Why are people so obsessed with being skinny ?

[Blackguard_]

This is only anecdotal, but most every time a woman I know has defined herself as "curvy" she's actually overweight and has just dressed it up with a prettier word.

Yeah, I hate how that term has become a euphemism for "fat", as if all fat or very chubby women are curvy and thin women can't be curvy.

Culture tells women that they need to be excessively thin to be loved by the boys.

No, chick rags tell them that.

 

[K9_Trainer]

You mean like this?

Living Large - USA - YouTube

*Shudder*

Yes, like that

In cases like that, what disturbs me most is that they're advocating their unhealthy lifestyles.

I guess in the end it IS a personal choice. But to to encourage it is just sad. There's gotta be a line somewhere between encouraging people to be healthy and placing unrealistic weight/proportion expectations on them.

 

[Verve]

I'll never been skinny, which is perfectly fine with me. I'm big-boned, 5'7'', with a broad back, broad shoulders and what most people would call "wouldful child-bearing hips"...SO...needless to say, God prefers that I have meat on my bones.

So true.
"child-bearing hips" for the win!


It's also difficult when women get judged by their breast size as well.
Something that short of plastic surgery we cant change.

Guess what "curvy" girls? Just because I'm not a double d doesn't mean I'm flat. K thx bye! All this smaller girls can't be curvy stuff needs to stop. Being told when your measurements are "hourglass" that you have the body of a 12 year old boy, by multiple people, causes eating disorders.

Really, maybe I should have told those ladies that maybe if I had a bra band size of 38 a D or double would be more darn appropriate than for someone treading 32/34 waters.

Then again if guys would stop telling girls they're fat when they're at a healthy weight that would rock.

Yep...as long as I'm a healthy size for my frame I'm happy.
I think people need to stop thinking "skinny" is such a great idea.

I realized my idea of what a healthy weight was off when I watched a show from the BBC where some people were "super skinny" and their families were worried about them. I thought those people were, for the most part, at an attractive and healthy weight.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BUzYNJzzMo

 

[Tink]

Oh, yay! Another thread bashing overweight women!



/sarcasm


Not every woman is fat because she chooses to be, and not every woman wants to be super skinny. That said, I would bet money that the OP is thin.

 

[Amber.ly]

This thread is painful in so many ways.

If I can have an active lifestyle and not be at risk of dropping dead from a heart attack then I consider myself healthy. What does not factor in is my waist, chest, or hip size. Or what number the scale flashes or if I can fit into a pair of jeans that Charlotte Russe offers.

I admit, I don't even know where I would fall by societies standards. Is a size 12 an unhealthy fatty these days? Who am I kidding, I could care less. Which is probably why I don't know...

Be healthy. Be happy. Don't let culture be the one who decides what that is for you.

The end.

 

[The Julikenz]

Reasons I think people obsess about size

1. Personal control (I *can* change myself for the better... and be like X celebrity who has Y thing.)
2. Image driven world. (Nuff said.)
3. People controlling image control (eg, designers who worship skinny male adolescent body types and call it 'women's upmarket fashion')

 

[.Iona.]

The media these days have blown the whole issue of body image and weight out of the water. So many young girls are scarily thin because that is how the celebrities are made to look.

Luckily, I have never been one to go in for this - I don't want to be so skinny, I prefer the look of slightly bigger girls - and I will never be that skinny, so it works out well.

What I hate, is how people base looks on being accepted, liked and popular. There is so much more to a person than what size clothes they wear, it's frightening how so many people still don't see this.

I am just glad God doesn't care on what shape or size we are. that's real love and kindness there!

 

[Wren]

You want to know why people are obsessed with being skinny? Read some of the posts in this thread. Yikes.

Why do already skinny women (like the size 2 woman you mentioned) want to be even thinner? She might have an eating disorder, body dysmorphic disorder (as posted by Miles), or be like a lot of other women.

Why do women, in general, obsess about being skinny? I've been fat. I was very large from age 11 to about 31. You get treated like garbage or as if you were invisible (and asexual) if you are big. Look at this thread and the mocking bigger women are getting. No one wants to be treated like that...be treated like they are disgusting or usually seen as the sister and rarely the girlfriend. And clothing choices are more difficult (expensive and often, unattractive) the bigger you are.

