Jennifer Pereira, registered dietitian, thinks that you already have the perfect body!

Has anyone ever said you have the perfect body? Well, you do. You may be resistant to that idea. You must open your mind right now if you ever hope to have the body you want. I can tell you from research and experience with my own clients--until you normalize your relationship with your body, you will not be able to normalize your relationship with food.

So join me as I take you on a new perception adventure (since you've unknowingly been on one your whole life). You will come to see ideal body size is completely subjective. I will shed light on the fact that health risks based on weight are inflated. Most importantly, you will begin to understand there are underlying reasons you feel fat.

Your interpretation of the optimal body has undoubtedly come from a variety of sources. You've grown up on magazines and television, all of which spew an endless stream of unrealistic images. Research shows 15-25 minutes of television or magazines produce a measurable decline in body image.

Another respected source that determines ideal body weight is the medical community. The ideal body weight tables were created in the early 1900's by an insurance company. They were based on mortality at various weights - - guess who they were weighing? Dead people. Don't even get me started on the shortcomings of the BMI scales. According to the calculations used for this tool, world class bodybuilders with 4% body fat would be considered obese.

So who gets to decide what is your perfect body? You do. It is empowering, if you are open to it. Your opinion is your reality - - you get to decide if you're beautiful. Stop trying to fit your body to your beliefs. Change your mind to fit your body.

The fact is, this body you are currently living in is what it is supposed to be. No doubt you have tried to change it in the past. You may have even had limited success. Research tells us that after 5 years, 98% of people who lose weight through diet and exercise will gain it back. That is basically everyone. If you know someone who has managed to be in the 2%, they are a freak of nature.

I'm saying this because it is critical that you let go of the unrealistic hope of changing reality to fit fantasy.

This constant hope of perfecting your body is driving you to behaviors that make you like it less. Non-hunger eating is the major contributor to weight gain. Emotion is the number one reason for non hunger eating. Hating your body makes you feel shame and grief.

Do you see how this works?

What about the health risks of accepting your current weight - - aren't you just killing yourself? The groundbreaking book Health at Every Size, by Linda Brown, PhD looks at research on the weight and health controversy. The report from the CDC actually showed that overweight people live longer than normal weight people. Even for obesity, the risk lies in the more extreme range, which is not the classification of the majority of obese Americans. A comprehensive review of 26 studies concluded this important fact: being overweight or obese is not the killer it is made out to be.

Then why do you worry so much about your body? The focus on your body is serving you. It is allowing you to distract yourself from your real issues. Anytime you are feeling uncomfortable, the thought 'I feel fat' pops into your head. Maybe you veer off into dreaming about your next diet or you imagine how great your life would be if you were thin. What you are missing here is why you felt uncomfortable in the first place.

If something is going on that feels overwhelming or out of your control, it is much easier to focus on something you think you could fix. If your boss is critical of your work, or you mother asks why you aren't married yet--you may find yourself suddenly wallowing in your physical flaws. Further, if you are certain your major issue is your external appearance, you don't have to deal with any internal changes. It seems, at least, to be easier to handle.

Okay, so you are ready to love the perfect body you already have. It is time to get started:

Write down what you say about yourself in the next 24 hours. Would you talk to someone else this way? Why should you have to live with the meanest person you know? Start apologizing to yourself, and challenge your negative self talk. It is all perception, so what if the things you don't like about yourself are not actually, factually bad?

What do you believe a different body would allow you to do or be? You may think it would allow you to feel more confident or be more likeable. You may be more willing to take risks or travel. These are all things that must be done now. They are all really internal changes. If you are waiting to be perfect before you can start living, chances are you will die before you ever live.

What are some positive characteristics about you that are not physical? You are more than your body. You must determine your true identity - - it is made up of interests, family, career, etc. It would be a pretty dull life if all you were was your physical appearance.

It is time to start loving your body (and, in turn, loving yourself). Take a hammer to your scale--it will no longer be the one to determine if your day is good or bad. Avoid magazines and TV that make you feel less beautiful. Stop trying to make your body fit your clothes--buy clothes that are comfortable and flatter your unique body. Move back in and connect with your body through yoga, meditation and any other enjoyable activity. Be very aware of your self talk--slap your inner voice the way you would anyone else who said something unacceptable.

Your body is precious because you are the one in it. It may never change...can you really live your whole life hating yourself? Accepting your weight means accepting who you are. It is time to embrace your junk, and see your whole self as beautiful. The decision is yours, because only your opinion of yourself truly matters. Do you have the perfect body? Yes.

Jennifer Pereira, RD, LD, CSCS is a Registered/Licensed Dietitian, and Certified Strength/Conditioning Specialist. She works in her private practice, Nutrition Paradox, in Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas. For further information on challenging your beliefs and finding balance with a truly healthy lifestyle, you can visit healthylifestylebalance.com.