For as long as I can remember, I have struggled with body image. It doesn’t matter if I am wearing a huge winter coat or a bathing suit, I never feel 100% confident in my own skin, but that’s ok because I know I am not the only one who feels this way. According to Park Nicollet Melrose Center about 80% of women in the U.S. do not like how they look. 34% of men are not satisfied with their body. Over half of Americans and unhappy with their current weight. And, 70% of women at a normal weight want to be skinnier.
These stats were somewhat surprising and really put into perspective how many people struggle with their body image. A negative body image can stem from all sorts of things.
We may not realize it, but social media plays a huge role in why people are self-conscious about their body. Seeing popular photos of people with perfect bodies and zero flaws, which puts an expectation on everyone looking at the photo to look like that to get likes, which in people’s minds translates to “being liked.” This expectation is not only ridiculous, but unrealistic because these viral photos are photoshopped nearly 100% of the time. This desperate need to lose weight in order for others to like you more, or even for you to like you more, can lead down a bad path to severe mental health issues as well as eating disorders.
Another thing we have to remember is that we are all built differently. I grew up with a sister who is a year and a half older than me and we look NOTHING alike! At least not to me. I have light hair, freckles, and am almost 5 whole inches taller than her, while she has dark hair, tan/olive skin, and a body I’ve always envied. She is definitely the more “petite” sister out of the two of us and growing up I always viewed myself as the fatter sister, compared to her. I thought this whenever she could wear my shirts, but I could never wear her pants or when people thought I was the older sister because I was “bigger.” Even though we’ve grown up, I still feel like the “fatter” sister sometimes, but whenever I feel that was I try to remind myself that everyone is built differently. No two people are the same and everyone is beautiful the way they are!
I try to remember this in school too because everything from the first pool party of the summer to finding a prom dress that will fit me right makes me insecure about my body. However, I know I am not the only one worried about wearing a bikini or wearing a tight dress to the dance because everyone has parts of themselves they don’t like and wish they could change. And, in the end, it’s not about changing what we don’t like about ourselves to feel better, it’s about learning to love the things we don’t like and taking steps to feel comfortable in our own skin!
I am continuously working on adopting a positive body image and I hope this encourages you to do the same!
