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Tuesday 19 February 2013

The Pressure of Conforming to Stereotypical Beauty

Image credit: Wikipedia
Models, actors and singers are seen daily by members of the public, and often their size, style and overall beauty are idealized into what is seen as the perfect body and face. This has been a trend for a very long time; public figures and people in a spotlight will always be looked up to as the ‘ideal person’, much like a child looks up to their parents for guidance and the answers to right and wrong. The current trend of these spotlighted figures and public people is to be slim, and look perfect and proper, but how much of these people are real, and how much has been altered digitally or by plastic surgery? The worry over these altered images and people is that they are causing depression for the members of public who look up to them, as these ordinary people can never seem to reach the beauty they see daily in magazines and on television shows.

The Need for Change

There is an alarming rise in eating disorders, health issues and depression as many people attempt to conform to the models they see in magazines or on billboards. Also on the rise is an industry that is attempting to sell the public masses quick fixes and gimmicky products to help them reach the ideals they believe will make them more beautiful, wasting money and giving people false hope that they can look like the people they see in magazines, which can then lead to severe depression and other health issues as the people involved struggle to reach an unobtainable ideal. It is essential that people begin to learn the importance of accepting their bodies as they are, and not attempting to find quick fixes that will not make the difference they are hoping to achieve; however finding the ideal starting point can be very tough.


Image credit: Wikipedia
For The Ladies

Magazines and clothes catalogues will showcase beautiful young ladies who are skinny, usually tanned and have what appear to be flawless curves and spotless skin. Very rarely are these images accurate as they have been digitally altered to give the appearance of perfection, eliminating skin blemishes, pulling in waistlines and smoothing out any unattractive areas or bulges. It is very important not to believe everything you see in magazines and even on the big screen or television. There is a lot of editing behind all of these forms of media, and attempting to conform to them will only cause you stress and worry. If you feel as though you are out of shape, overweight or you want to have nicer skin there are very rarely quick fixes. Do not invest in products that claim to help you get toned or lose weight without changing your lifestyle, the only way you can truly alter your own body is through hard work, exercising more regularly and changing your diet. Over time these lifestyle changes will give you the results you are looking for and you will feel proud and rewarded mentally as you can see the changes all of the hard work you put in has caused. Remember that big is beautiful too, as long as you are fit and healthy there is nothing wrong with curves, in fact many people will see them as very attractive.

For The Gents

It always seems men in magazines, catalogues and on the big screen are toned, have large, muscly arms and have what appear to be the perfect bodies, but how accurate are these really? The answer is not very accurate at all, or if they are, it has been after a lot of training and hard work. Currently there is a lot of pressure on men to conform to an idealistic lean body, however many public figures or famous actors have a lot of make-up and editing applied, such as enlarging muscles, to look the way they do. If you are aiming to achieve this level of body type and size, be prepared to put in a lot of time and effort to doing so. There are many items available on the market that claim to help with muscle gain and toning, but these should be thoroughly researched prior to purchase. Although some of these items can genuinely help you to gain big arms and toned bodies, many are also false advertising, or based on idealistic results. The best option to see an improvement in your body is to work hard in the gym or with a home workout to see the body changes you are aiming for. Being proud of your natural body can be much more rewarding than relying on gimmicky products, allowing you to be more mentally stable and happy with yourself. Remember, read reviews of any products you intend buying to ensure they are legitimate and will actually help you to reach your goals.

Being proud of your body as it is naturally is essential to living a happy, healthy life. Although you can work towards an ideal body weight or type, it is important to understand many of the pictures you see in magazines are altered to improve the way they look, so being confident and pleased with your own body is more important than attempting to replicate what may be seen by some as ideal. Everyone has their own beauty; do not be fooled into thinking otherwise.

Author: Evelyn Bowden

2 comments :

  1. It is a good thing that I aim to have the body of John Goodman and Kevin James.

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  2. Great informative site. I'm really impressed after reading this blog post. I really appreciate the time and effort you spend to share this with us! I do hope to read more updates soon.

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