The Wrong Reasons For Engaging In Weight Loss
Lots of folk these days set out to shed excess body fat not because of health reasons, but more because of psychological factors. And this seems to be overwhelmingly applicable more to women than men. Following below are some indications why so many people engage in weight loss other than for health-related reasons.
To many it's about looking as physically appealing as possible. This is not surprising in a society that equates being fat with being ugly, stupid, and a host of negative attributes. Then there's also the discrimination against individuals with a larger-than-average body size. So the motives to trim down is about social and emotional survival.
The outright fat-phobia and prejudice against plus-size bodied individuals lead to many harboring dissatisfied feelings about the body and by implication the self. Evidence shows that obese women are prone to severe mental breakdowns as a result of high levels of stress and anxiety related to self-image. In cultures where a woman's beauty is equated with having a larger body such anxieties are unheard of.
There are far more women than men trying to slim down. But this ought not to surprise anyone as men are not on the receiving end of widespread social pressure to look consistently thin and attractive like women. Hence, too many females end up feeling unhappy for not conforming to the normalized ideal of feminine beauty.
The pressure to look thin creates false and distorted self-perceptions among many folk. The available evidence demonstrates that about 80% of women feel unhappy when looking in the mirror, while a similar percentage tends to over-estimate the body size. This dissatisfaction is so widespread that even people with no weight troubles see fat and ugliness where these don't actually exist.
Aside from internalized beliefs about ideal beauty, the social censure overweight individuals often experience is often a powerful motivator for slimming down. Yet, no one seems to stop and ponder whether such abstract ideals are actually achievable. The fact is that extremely few women today would even come close to resembling the image of the beaming, near anorexic-looking girl on the billboard posters.
Weight loss is in many cases justified where it's a real threat to somebody's health and wellness. However, far too many individuals engage in it for social and emotional reasons. The consequences can be psychologically devastating. Therefore, it's wise to do some introspection and determine the real motives behind one's intention to become slim. It could help prevent the occurrence of future emotional upheavals and other physical complications.
To many it's about looking as physically appealing as possible. This is not surprising in a society that equates being fat with being ugly, stupid, and a host of negative attributes. Then there's also the discrimination against individuals with a larger-than-average body size. So the motives to trim down is about social and emotional survival.
The outright fat-phobia and prejudice against plus-size bodied individuals lead to many harboring dissatisfied feelings about the body and by implication the self. Evidence shows that obese women are prone to severe mental breakdowns as a result of high levels of stress and anxiety related to self-image. In cultures where a woman's beauty is equated with having a larger body such anxieties are unheard of.
There are far more women than men trying to slim down. But this ought not to surprise anyone as men are not on the receiving end of widespread social pressure to look consistently thin and attractive like women. Hence, too many females end up feeling unhappy for not conforming to the normalized ideal of feminine beauty.
The pressure to look thin creates false and distorted self-perceptions among many folk. The available evidence demonstrates that about 80% of women feel unhappy when looking in the mirror, while a similar percentage tends to over-estimate the body size. This dissatisfaction is so widespread that even people with no weight troubles see fat and ugliness where these don't actually exist.
Aside from internalized beliefs about ideal beauty, the social censure overweight individuals often experience is often a powerful motivator for slimming down. Yet, no one seems to stop and ponder whether such abstract ideals are actually achievable. The fact is that extremely few women today would even come close to resembling the image of the beaming, near anorexic-looking girl on the billboard posters.
Weight loss is in many cases justified where it's a real threat to somebody's health and wellness. However, far too many individuals engage in it for social and emotional reasons. The consequences can be psychologically devastating. Therefore, it's wise to do some introspection and determine the real motives behind one's intention to become slim. It could help prevent the occurrence of future emotional upheavals and other physical complications.
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