Stop with the Photoshop!
No wonder the fitness industry makes billions of dollars annually when unrealistic images of beauty are thrown in the faces of women everywhere. Many women believe these images are attainable however sadly – this is far from the truth. Nothing about these images is real. These photos are nothing more than twisted interpretations of what beauty is.
The highly distorted image of model Filippa Hamilton
Yes Kim Kardashian has cellulite too!
in a recent Ralph Lauren advertisement – not only depicts an unrealistic image of a woman but also puts “real” women at an awkward position. Some women unaware that the photo was Photoshopped would experience feelings of “feeling fat” or inadequate about their bodies. And why not? If you watch television shows or commercials – you see women with flawless bodies. In reality – no one is perfect – everyone has some kind of flaw and seeing a perfectly thin women in a Ralph Lauren ad – doesn’t help these distorted images of beauty.
And like every woman – I have a love hate relationship with my body. There are days I love it and days I really hate it. Nevertheless, I have come to terms with my flaws as I decided to look at the overall picture. Overall I am average height and weight and I am healthy. That’s all that matters to me. And for me to reach this moment in my life – wasn’t easy. I decided to pursue a healthy lifestyle rather than trying to appear like an unhealthy stick figure. Don’t get me wrong, there are women who are naturally thin and that’s okay. My problem is when society tries to encourage ALL women to appear a certain way. And when a woman falls outside of this projected norm she is categorized as ugly or less than desirable. That’s not fair or realistic. Women come in a variety of shapes. If we all looked and smelled that same – that would be boring! The most important thing is – a woman is healthy, she is eating right and she is at peace with her body.
If you are living an unhealthy lifestyle and you want to change – join a gym and work out a minimum of four times a week. If you are unable to join a gym – do want you can from home. Whether that means doing push ups and/or crunches for 15 minutes or walking outside everyday – it is a start. A good tool for guidance is http://www.fitness.com/. Here you are able to get exercises you can do in the privacy of your home and get tips on eating. A healthy lifestyle is easier to maintain than you think. Small chances will make a lifetime of a difference.
FeelMyFire 
Good post Natasha. Photoshop is a great tool, though it is used to portray an almost superhuman image of a beautiful existence, which doesn’t actually exist. However, this isn’t a new phenomena. The statues carved in Ancient Greece were sculpted into a human form that went beyond possible human posture and musculature, often described as “impossible anatomy”.
However, this shouldn’t deter us from aspiring to a healthy human form, and there are now very good home workout systems to help us achieve that. With the ever increasing obesity problem throughout the U.S., all I can say is “Are you gonna pull those dumbbells or whistle Dixie?”
Good luck folks 🙂