Society (media, unpleasant people, family and friends even) also tells you that your worth is often tied to your size. If you are big, you are mock-worthy and don't you dare try to accept your self and love yourself even if you exercise and try to eat healthy* You must hate yourself because obviously big is not beautiful, it's horrible (disclaimer: not what I believe, but I see and hear). And women who aren't big may be horrified at the very idea of being seen as big because of how society views and treats overweight people. Heck, look at how society treats people's bodies in general. You can't win. Either you are too skinny and should eat a sandwich or you are a big ol' fatty who needs to stop with the sandwiches already. There seems to be no way to please everyone. It's lose-lose in this society that is so very messed up in regards to our bodies.

*I realize there are overweight men and women who don't exercise and try to eat healthy, but that's not the assumption we should make. We shouldn't be making any assumptions. We aren't those people, with their physical and psychological struggles. It wasn't until I had loving attitudes (towards me), acceptance, and encouragement that I was able to mostly win my psychological struggle. I say mostly because I'm not skinny, though I have lost about 100 lbs from my top weight. Oh, and yes, I said acceptance. When you are big, if you don't love yourself, you often won't be able to lose that weight because you'll turn to food for comfort or feel depressed and discouraged and not exercise or maybe will lose weight but by starvation and vomiting.
Tl;dr version is not available. Read it or don't. I said all of that because I felt it needed to be said.

 

[Inkachu]

There's a big difference between "fat" and "curves". Men like curves, not fat. (And I'm talking in generalizations here, there are definitely exceptions). We're obsessed with being skinny because that's all the media (and many times our friends, family, co-workers, etc) drill into our heads, is the ONLY option for ever being the least bit attractive or acceptable in society. Clothing models - skinny. Makeup models - skinny. Hair models - skinny. Actresses - skinny. Musicians - skinny.

IMO one of THE best and healthiest things a person can ever do, is get away from the media. Turn off the TV, take a break from movies and music videos, stop reading pop culture magazines. Try looking at the actual world around you; where you live, the people you interact with every day, the places in your neighborhood. Much preferable to the "world" the media would have you believe you live in.

 

[Inkachu]

You want to know why people are obsessed with being skinny? Read some of the posts in this thread. Yikes.

Exactly. One guy says "guys don't make girls feel like they have to be skinny" and the next guy says "yeah, I could NEVER be attracted to a chubby girl".

/ridiculousness... unsubscribing

 

[CaliforniaJosiah]

It not that serious. There are more impt things in life than looks . Today ,I was in the store shopping and one girl was complaining about how fat she is ,and she is like a size 2. Nemerous of studies has shown that men perfer women with curves.

Criteria for what is "attractive" is mostly cultural.....


There ARE a few universal things - all related in some way to fertility in women and protection/provision in men - but what we find alluring is largely a matter of culture. It is no less real and powerful.


For our parents (or grandparents), Marilyn Monroe was the "sex-symbol." Today, she'd be considered "plump" if not fat. We're all seen paintings of women obviously presented as "sexy" that are white and FAT. All this is largely cultural. And REAL.


For ME (and don't hate me - I'm just being honest and real), for me as a 23 year old male, athletic and healthy are POWERFULLY associated with "sexy." Nothin' like girls beach volleyball or perhaps girls tennis or gymnastics! Yeah - they probably don't have an ounce of fat on them, but the point is: they are healthy, strong, solid, developed. I PERSONALLY find that amazingly attractive. Of course, that also puts ME in the "small is good" camp regarding female chests (NOT ALL OF US guys are of the Dolly Parton school, lol). Among celebs, think Kate Hudson - I find her very attractive. I'm NOT into the anorexic look - it's not heathy or strong or solid, it's sick. But I don't find Marilyn Monroe particularly amazing either.


BTW, it's NO different among girls. While it's always been true that "strong is good," other things constantly change. For example, 30 years ago, hairy was "in." Guys had beards, hairy chests (with Poka Shells tangled in it, lol). Sexy was eyes somehow sticking out among all the facial hair, and chests that looked like bears. Now, the "clean" look is in (good for me, lol, I couldn't grow a beard if my life depended on it - and I was probably 18 before I even had anything noticable under my arms or on my legs - thank GOD I was born in 1988 and not 1958). Or consider that just a short time ago, guys being very tan meant an athletic, outdoorsmen - guys went to some length to be tan. Today, being pretty white is okay (another good thing for this blonde/blue guy, I CAN tan but it's hard - I usually go from white to toast, lol).


We are all products of our culture more than we tend to realize....



That's MY half cent.


Pax


- Josiah





.

 

[Reborn_in_Christ2003]

Now, the "clean" look is in (good for me, lol, I couldn't grow a beard if my life depended on it - and I was probably 18 before I even had anything noticable under my arms or on my legs - thank GOD I was born in 1988 and not 1958).

