a good stable job. On the other hand, you could have taken it easy and not gone to collge. However, then you would probably not get a good stable job.

Similarly, the deeds you do now reflect upon you in the future. If you do bad deeds, then in the future you will have hardships. If you have good deeds, then in the future you will have comforts. So, in a sense, the way you are is somewhat due to the way you were. If you don't exercise and keep eating donuts, you'll get fat. If you exercise and eat healthy and donuts only occasionally, you will be healthy.

I would say that you are being "being slapped by the media image of the stick-figure woman as perfect" as you put it. Western culture in general is pretty shallow and thinks that both men and women need to fit a certain mold to be considered "normal" and "beautiful". I would say try to avoid people who fit into this train of thought. I have lived all of my life in the U.S. and I can for a fact that there are people who don't think this way and will accept you for the way you are.

I hope this helps,
HSD



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