Why is it that society has this messed up body image embedded
in our heads of what looks good? Is skinny really that important? Because last
I checked being skinny does not mean being FIT.
Skinny and fit and my
life are an every day struggle. Eating
and exercise is a very common obstacle for me. I am constantly reprimanding
myself for every piece of food I put into my mouth or the food I want to eat. I
criticize myself in front of the mirror on a daily basis. Why do I have to feel
so unhappy with how I look just because the idea of ‘pretty’ is practically
unreachable?
Being skinny could
mean a multitude of things; you don’t eat, you are one of those ‘born this way’
skinny girls that can eat anything and everything their heart desires and
perhaps their speedy metabolism might make them loose a pound, your bulimic-in
other words you stuff your face to the point of overflowing and then puke your
guts up to ease your mind and calorie intake.
Being skinny is not a one-way mirror; there is so much behind that
picture. Now being fit, that is where; in my opinion, the healthy form of
skinny is portrayed.
What is attractive to the site is not attractive to the
touch, why is that? Every magazine shows these pictures of women that are so
unnaturally accomplished and quite frankly, an absurd form of ‘pretty’ or
‘attractive’. Quit looking at those magazines of the girls with their bones
popping out at every angle and start hitting the gym.
Your body needs nutrition and cardio exercise and strength
training. It does not need starvation.
as "pretty" "pretty"
Here are some links that support my opinion and may influence yours:
http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/02/health/overweight-mortality/index.html
ReplyDeleteI agree, we certainly need to decouple fitness and weight. I remember hearing a story about a woman who was a fitness nut, but if she ate a reasonable amount and didn't overwork herself she would settle naturally at about 280lbs.
She at one time worked very hard and dieted down to the mid to low 100's but it was unhealthy for her (wasn't eating enough).
Though I love the strong wording of the blog, I find it problematic that you make light (and, in fact, directly make fun of) bullimia. It's more than "stuffing your face and puking your guts up." Bullimia is a SERIOUS health risk that is brought on by the impossible stigmas of beauty - you're harassing your target audience and making light of their pain. The BEST thing you can do as an activist is to understand peoples' pain and try your best to set your privilege aside. Also, I'm concerned as to why "strong" is equated to beautiful in the picture. Weakness can't be beautiful? What about those who don't have the physical ability to work out or (due to the heavy time constraints our society imbues) don't have time to work out, but work their ass off to support their family. Why are these women not allowed to be beautiful?
ReplyDeleteThank you for pointing out those things. First off I certainly did not intend to point fingers at bulimia in a negative fashion, I only meant to make it obvious that I do not find it healthy and that I am against it, certainly not meaning to hurt the feelings of people that struggle with it or make a point that it doesn't matter because of course I realize it is a serious health risk and problem.
DeleteSecond; in regards to your comment about 'strong' being beautiful-I did not extend my blog to all the possibilities of beauty like I should have but I also did not shut out the idea that there are other ways to be pretty, I simply made my point that too skinny should not be a goal for us as woman. I have a very high passion for fitness and I only made this my point because exercise and fitness goes far beyond what looks good and involves important factors like being healthy and living a long full life.
I think that this is clearly a very important topic that is very relevant in today's society. I myself struggle with weight every day and much like yourself, criticize how I look, etc. However, I am very happy with how I am and who I am. I wish that your blog would have pushed "self-love in every form" rather than focusing on being fit. Yes, being healthy is very important, but for some people, being fit is an actual struggle they cannot achieve. I think that pretty can be in any form, not just a fit person. I am not trying to go to the gym every day to be skinny, but I think I am beautiful. Otherwise, I did enjoy your topic especially because it is so relevant to women at any age.
ReplyDeleteI think many can relate to this article. I'll say it, I love food. However, Im upset with the way I look. This blog is kind of similar to mine, talking about if we actually believe this, or is it society making us feel this way. I hope for people like you and me will be able to find a middle point, and accept our bodies for what they are.
ReplyDeleteBody image is a constant thing that people are confronted with. We have mirrors and clothes and are bombarded by advertisements every day. There is a difference between the "high fashion waif" and the "super-fit Nike model." Our society celebrates both. However, being fit doesn't equate to a thin, toned body. Some people are fit but still have larger bodies- are they celebrated? Not really. Even fit models have problems- there is such thing as exercise bulimia- where the person exercises to unreasonable ends to burn calories. I think you could explore deeper into body image and society, as well as give more of your personal story. Good work!
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your last line "Your body needs nutrition and cardio exercise and strength training. It does not need starvation." I have a very close friend who dealt with a eating disorder and while watching and helping her get through it was very eyeopening! I wish the media would be more serious about how they show what somebodies body should look like.
ReplyDeleteNot only women, but men struggle with this as well. I like this blog. I can personally relate to this. I have struggled with weight all through high school. Recently I dropped that weight and I agree, it is so difficult to attain the ideal image of perfection that advertisements portray. I think you can add to this through the male image as well. Some men struggle with this physical issue as well and I feel like you will be able to reach a wider audience. Otherwise, I really enjoyed reading this.
ReplyDeleteOne of the the things that came to mind while reading this was the "Healthy at any size" movement that's garnering up a bit of steam. It's definitely a challenge to the notion that "fit = healthy" which as you pointed out is definitely not necessarily the case by any means.
ReplyDeleteI love this blog! Some people are just not model thin and society needs to start being more accepting of that. I can eat right and run until I can't stand and will never look like that model. It is awful the pictures that society shows us and the way that those pictures make women, and men feel. I do agree that this blog could have benefited from the male perspective on eating and body image.
ReplyDeleteNice blog! It is very difficult too be what society wants because if you follow everything that society wants then you would never be your self. I am one of those people that no matter what I eat or do I just can't be the "skinny model" type. But if I allow my self to be influenced by society I might end up with depression or an eating disorder, all because I want to be what society wants me to be, which is not right! I think we need to learn to embrace ourselves and love who we are!
ReplyDeleteI think you have a great start here to a real argument: being fit and healthy is far more important than looking "skinny". However, I think it would be beneficial to include that being fit is not as important as being in love with the body that you have. I was confused if the focus of your blog was about being fit vs. being skinny or dealing with personal body image.
ReplyDeleteWhile having a personal connection to your topic is helpful, I think that maybe your blog could benefit from a stronger sense of direction.
ReplyDeleteI would caution you to be wary of sounding as though you are judging people with eating disorders as weak. I have a sibling who struggles with an eating disorder, not because of body image, but because of anxiety and control issues.
I think this is a great idea to blog about and you did a good job, although I believe as long as you are comfortable with your body "fit" may mean many different things. I do agree with you that the media in magazines and on TV is corrupting the self esteem of people, especially youth.
ReplyDelete