No carbs. Or sugar. Or fat. Recent dieting trends have hit young adults hard, and I have noticed this doesn’t exclude those who attend BYU-Idaho.

Many stipulations and body images that accompany the current miracle diets, like the Atkins, South Beach, etc., are anything but healthy.

“Eating unlimited amounts of fat, especially saturated ones, can increase your risk of obesity and heart disease. At best it’s unhealthy, at worst it can be dangerous,” warned dietician Sarah Schenker.

How much will students risk to obtain that oh-so-fashionable svelte figure? Are we, as a community, encouraging a “healthy” figure in the right way?

A lesson taught recently in my student Relief Society meeting was geared toward heightening the self-esteem of women, we were shown photos of models that had been touched up. Their hair was lightened, cleavage was enhanced and teeth were whitened.

“Don’t compare yourself to this,” said the teacher. “It’s not real!”

The lesson discussed gospel doctrine and current talks relating mostly to young women and body image.

“[Satan] seduces some to despise their bodies; others he tempts to worship their bodies. In either case, he entices the world to regard the body merely as an object,” said Susan W. Tanner in “The Sanctity of the Body,” an article in the November 2005 Ensign.

The lesson went on, “We do need to be as healthy and fit as we can. Note that; as healthy, not as small,” the teacher said.

When I look at the students of BYU-Idaho, I do not see one general demographic. I would love to say that everyone here is happy, fit and truly satisfied, but reality begs to differ.

In the end, working on being healthy should in no way compromise your health, physically or spiritually.

A note: how hard you throw the ball will be more important than hitting the ball on the outside shade, since getting the first pin back onto the lane is the first objective. It doesn’t hurt to eat Chinese at lunch and get a good fortune cookie either.