Why do we are so critical toward our bodies?

[willinglywet 242]

That is the question what pop up in my mind now and then, as i have being told here i have lost a lot of weight about 8-10 years ago and nowadays my weight is around 90 kg with a scale couple of less or more time to time. I am about 187 cm in height and i am considering myself quite pleased with my figure right now, but still there is a days i watch myself in the mirror and can only seeing my bad sides. When i go and scale myself and if i noticed i have gained couple of kilos specially after holiday season and i know that i lose them easily when come back to my normal life and normal diet.

Still it can make me feel guilty about enjoying good food and drink, why to hell we are thinking so easily that we must be lighter or thinner and then we can be happy? Luckily i have almost got rid off that kind of thoughts by prosessing the whole thing in my mind, but why it sometimes feels that those couple kilos are the whole life even if nobody else cant notice them but us?

Huh, had to said that aloud since the evening posts are screaming headliners like: "10 easy way to lose holiday kilos and get in better shape in 3 weeks or so". Simply this world tends to circuing around and it feels like the guilty is the feeling everyone should feel adding to this coronavirus, it is no miracle there is so much mental healt issues around the world specially in these times.

Okay, it is said. Now we can head up to the more positive way.🤣

Edited January 3, 2022 by willinglywet

[gldenwetgoose 21,487]

Firstly @willinglywet I want to give you a big high five on overcoming that negativity. You're absolutely right - why should you not enjoy eating and drinking.  So what if it adds a couple of pounds (and I'm talking as you were about a small gain with no ill-effects on health).

Sadly though the world of advertising and marketing seems to dwell on manipulating insecurity, or actually creating insecurity where it didn't already exist.  Frankly it's something I hate, whether it be the over-perfect images used in advertising, the implied expectations or the false worlds portrayed to the easily influenced.  Not just advertising of course but the false worlds shown in TV, video and social media. The oh-so-perfect lives of the influencers and the 'must have' consumerism.

If you were to start life-skill coaching to share your secrets to self fulfilment and happiness, now those would be sessions worthy of marketing. 

[Kupar 13,339]

It's a tough one, @willinglywet. But I think there are movements that are perhaps gathering pace that try and counter the stereotypical 'beautiful body' concept, and promote acceptance of what we look like. The generic "Body Positivity" movement https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_positivity is one; the specific Body Freedom International movement https://bodyfreedominternational.com/ is another (though the latter is pretty much focused on using nudity as a way to accept bodies for what they are: diverse and beautiful. (And at this point I should explain that as a part-time, fair weather naturist, I both sympathize with BFI's ideals, and can also vouch for the fact that naturists are very non-judgmental about bodies (as any visit to a place where there are large numbers of naturists will prove).

And of course while body hangups are perceived to be more of an issue for those who identify as women than for those who identify as men, this simplifies the much broader issue.

I hope and expect you're on the road to loving your body just how it is 🙂  

[willinglywet 242]

I agree completely, if you think the world in a perspective of a young female it can be harsh. I think it is much much easier to us mens accept to our bodys and i think it is more socially acceptable to be a little out of shape, but there is so much pressure towards young females what should they look like.

Actually that was the reason why i did this post in a first place, as i have heard it from so very different womens mouth. Basically they speak often how they should atleast lose a little bit of weight or they think their but is too big, legs too thick and so on. All of them are beautifull and dont do a thing to their body, they are just perfect as they are. I believe it is most common for the young ladies and a little bit less for more mature ladies but they arent immune that either.

Well i think that the world has always been like this but nowadays social media has take that to whole another level, sometimes it feels like the world is completely crazy.

[glad1 2,832]

I guess I have a little different take on this than most. While conceding that some appearances are more attractive to me than others, I think what is far more important is one's health and how well the body functions.

Perhaps one can heed the mantra of architects and designers, "form follows function." I find that when I can do something well, I feel and usually look better.

I put much of the blame for our poor self-image on society, with its unrelenting advertising and marketing messages. They're always trying to sell something - a product, a pill, a course or perhaps some costly therapy - that will solve your problem, often one you didn't even know you had.

What good is dieting if you don't have the strength to go about your daily routine, much less any added stress that comes your way? On the other hand, you can eat and drink so much that simple movement requires uncomfortable effort and quickly wears you out.  It seems a middle way is so much better, that while I'm mindful of what I consume, my attention to it doesn't consume me.

None of us are perfect and we'll always have someone who will say we're too this or too that. But we'll do fine if we can turn off the critic's voice for a few moments, just long enough to be happy with ourselves.

[AWN_84 1,443]

I kinda have to, excess fat agravate my condition

[Guest ShyPeeMan]

We know we shouldn't worry about body image and we are what we are, but once the idea that you're not the right size or shape has taken hold of you, it's very hard to get over that. Kudos to those that have and I hope those that are still struggling will learn to love themselves for how they look. I know that's easier said than done.

[likesToLick 10,216]

On 1/5/2022 at 4:04 AM, glad1 said:

I guess I have a little different take on this than most. While conceding that some appearances are more attractive to me than others, I think what is far more important is one's health and how well the body functions.

Health is the biggest reason to avoid getting fat.   My weight went up beyond 350 pounds,  and it has left me in a world of pain.   Physical pain,  not emotional,  from strained joints and skin problems.

On my way back to a sensible size now,  but it would have been much better not to get fat in the first place.

Edited February 15, 2022 by likesToLick
typo