The Perfect Body! What is it exactly? If it’s up to the media, glossy magazines and TV coverage we would all be size zeros with cherries as boobs and a small cheeky firm bum. But is it reality?

Of course not, no matter what they try and get us to believe, the average lady is in fact a size 14! Also a recent survey showed men two images; one of a “perfect” body compared to a curvy voluptuous size and 87% picked the second. So what is this fascination with weight? And how far will we push ourselves to lose those kilos and be happy? Will we ever be satisfied?

I speak from experience when I say I am probably one of the many who has struggled with weight from a very early age. It starts with “oooh don’t worry it’s just puppy fat, you’ll grow out of it” and then the taunts at school “look at the size of your bum” “here comes hoxna”. From even a young age it is drummed into us that we need to be this certain image but unfortunately for some it’s just not in our genetics, but instead of enjoying what was given to us and enhancing it, we do our extreme best to change it.

But where do we start? Faddy diets come out constantly, we all jump on the bandwagon and do them until the media find the complications and we stop. But hey, all those pounds we lost come rolling back on threefold. So let’s try starving ourselves and only eat cereal bars for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Or how about milkshakes, or let’s eat cabbage soup for three weeks, surely the weight will drop off then. Of course it will but, then the bad breath kicks in, spots start to come out from every pore, our nails become brittle, hair loses its lustre and energy ? What’s energy? That flew out the window two days into the diet.

So the diets stop working, what more can we do for a quick fix? How about the new fantastic pills that act like magnets and take away all the fat that we eat and lets us chomp our way through a packet of biscuits without feeling guilty. Surely they do what they say they do...have any of you actually tried these? What isn’t stated is how the fat is got rid of, and how disgusting it can actually be. Imagine one minute you are standing there chatting away in a public place, and the next you pass wind (without wanting to of course) and stinky yellow oil passes thru to your trousers. Not an attractive sight and slightly embarrassing wouldn’t you say?

So what more can we do? We have tried diets, pills and potions yet we are still not happy with the amount of weight we are carrying. Let’s try the gym and get ourselves a personal trainer. Now bear in mind we have never entered a gym in our lives before, so this is like something out of a horror movie for us.

So to look the part off we go and get the latest trainers that support every part of our feet possible, the newest breathable and most fashionable attire we can afford, the best deodorant, and of course the new gym bag (designer of course). We make it there and walk inside only to be greeted by a young size zero bubbly version of Barbie who looks at us with a certain glint in her eye. “Welcome, this is Juan who will be looking after you today”, and yes you have guessed it, Juan just happens to be Adonis, ripped gorgeous, pearly whites, the whole package.  Now we just want to turn back around and keep walking but we smile sweetly and prepare for the onslaught. Now Juan starts to warm us up with a few stretches and we get to thinking mmm this could be ok, until the skipping rope emerges. “Right two minutes skipping, two minutes lunging, two minutes  bunny hops and then repeat five times”…WHAT ??? Doesn’t he know I haven’t skipped for the last thirty years?  But we keep at it and the hour drags by as if it’s a whole week! But we feel like we have achieved something and go off skipping with joy to the showers. But when we look in the mirror it’s not us looking back, it’s a human tomato with greasy wet hair. This is why we don’t do gyms. Not only that, but for three weeks after we can’t walk as our knees have seized and we have to stand stooped over until the bones start to knit back in our spines.

So in reality what can we do? As my mother always used to tell me, everything in proportion, if you want that slice of cake or chocolate bar then have it, but just have the one not five. Also remember quick fads don’t work, you need a change of life, respect yourself for what you are, and respect food. You control the food it doesn’t control you! Enhance your best features and get advice on dressing and styling. You ARE amazing how you are and it doesn’t matter if everyone doesn’t feel the same. Life would be so boring if we all looked and acted the same. Do not let media tell us how we should feel and look, remember we are all unique so get up and celebrate you for you...