I follow BodyRock on Facebook. It is a great way to keep up the enthusiasm about living healthy. Some times they bring up topics to get a healthy discussion about bodies, health, eating (disorders), motion/training, ect. Today’s topic was:
What does having a “nice” body mean to you? How much of it is a reflection of the media and the current beauty ideal?
People had their opinions about the pictures and told stories about real life. Several people pointed out inner beauty to be a crucial thing, but then a man wrote:
“If outer beauty meant nothing these tabloids, many magazines and models in general would be out of business. Let’s not fool ourselves. I agree it is very important that you love who you are. But if people are telling me their image is not important then why do we spend so much on image based products? Men are just as self conscious. We do anything not to go bald, etc. Be honest with yourself. Vanity, pride….regardless of media has always been there. Blaming media is just a crutch.”I think he has a point there. Of course we shall love ourselves but we can’t ignore “the ideal body” that the media present us with. And it IS too easy to blame the media. We need to define our own view of a nice body.
“The ideal body” is maybe not just one kind of body. I believe that a thick woman can be just as sexy as a thin woman and even sexier and more good looking if she has the right radiation. And in the picture many castigated the old lady in the purple bikini because her skin wasn’t tight underneath her butt, but I think her body is great for a woman at her age! Just look at her. Her arms are beautiful, her figure is slim, she looks healthy. I love the way she looks!
Many things can be said about having a nice body. I have my fights too and cycled 34 km Saturday, ran 7 km and did 30 minutes of yoga yesterday. But I think a woman in the discussion gave me a durable answer:
” A nice body is the one that will take me to old age without any complaints.”
