In The Public Eye

I know this is really, really off topic, but it was one of those rare mornings where I just kind of sat around the house, watching TV and I noticed something kind of disturbing. Every commercial brake, on almost every channel I put on, has atleast two weight loss commercials. Now, loosing weight is healthy if you do it the right way, proper diet, healthy exercise, and if you actually need to in the beggining. What's nuts, is that these people on these advertisements, go from being a size three to a size 0, or a size seven to a size to a size three. All I can think about is what kind of self immage is this sending to young women and young men about their bodies. I mean, if I was a size seven, you bet your butt I'd be happy. I grew up with an eating disorder, and watching those commercials makes me feel like crap sometimes, I mean, if beautiful, healthy people feel the need to loose a dramatic amount of weight, how is everyone else supposed to feel about themselves? I've struggled for a long time with self immage and it's really sad to think that the public still, and I feel always will, put so much emphasis on size. I'm a size 16, I'm very active, I ride horses, I'm walking all day, I use my bike to exercise my halter horse, I'm generally fit, plain and simple. I just can't believe that skin and bones, ribs showing, hips protruding is something Hollywood and "the public eye" finds attractive. We would never want to show a horse with ribs sticking out or their hips visible. It's so funny, the standards we place on different species. If we wouldn't starve our horses, why would we starve ourselves? I mean, we want our mares, broodmares to be a little on the plump side, because they take better in breeding season. What I wouldn't give to live in a time when immages took second to hunting skills and personality lol.

All I can say is AMEN. Im no toothpick, but Im fit enough to run a mile everyday. I think that a size 16 is a good size. Im a 20 , I cant believe I just told that!

I saw on a news report here in Dallas, that the ultra skinny look is "in" for the guys now. They said that alot of those guys were striving for the starving look. They think its cool to be able to wear skinny jeans and xxxxsmall t shirts.

I dont know about the rest of yall but I like to see my guy even when he turns sideways! Im nit big on protruding bones.

Good post Silver!

Well, I am an old fat lady and do not give a hoot what people think. And you are right about the pressure of many women and men to thin down. Too bad that some feel they need to be thin to be accepted.. I find most people I meet like me the way I am. I went through all that when I was younger.. I will not do it again. All it got me was worthless guys who used me. It is like me this way or not at all... To darn much pressure... I have enough going on in my life to worry about my figure...

Yes, I could spend more time on my personal looks like hair and makeup. It is not something I need to make me happy.. I know many people do and if that is what makes them feel good that is what they should do..
I do wear a uniform to work. When I am home it is braless, T shirt and flannel sting pants... LOL. OK, well I do put on a bra and jeans when company comes or I go to town. Otherwise at home I am as comfortable as I can get..

What is important is what comes from the inside.. That's my story and I am sticking to it...

here,here i to suffered an eating disorder when younger and in many ways i still do.What dosent help is since breaking the back ive put on the weight cause i cant get the exercise i used to what with riding etc.I dont eat much( 1 meal a day).I cant stand people eating near me unless im eating with them,bad i know but i just cant help it.

What dosent help is the fact the media etc make you feel fat and unattractive,when in theory were not.Im a size 10-11 over there in jeans a size 12-14 here.But deep down i`d like to be thin and feel attractive again and wear clothes that the shops do actualy stock as opposed to the uk size 8-10.

Well, I can tell ya, after birthing two babies, I'll never get back in those 27 Wranglers. At some point, though, did get down to a size 5, but those were only bar pants, and uh, I'd better not eat before I went, much less sit down. HA!

I have my winter weight and my summer weight, the summer weight is a lot less just because I'm rubbing and working horses. As soon as I quit working the horses, here comes the weight.

I'm with Bluejay, I don't wear all that make-up anymore, in fact, most of the times when I show, Rick has to remind me to put on some mascara.

Funny though, years ago, 4-inch heels, hose, tight skirts, make-up and jewelry to the hilt. No way can I wear those heels anymore, think my feet spread from wearing boots and tennis shoes all the time.

Like Bluejay, I could give a rat's patooty what anyone else thinks of me. Sure, it'd be nice to be thinner, but I've got better things to do than sit there and look at myself in the mirror...

SilverBuckles

As long as you/anyone are happy with yourself/themself I don't care if you weigh 115 or 315 pounds. Some of the unhappiest/bitter people in this world are the thin/rich/beautiful people.

Actually there are alot more unhappy and bitter people period regardless of size. The only size that matters to me personally is the size of the heart and soul of a person. You live long enough you begin to realize that it is the person on the inside that matters when all is said and done.

Right On Tara




I don't care even if i do look like a moose

Well you know what? If you base your own self worth on what others view you as IE looks/weight/beauty/etc then your just setting yourself up to fail.

Your value as a human being has nothing to do with what color your hair is how much you weigh or what size clothes you wear.

No one will ever be attractive to everyone so why hang so much value on it? As long as I am happy with myself then the rest of the world can take a hike because tomorrow the sun will always rise and set and my kids/horses/husband will still think I am a pretty darn nice woman even on my witchy days.

Totally agree with Tara, The sad part is some of us have health issues that make it almost impossible to lose weight. But No one seems to want to take that little fact into consideration. I do more work in the barn and with horses, where the normal person (not horse poeple) , couldn't keep up with me, Does that matter no. My husband loves me and thinks I hung the moon, (Boy do I have him fooled) My children love me. Guess Im doing something right.

It's funny- if you base your image on the height/weight charts, I'd probably be considered very obese. I am 5'9" and wear a size 16-18. Yeah, I should lose 30 pounds, I fully believe that, and maybe would be healthier. According to some of the charts, I would probably need to lose a lot more than that. I think of myself at the socalled ideal weight and I think I would be skin and bones. But the healthy part to me would come with the more exercise that I know I need, not necessarily what the scale says.

My daughter's in Health class in HS right now and they're discussing this very thing right now. Well according to height/weight charts, she is considered anorexic- no joke. Which is pretty ironic the way that kid can eat.

According to what I should weigh for my height and bone structure I am below what is supposed to be considered *right*

It says that I could put on 30 pounds and still be within the proper weight??? I can't imagine 30 pounds on me being *ok* because it sure wouldn't be for me.

I think whatever you feel good at is the *right* weight.

Glad I'm not the only one that thinks the media has gone a tad to far with all of this. I've struggled for a long time to be happy with how I look, and who I am. I can only immagine how hard it is for some people who have to accomplished this to sit down for a movie and get their weight / eating problem thrown in their face. Deep down, yea, I know I could loose some weight, but right now, I'm happy, healthy, and very active. I've had quite a few modeling jobs when I was into that stuff, and let me tell you, those women setting at home for that movie would much rather see "real" women, not the hips protruding, ribs sticking out thin ones. And as for the guys, I've noticed it too, and a lot of it has to do with what's going on in the music world right now. Punk music is really popular, and those boys, well, let's just say I couldn't fit an ankle in those jeans. All I can say about that is eww, it's just as bad as the women. I'm glad I know so many self loving women (atleast on most days lol.).

I've heard that also, that now the new worry is for boys. They have all those shirtless ads around too. That's got to be just as hard for boys in a way.

And as far as what the guys like- every man I know would much rather a woman have some curves, not the hipbone and spines sticking out.