As women we are constantly obsessed with numbers on the scale, the clothes on our backs and it's unhealthy. We can now breathe a sigh of relief as it appears that whatever size we are doesn't matter. Blogger Foz Meadows pointed out in an eye-opening piece that society's perception of weight is distorted because everyone is different.
She states that BMI (body mass index) is an unreliable form of measurement because it doesn't take into account stature or body frame. Hmm, she could be onto something…
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If you think about it, Meadows' theory is right! She points out that BMI should be disregarded because taller people will always have a higher number due to their height and shoter people will always have a lower digit. The other issue is that it isn't gender specific and the same guidelines apply to women and men which is unreliable. As women we have more fat than men and it isn't taken into consideration under the BMI.
Not to mention other factors that plant the idea that "skinny" and "smaller" is the way we should look. Clothing also tricks people into thinking they are overweight when it isn't true. A photo depicting women of the same weight (154 pounds), but different heights, and body frames is a good example of why BMI is irrelevant.
That doesn't take into account that clothing brands all fit differently. Therefore it is important to understand and break these barriers instead of beating ourselves up. A size 10 can be just as healthy, if not healthier, than a size four. Society's obsession with fat isn't helpful either and their negative perception that all fat is bad, and as women we shouldn't have any visible. In sum, Meadows intention is to remind us that we need to stop associating thinness and BMI with health because it's unrealistic.
I completely agree with this writer because I always felt the BMI chart was flawed. It doesn't take into account a woman's height, shape, or internal health. We need to stop trying to adhere to these expectations the media poses on us and look at the big picture. The majority of women do not look like runway models and to compare ourselves to them is unhealthy and unrealistic. The best thing we can do is take care of ourselves without constantly picking at our flaws and focus on the positive.
Image via fozmeadows.wordpress.com