.

Oops, no one gave my body the memo on that one. I had more chest hair in HS than just about all the guys in my PE class combined. :o

 

[Human Clay]

If Satan can get us to focus on lies than he is the author of confusion in our life. He is the author of lies and the fact is that many are deceived by his devices. If we would only just seek God with all of heart hearts and love one another than we would be able to put on God's armor.

 

[SplendidTree]

I like when I am skinny because I just feel healthier. I'd be lying if I said I didn't like how I look better at my usual smaller weight, but it's mostly how I feel physically.

 

[PassionFruit]

Glad several people have pointed this out, this thread was asking about the obession with being skinny and it turns into a fat vs skinny debate.

Also why do I get the feeling when people say "I'm just worried about their weight, their lifestyles are so unhealthy" what they're really saying is "you disgust me?" It's probably just me.

I get that America faces an obesity problem. I also get that there needs to be more promotion of eating healthier and having an active lifestyle. (if circumstances allow for it)

Another issue I wanted to address is how being skinny somehow equates with being healthy. This isn't always the case, yeah I'm skinny but I probably not very healthy given my diet and how much exercise I don't do.

In the long run, there needs to be a type of balance, being extremely overweight is unhealthy because of the all the health problems that go along with it. Being extremely thin is unhealthy as well because you may be cutting out essential nutrients in your diet.

 

[Starnchrist]

Here we goooo.... As a Morbidly Obese person...I can say that...I want to be skinny for my health. It's nmot healthy to be as I am, but I'm an addict. I wish there was an Obese Annonomous around, but there isn't so... the strugle is harder. While. Drug addicts, smokers, and Alcoholics have a place of Help there is not one for a person such as myself that recently came to the conclusion that I am addicted to food. It's like a drug for me. So... in some cases. Being obssesd with being skinny can fall into different categories. There are those who are huge like me that for Health reasons need to be skinnier and then there are those that are already skinny, but are obssesed to the point that they become skeletons. Both these categories are not so healthy. The Doctor gives you a BMI and we need to stick to it to be as healthy as possible. I'm way off the charts on mine, but My desire to be skinny is just that. A Desire to be skinny because It's healthier for me.

 

[Nomarga]

If Satan can get us to focus on lies than he is the author of confusion in our life. He is the author of lies and the fact is that many are deceived by his devices. If we would only just seek God with all of heart hearts and love one another than we would be able to put on God's armor.

Who is to blame? We'll surely melt in the rain.

 

[enelya_taralom]

You want to know why people are obsessed with being skinny? Read some of the posts in this thread. Yikes.

Why do already skinny women (like the size 2 woman you mentioned) want to be even thinner? She might have an eating disorder, body dysmorphic disorder (as posted by Miles), or be like a lot of other women.

Why do women, in general, obsess about being skinny? I've been fat. I was very large from age 11 to about 31. You get treated like garbage or as if you were invisible (and asexual) if you are big. Look at this thread and the mocking bigger women are getting. No one wants to be treated like that...be treated like they are disgusting or usually seen as the sister and rarely the girlfriend. And clothing choices are more difficult (expensive and often, unattractive) the bigger you are.

Society (media, unpleasant people, family and friends even) also tells you that your worth is often tied to your size. If you are big, you are mock-worthy and don't you dare try to accept your self and love yourself even if you exercise and try to eat healthy* You must hate yourself because obviously big is not beautiful, it's horrible (disclaimer: not what I believe, but I see and hear). And women who aren't big may be horrified at the very idea of being seen as big because of how society views and treats overweight people. Heck, look at how society treats people's bodies in general. You can't win. Either you are too skinny and should eat a sandwich or you are a big ol' fatty who needs to stop with the sandwiches already. There seems to be no way to please everyone. It's lose-lose in this society that is so very messed up in regards to our bodies.

*I realize there are overweight men and women who don't exercise and try to eat healthy, but that's not the assumption we should make. We shouldn't be making any assumptions. We aren't those people, with their physical and psychological struggles. It wasn't until I had loving attitudes (towards me), acceptance, and encouragement that I was able to mostly win my psychological struggle. I say mostly because I'm not skinny, though I have lost about 100 lbs from my top weight. Oh, and yes, I said acceptance. When you are big, if you don't love yourself, you often won't be able to lose that weight because you'll turn to food for comfort or feel depressed and discouraged and not exercise or maybe will lose weight but by starvation and vomiting.
Tl;dr version is not available. Read it or don't. I said all of that because I felt it needed to be said.

