“I’m unsatisfied with my weight. I know I’m not fat but I still feel the need to lose more weight. No matter how much I work out or how much I diet, I’m still unhappy with my body. What should I do?"
Nine times out of ten, if you’re exercising consistently and eating healthy, you’re going to be exactly where you want to be in the weight department, or close to it. If you know you’re not overweight, ask yourself: “What exactly is it that I’m trying to attain?” But don’t feel discouraged. I’m sure there are plenty of women, more than you think, who feel the same way about their bodies as you do about yours.
With media flooding our society with the idea of the “perfect hourglass shape,” it becomes increasingly more difficult to be satisfied with the way we look. The development of a negative self-image begins at a young age. According to Just for Women, 81% of 10 year old girls are afraid of being fat. There is a constant fear of being unable to meet society’s standards of what is considered “skinny” or beautiful.
In today’s society, about 90% of women want to change at least one thing about their physical appearance. Women obsess over perfecting their own physical traits, wishing they could look more like celebrities and models. However, many women fail to realize pictures of celebrities and models are often times altered or photo shopped to enhance their appearance. Sometimes, they’ve even undergone plastic surgeries to enrich their physiques.
When asked if they were satisfied with their weight and appearance, two of three UAB female students admitted they weren’t. “I hate that I don’t have a flat stomach, and I wish my chest was bigger. I feel like I would be so much more attractive then,” said one of the female students who wanted to change her body. Even upon asking three male UAB students, all three wished they could change something about themselves. “I feel constantly pressured to be ‘toned and in shape.’ I feel like girls won’t even look in my direction if I don’t work out every day,” one of the UAB males confessed.
So what do you do about your unhappiness with your body? Stop comparing yourself to magazines and models. (Most of that isn’t real, anyways!) Focus on loving yourself, and surrounding yourself with people who love and accept you as well. And if you are overweight, take matters into your own hands. Eat healthier, exercise with a friend if you need to, cut out some of those sweets. There is nothing wrong with change, unless there is no real need for it! You are beautiful, regardless!
