Dear Danielle,

I have a thin mother, a thin father and a model-like brother, yet I have always struggled with my weight. I am not obese, but I am definitely overweight. I try to exercise a few times a week and I stay away from junk food, but I have never been good at strict diets. I just started dating a guy who likes my figure. I want to be able to just accept who I am and not try to be thin like the rest of my family - but how?

Signed,

"Done with Dieting"

Dear "Done with Dieting"

As long as your doctor thinks your weight is at a healthy point, and you are exercising regularly - then you are doing a good job. Accepting who you are involves ceasing to compare yourself to others, and only comparing yourself to yourself! If from one year to the next you gain a lot of weight or start eating unhealthily then you have something to worry about, but as long as you are living true to yourself then you have every reason to be proud. Just because the rest of your family is thin doesn't mean you are doing something wrong by not being like them. Don't waste a minute of life stressing over something that likely will never change. Embrace the man who loves you for who you are and do the same for him -that's a recipe for joy.