Doing the Math

Numbers are simple things aren’t they? Yet when thought about in a different way, they can take on a whole different meaning. For example…

3: The number of times I have bravely gotten up and sang my heart out in karaoke. My go-to song? You better believe it’s Journey‘s ‘Don’t Stop Believing’.14: The age when I had my first kiss–it was sloppy and wet and in the parking lot of the movie theater, but oh, was it magical. 24: The number of times I have cheered my hot dog-eating, soda-slurping, foam-finger wearing and crazy-fanatic heart out at a Milwaukee Brewer’s game. 49: The age my pup Thunder is in dog years. Oh how they grow up so fast! 65: The number of books I have in my personal library–and that’s not counting my Nook. It’s safe to say I am just a bit of a bookworm. Just a bit.

Here are a couple more numbers for you real fast….

*42% of 1st-3rd graders report wanting to be thinner and 81% of fifth graders have an extreme fear of becoming fat

*The average American woman is 5’4″ tall and weighs 140 pounds. The average American model on the other hand is 5’11″ tall and weighs around 110 pounds.

*Americans spend of $40 Million dollars on dieting and diet-related products each year.

*24 million: The number of people, both male and female, in the United States who suffer from some kind of an eating disorder.

 *9 million: The number of those 24 million aforementioned sufferers who recover and go on to live a happy and healthy life.

 I am also a number. I am ‘1’ of the 24 million people who have fought, battled and struggled with an eating disorder. I am not fully there yet, but I am well on my way to also becoming ’1′ of those 9 million who have fought, battled and struggled with an eating disorder….and WON!  Let me throw you one more number.

1: If I could have ‘1’ wish, it would be to give hope and inspiration to everyone out there who may be going through not only an eating disorder, but are facing anything difficult or challenging in their lives. I want to let people know that it is possible, that there is hope. I am ‘1’ and sometimes, ‘1’ is just enough. Enough to foster a change, to bring awareness and to encourage others out there to take back their lives, completely and whole-heartedly ED free!

This week is super important to me. You see, it is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week (NEDA) and I oh so would love it if you could all help me out with something. Just like with my mom’s famous chocolate-chip cookies, having ’1′ is great, but having more is even better.

There are sadly so many people who are impacted by eating disorders worldwide; many of which who suffer in silence. It may be your sister, your best friend, your college roommate or your daughter. It may be your teammate, girlfriend, brother or cousin. For this reason, it is my hope, my ’1′ wish that you and me can all do SOMETHING to remind others that they are in fact, beautiful and special, unique and amazing, funny and kind, just because they exist. They are all these things because they are perfectly imperfect.

So who’s with me?! Let’s work together to shoot that 9 million recovery statistic to the stars!

Remember, you are ’1′, but sometimes ’1′ is just enough.

For more information on how you can help, check out The National Eating Disorder Association website here:

http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/index.php

*Information obtained from the National Eating Disorder Association