Trends Are For Twitter, Not My Tummy

Okay ladies, let’s talk about body image. There’s clearly an ideal body type. I cannot honestly sit here and preach the “all body types are loved and accepted” bull crap. You and I both know that’s not true. Clothing brands everywhere use different sizing and measuring to cater their designs toward the ideal body type. Most advertisements consist of skinny pretty girls with smooth skin and white teeth. Be honest, when was the last time you saw a main character in a movie or show with fat rolls or stretch marks? The world ignores the concept of diversity, and our bodies are no exception. But that doesn’t mean that we can speak to ourselves in the same way the rest of the world does. Here is my take on body type trends:

Women everywhere are pushed and pressured toward this ideal body type, and it’s causing girls to be obsessive, sick, and sad. 

Now the definition of this “ideal body” varies— according to what?—I’m not sure. Perhaps it’s the male preference? (Which is a whole separate ordeal) Perhaps its celebrities or fashion trends? Regardless, we, as women need to understand that keeping up with this ideal body type is a lose-lose competition against yourself. You will never be happy if you’re exhausted and starved. And if you’re rested and fed, you’ll never feel caught up with the trends around you. 

No trend is finite, but your body shape and proportions probably are…

Plump women were idolized in the Renaissance as symbols of health and fertility. In 2008, Collar bones and thigh gaps were trendy. Today, it’s all about the curves and the snatched waist. The trends are always changing and it’s unprecedented to believe your body should be changing with them. The truth is, we all look just a little bit different, and doing sit-ups until your spine is bruised will not change your genetic makeup. 

So yes, eat clean and get your exercise like God intended, but you don’t have to torture your body and twist your mind into believing you should be anyone but yourself. 

We are given two homes, our Earth and our bodies, speak to them gently, and treat them with care.