corey.the.star
New member
Well, I'm still relatively new here, but I noticed that more women than men are posting on this site. I know what the media says about women and their self-image, but I wanted to know what everyone here thinks:
1) Why do you think women are more likely to have body-image dysmorphia than men? (where they don't see realistic images of themselves when they look in the mirror - see themselves as fatter than they are).
2) Why do you think women reach out for support more than men do in their weight loss?
3) Why does it seem like more women than men are pursuing healthier lifestyles and the benefit of weight loss?
4) What sort of challenges do you think women face that are different than those of men in their weight loss journeys?
5) Do you think that the BMI is more accurate for men or for women?
For my part, I think that, despite all of the fighting we've done for equality, there is still a major imbalance between men and women when it comes to bodies. I believe, as evidenced by the ease with which men can buy big clothes and the difficulties I've had as a woman to do the same, that our society places less emphasis on men being in shape and fit than women. If asked why, I would have to say it has something to do with the barrage of images of sexy, beautiful, glittery and shiny women on TV, posing and dancing and writhing their way into our subconscious until the belief is that there is no other way to be. We compare ourselves to these women in magazines, who in real life would have suffocated because of their lack of pores, because these are what we see more than anything else, and these are the women our men drool over. I've yet to meet a guy with pinups of fat chicks all over his garage or bedroom!
I have no idea, personally, what my body looks like in comparison to other people. I don't know who I am bigger than and who I am smaller than. I'm forever asking, "Am I as big as that person?" Perhaps it is this poor sense of physical self, combined with the hot women featured everywhere, that lead to having a dysmorphic body image.
As far as support, I think that we, as women, have a need to know that we are normal. And we're not afraid to ask. Perhaps that differs from men?
I don't really know what direction I'm going with this post, except that to me, it feels like there is more emphasis for women to get in shape and become fit than there is for men. Could this have something to do with bearing children? Is it because we the "fairer sex" and should be nice to look at?
Are we doing this for ourselves, truly, or are we doing it for the rest of the world? I like to believe that I am doing this for me... I have support and encouragement from many people, but ultimately, I'm the one who'll reap the health benefits, and the other benefits too (eg men lining up at my door until the queue reaches well around the block...
)
But I have to be honest - I genuinely feel unattractive as a fat person. Is it because I have poor self-esteem? Or is it because this is what I've been trained to believe men want?
As for BMI - I don't know how much faith I put in it. Right now, I have a BMI of 39.5, which means I'm 'morbidly obese'. Yet I consider myself to be merely overweight. (I have pictures at - you be the judge!) I have set a goal to lose 69lbs - which I'm not even sure I HAVE to lose (I told my dad lastnight that's what I wanted to lose and he was so surprised) - so if I reach that goal weight I'll be 170lbs - giving me a BMI of 29.2 - which is still considered overweight.
Anyway, maybe a random and scattered post, but I'm still interested in what people think!
1) Why do you think women are more likely to have body-image dysmorphia than men? (where they don't see realistic images of themselves when they look in the mirror - see themselves as fatter than they are).
2) Why do you think women reach out for support more than men do in their weight loss?
3) Why does it seem like more women than men are pursuing healthier lifestyles and the benefit of weight loss?
4) What sort of challenges do you think women face that are different than those of men in their weight loss journeys?
5) Do you think that the BMI is more accurate for men or for women?
For my part, I think that, despite all of the fighting we've done for equality, there is still a major imbalance between men and women when it comes to bodies. I believe, as evidenced by the ease with which men can buy big clothes and the difficulties I've had as a woman to do the same, that our society places less emphasis on men being in shape and fit than women. If asked why, I would have to say it has something to do with the barrage of images of sexy, beautiful, glittery and shiny women on TV, posing and dancing and writhing their way into our subconscious until the belief is that there is no other way to be. We compare ourselves to these women in magazines, who in real life would have suffocated because of their lack of pores, because these are what we see more than anything else, and these are the women our men drool over. I've yet to meet a guy with pinups of fat chicks all over his garage or bedroom!
I have no idea, personally, what my body looks like in comparison to other people. I don't know who I am bigger than and who I am smaller than. I'm forever asking, "Am I as big as that person?" Perhaps it is this poor sense of physical self, combined with the hot women featured everywhere, that lead to having a dysmorphic body image.
As far as support, I think that we, as women, have a need to know that we are normal. And we're not afraid to ask. Perhaps that differs from men?
I don't really know what direction I'm going with this post, except that to me, it feels like there is more emphasis for women to get in shape and become fit than there is for men. Could this have something to do with bearing children? Is it because we the "fairer sex" and should be nice to look at?
Are we doing this for ourselves, truly, or are we doing it for the rest of the world? I like to believe that I am doing this for me... I have support and encouragement from many people, but ultimately, I'm the one who'll reap the health benefits, and the other benefits too (eg men lining up at my door until the queue reaches well around the block...
)But I have to be honest - I genuinely feel unattractive as a fat person. Is it because I have poor self-esteem? Or is it because this is what I've been trained to believe men want?
As for BMI - I don't know how much faith I put in it. Right now, I have a BMI of 39.5, which means I'm 'morbidly obese'. Yet I consider myself to be merely overweight. (I have pictures at - you be the judge!) I have set a goal to lose 69lbs - which I'm not even sure I HAVE to lose (I told my dad lastnight that's what I wanted to lose and he was so surprised) - so if I reach that goal weight I'll be 170lbs - giving me a BMI of 29.2 - which is still considered overweight.
Anyway, maybe a random and scattered post, but I'm still interested in what people think!
