Tall, slim, long hair and perfect skin, is the “ideal” image of a good looking woman to the majority of society. However, not every woman can achieve this. Some of you lovely ladies have bodacious curves and ample assets. So why is society so stuck on a standard look for women? Most of the women featured in the media or on display in magazines and ads are the standard model types. As many of you already know, the widely accepted description of a model is narrow and only applies to a specific group of people. According to the blog MomGrind, “the average American woman is 5’4” and weighs 140 pounds. The average American model is 5’11” and weighs 117 pounds”.

I hate to burst the bubble of those individuals who might be waiting to to transform into this majestic creature, because in actuality, it’s actually somewhat of a rarity. Not only that, the ideal size of a woman (a size six) has become even smaller, to about 20 percent below the average weight. Sigh. Unfortunately I have to pop another bubble, and this one might sting your eyes a little once the residue hits.

Now I know this may sound a little harsh ladies, but no matter how much you diet, exercise and suck fat out, all of you are not meant to be that ideal model type size. But guess what, that’s okay. You’re already amazingly awesome in the size you’re in because that’s the size you’re meant to be. Don’t get me wrong, too much of anything isn’t good for you and that applies to gaining or losing too much weight. Exercise and a healthy diet allow for longevity and better quality of life. I would encourage anyone to do it for those reasons alone.

As women, body image is a prominent issue for all of us. We compare and criticize each other because none of us are completely satisfied with our reflections. But know this, we may not be able to change our own appearances to the exact desired look but we can attempt to force society to re-define and accept what “real” everyday women look like.

-C. Michelle

Picture source: http://www.examiner.com/slideshow/female-body-types