Body image is commonly linked to our self esteem, as such it is a contentious issue that provokes much heated debate amongst men, and more particularly, women, across the globe. When it comes to our bodies, one must consider the question: should anyone apart from ourselves have an opinion on what size we are? Because the issue of body image is also intrinsically linked to our overall health, medical professionals have often weighed in on the issue, urging us to observe a healthy lifestyle in order to avoid ill-health. Nutritionists and personal trainers exist to advise us on how to best work towards adopting a healthier diet and sculpting a leaner body. However, there are also many businesses that thrive on the desire that some men and women have to achieve an unrealistically slim body without adhering to the more sustainable lifestyle techniques such as healthy eating and regular exercise. There are crash diet plans, appetite suppressant pills and meal replacement programs. Procedures such as liposuction and gastric band surgery are more extreme examples of the lengths some people are going to in order to achieve what they perceive to be a more idealistic body.

Of course, one would be remiss in not mentioning the contribution of media to the body image issue. Women's fashion magazines often reinforce the idea that slim equals beautiful, whether purposely or otherwise. To the same affect, celebrities too have been known promote embracing ones own body at any size; such as evidenced in a recent article on Australian Idol winner Casey Donovan who exclaimed she loved her "killer curves". Similarly, Beth Ditto exhibited her comfort as a larger woman when she posed naked on the cover of Love magazine. Extremism on either end of the body image debate is almost certainly detrimental to ones health - so how can a person establish a strong sense of what is best when it comes to their own body, without feeling pressure and inadequacy?

An important consideration to acknowledge is there is no body image norm, nor should there be, we are all built differently.

We were not all built to pull on a size 0 and look like Jennifer Hawkins or Miranda Kerr, nor were we all made with curves to rival the likes of Kate Winslet or Nigella Lawson. But then, this is why the body image debate is so topical - because we have made it an argument based around how we look, often comparatively, not how we feel.


Christina Hendricks, Kate Moennig.
So, while there is no such thing as a "normal" body type, there is an average body size. In Australia, this average size of women is on the rise, with recent studies confirming that Australian women are getting fatter, faster. Earlier this year, there was national controversy about the use of Australian model Jennifer Hawkins on the cover of Marie Claire magazine. Many Australian women objected, claiming that Hawkins was not indicative of a 'real woman' or the average Australian woman. And with the average size currently sitting at around size 14-16, these women are correct, Hawkins is not average. But would a woman who merely ticks the box of being that "average" size, be a more positive body image role model for women? This is where the argument becomes complicated. Should we allow the justification of our size by comparative means, based on the fact that a majority of woman around us look similarly, or should we go further and question the average or perceived "norm" and attempt to discover what is best on an individual level?


Jennifer Hudson, Miranda Kerr.
Justification of our body based on the size of others should be irrelevant, though for many women, it is not. We compare our bodies to that of our friends, classmates, coworkers, celebrities, models and the general public. In order to achieve a healthy attitude towards our bodies, we must move away from this sort of comparison. We must also recognise that our self worth is not derived from the size of our waist. We can achieve a more positive attitude towards our bodies by acknowledging that body image is a health issue, not an aesthetic issue. To this end, we should focus on achieving our own healthy body, rather than attempting to emulate what may be healthy for our best friend, or a celebrity we admire.

So how does one determine their bodies comfortable healthy size? We can start by forgetting about fad diets, regular rapid detox plans, diet pills, surgery or unhealthy workout obsessions - similarly, we should forget about eating takeout four times a week, constantly snacking throughout the day on unhealthy foods or soft drinks or doing little to no exercise in a week. To find what size your body is comfortable plateauing at, one must observe what is widely acknowledged to be a healthy lifestyle - eating predominantly healthy meals at appropriate portion sizes and exercising at least 3 to 4 times a week, doing both cardio and resistance training.

Photos by Leanne Surfleet and natawiedee.

When you know how your body looks and feels when healthy, this is the norm to which you should compare your body going forward. If eating a healthy diet and regular exercise does not get your body to the point at which you believe is optimal for your health, you should consult a nutritionist to ensure your diet contains all the vital ingredients that are necessary to obtain best health, and a personal trainer who can tailor a custom work-out plan. You can additionally consult a General Practitioner who can help uncover any underlying health issues that may be blocking your progress.

In the end, you may find that your comfortable healthy weight is a size 16, or maybe it's a size 8. By being aware of what weight or size your body is most comfortable at when observing a healthy lifestyle, you are able to move away from rationalising or hiding behind slim pride, fat acceptance or national average solidarity.


This is a loaded topic, please be constructive in sharing your thoughts. How do you feel about the body image debate? Are you happy with your body? If you're not, what would make you happy?