Blind post so sorry if someone has already responded to this, but I just wanted to say that as a skinny person, I can actually relate to this. The problem with the weight thing, I think, is that people assume skinny girls have got it easy. Truth is, I'm 5'6'', 110 pounds, have always been small, am 29 years old, I volunteer at a homeless shelter, am getting a BA and a BSW, work with students with disabilities, go to church, am involved with my school as a peer mentor for first year students, a member of the history society, and secretary for the pro-life club, am involved with my church, love music, movies, going for walks, hiking, camping, sports, animals, and yet I am completly dateless... never had a boyfriend and the last time I was asked out on a date was six years ago....and even at that, it has only happened four times, while this month I was barked at twice.

I get people telling me I'm "too skinny," they ask how my appetite is, and yes, clothes are more expensive for me aswell because they are made for women my height but with more weight (boobs). No one sells 34 double A bras so I have to buy As, which don't fit properly and curl over, usually leaving this ugly bra line in all my shirts, and I have to buy too small tank tops to wear underneath everything because all of my shirts are too loose up there.

I know there is more social stigma against being overweight, but really, when it comes to all the things that society says a smaller frame will get you, I think my life is living proof that it's lies... all of my "overweight" female friends are in relationships and have much easier times with men, popularity, and money then I do.

Either way, women have way too many pressures on them. For the most part, our bodies are what they are.. I love to eat, and exercise, and yet, I look like I have no muscle and would never know what a burger was (speaking of which...) and I am treated accordingly.

 

[Wren]

Blind post so sorry if someone has already responded to this, but I just wanted to say that as a skinny person, I can actually relate to this. The problem with the weight thing, I think, is that people assume skinny girls have got it easy. Truth is, I'm 5'6'', 110 pounds, have always been small, am 29 years old, I volunteer at a homeless shelter, am getting a BA and a BSW, work with students with disabilities, go to church, am involved with my school as a peer mentor for first year students, a member of the history society, and secratary for the pro-life club, am involved with my church, love music, movies, going for walks, hiking, camping, sports, animals, and yet I am competely dateless... never had a boyfriend and the last time I was asked out on a date was six years ago....and even at that, it has only happened four times, while this month I was barked at twice.

I get people telling me I'm "too skinny," they ask how my appetite is, and yes, clothes are more expensive for me aswell because they are made for women my height but with more weight (boobs). No one sells 34 double A bras so I have to buy As, which don't fit properly and curl over, usually leaving this ugly bra line in all my shirts, and I have to buy too small tank tops to wear underneath everything because all of my shirts are too loose up there.

I know there is more social stigma against being overweight, but really, when it comes to all the things that society says a smaller frame will get you, I think my life is living proof that it's lies... all of my "overweight" female friends are in relationships and have much easier times with men, popularity, and money then I do.

Either way, women have way too many pressures on them. Our bodies are what they are.. I love to eat, and exercise, and yet, I look like I have no muscle and would never know what a burger was. (speaking of which...)

I certainly didn't mean to imply that life was easy for skinny women. That's why I said, "Heck, look at how society treats people's bodies in general. You can't win. Either you are too skinny and should eat a sandwich or you are a big ol' fatty who needs to stop with the sandwiches already. There seems to be no way to please everyone. It's lose-lose in this society that is so very messed up in regards to our bodies."

I can only speak from my own perspective and that's of someone who was once quite large and is still not skinny. When I was talking about clothing, I meant that overweight women have the choice of expensive clothing like Lane Bryant type stores or ugly clothing with thin/cheap fabric. The more weight I've lost, the easier it's been to find nicer and more affordable clothing, though it'll never be truly easy since I'm 5 ft tall and designers don't seem to believe that women are that short. And I have gotten a lot more male interest since losing weight. I even get treated differently by pastors, salespeople, my family, and average strangers. I don't get looks of disgust anymore and people are friendlier to me. And I've heard or read similar stories/thoughts/feelings from many other women. I feel like people now treat me as if I deserve respect now and didn't then.

But I agree with you and just want to repeat that I think society hates on women's bodies in general. It's a sad fact of life. That's one of the reasons I'm so vocal on the topic, be it women's aging bodies or size (and I have defended skinny women from ignorant comments about eating a sandwich before, as well as defending overweight women).

 

[Mr. Runningfish]

Some say I'm skinny. I don't agree, but- eh. I did used to be a fat guy though, so I do watch what I eat, watch my activities, etc (because I don't want to be "big" again). As for a future someone in my life, skinny, curvy, big, small. It doesn't matter- as long as they are fairly healthy.