Fitness or Fitting into beauty standards of the society?

 

'TOO FAT, TOO SKINNY, TOO SHORT, TOO TALL, TOO ANYTHING.' THERE'S A SENSE THAT WE'RE ALL "TOO" SOMETHING, AND WE'RE ALL NOT ENOUGH. THIS IS LIFE. OUR BODIES CHANGE. OUR MINDS CHANGE. OUR HEARTS CHANGE. - Emma Stone

Have you ever been subjected to body shaming? This is a prevalent problem that many people experience at work, school, home, and in their communities. I'm not sure what gives people the right to make comments about other people or to express their opinions on their bodies. The reason for writing this blog is that everyone has faced this problem at some point in their lives, and individuals become demotivated as a result. Through my blog, I hope to help them realise their potential and live a good life.

                   

What is the definition of body shaming? This is how I prefer to define it: it's when someone mocks or criticises your body's defects or imperfections. "You're too fat!" "You're too short," "You're too slender," or "You're shapeless,".

What does that even mean? Body shaming is also a type of bullying and racism, and many victims experience mental breakdowns, inferiority complexes, excessive insecurity, and other issues as a result of it.

Many people believe that our weight dictates our beauty, and that simply eating more carbs will cause us to acquire weight and so on. However, this is not the case; weight gain can be caused by a variety of underlying health conditions, including genetic abnormalities and mental health disorders. So, commenting on a person's body, even if you say "you have become so slender and skinny, which makes you appear more beautiful," is not a healthy compliment at all, nor is it a compliment if we say "you have gained some weight and you are looking wonderful." It is our choice to be healthy, but body shaming cannot be justified in any way.

Millions of kids are dealing with body shaming, which can stem from a dysfunctional home or the incorrect peer group. However, if you don't love yourself as you are right now, it will be impossible to love yourself until you achieve your desired weight. Furthermore, there is no such thing as an optimum weight. It's a never-ending circle. The consequences of body shaming are severe, whether you’re chastising yourself or someone else, and can contribute to mental health problems.

Body shaming may be quite harmful. According to studies, body shaming can also lead to eating disorders. 'Fat shaming,' for example, may cause a person to eat more and gain weight. On the other hand, someone who is frequently told they are too thin may begin to eat less as a result of the stress or because they are afraid of gaining weight owing to the scrutiny.

Social media can also sometimes negatively affect body image. TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter etc are the apps and websites that are most frequently visited by today's young adults, teens and children. While these apps have the potential to serve as an outlet for creative, educational and social opportunities, they often instead function as a domain of negativity, bullying and shame with long-lasting impacts on the emotional well-being of its users. Here from these sources, users are typically exposed to thin, fit and "idealized" body types and will often compare themselves to peers and celebrities. One of the common forms of it can be seen as making critical comments about the shape or size of someone else's body. For people of all ages, it can cause individuals to have a negative body image and even eating disorders. 

So to end up this blog I would say that, "Everyone has unpleasant days and times when they wish they could make a change in their lives. Rather than judging yourself, try to accept who you are. Allow other people's statements to speak for themselves; simply walk away and do something that makes you feel good about yourself."

And remember one thing.....

"TO BE BEAUTIFUL MEANS TO BE YOURSELF. YOU DON'T NEED TO BE ACCEPTED BY OTHERS. YOU NEED TO ACCEPT YOURSELF." - Thich Nhat Hanh