Can I be overweight and still be healthy?

I learned early in life that because a person is slim, it did not necessary make them a healthy person. My mother’s cooking was delicious but contained a lot of fat – mostly the bad kind (trans fats and saturated fats) and not enough of the good ones (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats) – but I was skinny (I used to compare myself to Olive, as in Popeye’s girlfriend).

At 15 years old I was forced to change my eating habits. During a routine medical examination my doctor informed me that my level of Cholesterol (known today as the bad Cholesterol LDL) was very high for someone so young. I immediately cut down on the fat and salt.

I really did not like my body as a teenager, in my 20s, even in my 30s. It was only after I turned 40 that I began to embrace my body. Today, I am very content with my body.

The message I still hear and read today and firmly believe is: “It’s about making healthy choices and it’s all about balance.”