Sha Halim: Fat is not a bad word

It was her first day of school at Primary 1 and Sha Halim got pushed into the pond by a schoolmate. “Sha’s so fat – she killed all the tadpoles!” she vividly recalled the incident, as other kids crowded around her and laughed at her. That scarred her childhood and she was often bullied or made fun of. “Once, I was on the bus on the way home after school. I was 14, 15. These two Malay ladies were gossiping about me in Malay, as they thought I was Chinese. I just
READ More

Alessandra Leong: Owe it to nobody but yourself

I was pretty active in secondary school, however when the GCE ‘O’ levels came, I slacked off and due to immense stress, I kept snacking on junk food and ended up gaining a lot of weight. I hit 70kg when I was in Year 1 at Ngee Ann Polytechnic and I was so fat I had difficulties climbing up to my school. It didn’t help that my school (health science) is at the top. I realised I couldn’t wear most of my favourite clothes and when I
READ More

Melissa Yap: Get the right mindset first

I suffer from insecurities and just like many others out there, I have days where I stand in front of the mirror in my undergarments and mentally pinpoint all the flaws in front of me. “If only I could lose those bulging love handles, the wiggly underarm fat and oh my God those thunder thighs” – these thoughts run through my head as I obsessively compare my body with everyone I see. Strangers, friends, relatives and even children; I secretly compare myself to every
READ More

Barbara Chng: Embrace your inner child

“Are you pregnant?” That was the question I was asked AFTER I had delivered my twins. That was my reality – I gained nearly 40kg when I was pregnant with twins, from my pre-pregnancy weight of 45kg. I was so uncomfortable with my body that I refused to take any pictures of myself because I felt so fat in everything I wore and nothing could fit except maternity clothes. After birth, I decided to do something about my weight. Once my C-section wound healed, I went
READ More

Yap Si Min: Banish the negativity

When I was diagnosed with anorexia, binge eating and depression, I would often ask myself why life is so unfair, why must I suffer from all these? I was merely a 15-year-old student at that time, when all this happened to me. It all started when I was 15. I was at the healthy BMI range at that time; I was so bubbly and lovely. My friends enjoyed spending time with me. However, it was just one sentence that turned my whole life upside down. One of my close friend, who was very
READ More