With summer right around the corner, people are scrambling to get their bodies in peak condition, but the desire for a perfect swimsuit season body has driven many people to unhealthy dieting.

An estimated 45 million Americans diet every year, and that number does not even include the other millions of people who are in some way unhappy with their bodies. Whether it is because of media’s portrayal of the “ideal body type” or actual health concerns, too many people are trying to change themselves to fit the thin body type that only five percent of people actually possess.

Getting in shape to look and feel healthy is a great idea, but if you just want to be stick thin like the girls in the magazines, you should remember that they represent an extreme minority of body types, and all of those photos are heavily edited. The media has planted the idea in our minds that the only way to be beautiful is for girls to be skinny and boys to be buff, but the fact remains that everybody is different, and that is okay. Having self-confidence and loving yourself are the things that truly radiate beauty.