A little food for thought...
Studies indicate that more people are diagnosed with eating disorders and a negative body image in western societies where a slender silhouette is promoted as a positive physique to portray.
Although a distorted body image and abnormal dietary habits such as those associated with eating disorders anorexia and bulimia can develop as a result of a multitude of underlying physical and psychological problems, the religious bombardment of clinically underweight models and images of photoshopped perfection that we're religiously subjected to can not only force many to perform unrealistic and unhealthy body comparisons, but set unattainable and unnatural targets for physical change - both contributing factors in the development of eating disorders and a negative body image.
When analysing our physical shape, size, flaws and appearance, it is vital to understand that our reflection in the mirror will be distorted by society's unrealistic perception of perfection should we fail to accept that health and happiness isn't size specific, or based on the media's superficial definition of what we 'should' look like - a definition that never has or will exist.
In fact, accepting that we aren't defined by society but by our own natural shape and size - the shape and size in which we feel most happy, healthy, confident and comfortable - will not only allow us to view our physical appearance with less stress, anxiety, paranoia and pressure, but reduce our risk of resorting to abnormal and unhealthy measures in order to portray a physique we're told that we 'should' all be striving for - the unrealistic physique that society refers to as 'normal.'
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