What do you want from your body? It’s an odd but tricky question. In today’s society, the answer may be as simple as “being skinny” or “wanting to look like that girl.” Some people may take a more organic approach and say they just want their body to be “fit.” Regardless, the true answers are much deeper than these simplistic responses. As a 19-year-old curvy female, I will admit that I have struggled with body image. I always blamed my insecurities on the fact that I was curvy and not the typical, societal body, but in reality, even the skinniest people struggle with body image. According to medical news today, 40% of models suffer from eating disorders. These are the girls that we envy and strive to look like! They too struggle with body image, like the rest of us. When I realized that even being the idealized body type of society isn’t enough, it made me ponder what do we truly want from our bodies?
I grew up in Colorado, the fittest state in the United States. Remembering my hometown, I can count on one hand how many overweight or obese people were in my high school. Believe me when I say EVERYONE was skinny and fit. This made for a viscous environment, when it concerned body image. Since there were hardly any overweight people, the normal sized girls were dubbed as overweight, and the stick, thin girls became the new “skinny.” Then, I moved to Tennessee where people come in all shapes and sizes. I thought since I left behind the competitive environment of Colorado my body image issues would leave, too. Sadly, I was wrong. I was still unhappy with my body— not because I didn’t look skinny. I didn’t feel skinny.
I believe that girls in today's society see that huge smile on a model's face and think, “If I looked like that I can be that happy too” or “if I’m that skinny, or fit, I will be accepted by society.” What we truly want from our body isn’t a number on a scale, but a feeling of happiness and acceptance that will never be achieved through diet and exercise. If we were honestly only after a number or pant size, diets and exercise would fulfill our needs. The main reason most people don’t follow through with fad diets is because, instead of feeling that inner satisfaction, they are just left feeling hungry. I don’t have all the answers, and I can’t tell you how to feel “fulfilled” or what to do. That’s for everyone to personally decide. What I can tell you is that over the past nineteen years, I have lost weight, gained weight, and maintained my weight. Some of it was conscious effort, while at other times it happened subconsciously.
The common denominator? No matter what weight I was at I never felt “skinny.” Now, I’m not saying eat all the McDonald's you want and screw your health, but when incorporating diet and exercise into your daily regime, do it with joy. Enjoy the journey. Basically, if you hate running, don’t go for a run! If you hate broccoli, find another healthy food you do like! Everyone should work towards a healthier version of themselves, but health doesn’t equate to a societal number or a magazine photo. Health encompasses mental, spiritual and physical needs. Body image issues arise when we ignore health on a holistic level and only focus on the physical aspect. Hence, next time you find yourself wanting to lose five pounds, or try a new fad diet please ask yourself first: what do you truly want from your body?
