Weight: Be proud of your shape

Jennifer Wiley-Vallerand · Guest

I have been reading alive magazine for many years. I have enjoyed and appreciated having the alternative viewpoints expressed by your magazine.

I have noticed in recent years a constant struggle with women’s weight issues. For health reasons this is important, but what is also important is women’s self confidence and frame of mind. It is also important that alive aids in battling society’s obsessive desire to be thin.

alive’s ads for weight-loss products are still showing very thin women, better confidence from being thin, and gender comments that women look for weight loss and men for health benefits (page 25, October 2005). I am a 27-year-old woman who is fully active—including running half-marathons. Even with this high amount of activity I am not as thin as the models shown in these ads.

In the weight-loss battle, mental health is just as important as the benefits of weight loss.

Be proud of who you are!
Jennifer Wiley-Vallerand

Cherylcyn · Joined: 10 Sep 2008 Posts: 4

I agree with you; it's just hard in this society of perfection to feel good about yourself when the images you see are of "perfect" people. Everyone needs to remember that what we see in the media is a tiny percent of what the real American population looks like.

JP · Guest

Anyone in this world relying on media for an image of beauty is sunk. Personally, I think Angelina Jolie is ugly, fake and anorexic and she's held in high regard by most men and women I know.

Having said that, you still have a dilemma. One can be "happy" being overweight, but it's still not as healthy as being a "healthy" weight, no matter how you slice it, so you're kind of stuck looking at weight loss product ads with thin people, because ultimately, that is the goal. Yes, you can still be thin and unhealthy.

The real targets should be eating good quality food and exercise. That is the mean, not the end to the means. If you are eating a healthy diet, a real healthy diet, not the Canada Food Guide, and exercising regularly, your weight will take care of itself eventually.

njjones23 · Joined: 10 Feb 2009 Posts: 1

I agree that being healthy is the goal to which we should aspire. But, being a woman in this consumer driven society is not easy, with all the ads on TV, in magazines, posters, billboards and on practically every label imaginable! I have noticed that many ads show the man Mr 30 or 40 year old being quite a bit heavier than the woman in the ads. It really bothers me, it sets on image for the man and a completely different one for the woman! :evil:
Just saying it!
Norma

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