Hi, I am new member.............the body image is so fascinating to me, Honest, I'm jelous to see a beautiful perfect body at the covers at the srticles or advertising.............

I have tried many diet pills, eDiets, so far I haven't reached my goal yet, I want to lose 10 more pounds and want to toned my body, I've been working so hard to reach my goal, try to have a healthy living and have a good work out.
For me, to have 34/24/34 is my goal and I will work hard to reach it.

Don't mention I'm struggling with my "binge" habit. But I'm sure that I will be there and it is not posible...........

Yatravn, can you share with me how do you reach your goal? What is your motivation/motivator, how did you get over all of the "temptation"? Thank you..........

Keep it up guys................
:cheer:

You sound like your'e doing awesome already! As long as you stay healthy, I can see nothing wrong with wanting to look like the modles we all see on, well, everything!:)
But, sometimes, unless, we get airbrushed too, we will never achieve that goal! :D
Keep it up and stay healthy!
~LaLa~ Jan.14:208

Amarylis,

What are your measurements currently?

I'd love to have a 34-23-34 body. I'm working toward it. I "overcome my temptations" by giving into them sometimes. I drink water even when I'm not thirsty and eat a rice cake or some crackers with it.

My motivation:coach: is looking what I perceive to be good. I have pictures of models in a little exercise folder I keep. I also keep the Victoria's Secret catalogs, and imagine myself wearing the string bikini for $100. This is off the topic, but I find it really fascinating that, especially in higher end bikinis, the string and Rio thongs cost like $70-$120, but they use no more fabric than to handkerchiefs.

You are paying for a name brand, because Bikini's in Wal-mart cost less then $25.

I am not interested in looking like a model or super star. Why you ask? Well I am black and rarely do I see a person like me being showed positive in the media.

You may qoute Halle Berry, but most people just call her a pretty face with little talent.

ughh, I am already below that in the bust, there at the waist, but my hips and bottom remain well above 34'', and I can't seem to slim them down. I don't think I will ever have that kind of perfectly balanced body. :(

<<You are paying for a name brand, because Bikini's in Wal-mart cost less then $25.>>

But, at WalMart do the one pieces cost more or less than the bikini?

<<I am not interested in looking like a model or super star. Why you ask? Well I am black and rarely do I see a person like me being showed positive in the media.>>

I am also black ("high yellow" as my Grandma and parents call me), but I would like to be a model or, more so, a super star. Just because you don't see a person like you showed positive in the media doesn't mean you can't be in life.

<<You may qoute Halle Berry, but most people just call her a pretty face with little talent.>>

There are a lot of people with "pretty" faces and little talent. And there are even more people without "pretty" faces and with much talent. Halle Berry is mixed by the way.

ModelBabz,

1) I personally hate the term high yellow. I feel it just divides black people even more.

2) I know Halle Berry is mixed

3) Sometimes the 1 pieces cost more than 2 pieces at Wal-mart but not often.

4) Good luck with the modeling thing. I one day want to be come a talk show host. Yet, my angle will not be my looks. I am going to write a book and become a motivational speaker. That will be my launching pad.

5) I totally agree with you on your talent qoute.

What does high yellow mean? Sorry, I am naive.

<<I am not interested in looking like a model or super star. Why you ask? Well I am black and rarely do I see a person like me being showed positive in the media>>

What about Tyra Banks and Naomi Campbell? Or Lauryn Hill, who is just freaking beautiful, and BRILLIANT?

I can't even fathom having a waist in the 20's. That would be crazy. One day though, it will happen.

Does anyone just ever not feel like a girl sometimes? Like, you look at these people in the swimsuits..and then you look at yourself..and it's like.."I don't even look human compared to these people." ...or it could just be me..

High Yellow means that I'm light-skinned, with yellow or golden undertones. My skin tone is not traditionally "black," like the rest of my family. My Grandma is 1/4 Indian so that could have something to do with it. Some people think I look Spanish. How they thank that I have NO idea.
<<What about Tyra and Naomi and Lauren?>> The examples are few and far between.
I am reading The Beauty Myth, and in it she talks about how many fashion models consider a trip to a plastic surgeon a job requirement and how American women are trying to compete with not even fully human women due to that fat that they have injected collagen and silicone and whatever other foreign object they can into themselves. She called them "hybrid nonwoman". So, when I look at them I don't feel not human. I feel sad for society that they think fake is beauty and real is ugly.
None of the models "have" stretch marks. That's not fair (although I know nothing ever is). I have stretch marks from growing in like 6th and 7th grade. I had no idea what they even were, but thank goodness the only lotion my parents bought was Palmer's Cocoa Butter. I shudder to think what they would have looked like without that.
My waist is 28, but it's hard for me to imagine what it would be like at 24.

Originally posted by ModelBabz


I'd love to have a 34-23-34 body. I'm working toward it. I "overcome my temptations" by giving into them sometimes. I drink water even when I'm not thirsty and eat a rice cake or some crackers with it.



ModelBabz,
If you are reading the book and see the fakeness why are you striving for it?

I also think some models to have stretch marks. I think you can't see a lot of them because they are airbrushed.

I will also agree the Naomi, Tyra, and Lauren have earned the right to be viewed like the other models. But like you and the book said. They are fake.

I have no images of beauty, sizes, or measurements in my head. I am only losing weight for health reasons. When I get healthy and I no longer hurt. That will be my offical size and that is what I will maintain.

What are your current body stats anyway, if you don't mind me asking? I didn't see them listed next to your profile.

I have read the book, but disagree, that those women are totally fake. I have worked as an extra for local movies as well as done promotions for liqour and beer where I live. I assure sure I have personally seen women that are as perfect and as beautiful as magizene models and playboy bunnies. I feel ugly and inadequate not only compared to celebrities, but also compared to most of the girls my age in my little town.

<<If you are reading the book and see the fakeness why are you striving for it?>>
When in Rome do as the Romans do. Because my butt is too big anyways; I'm also not taking my "quest for perfection" to an extreme. I do not vomit, starve myself, binge or exercise excessively.
<<I also think some models to have stretch marks. I think you can't see a lot of them because they are airbrushed.>>
What about at fashion shows?
<<I will also agree the Naomi, Tyra, and Lauren have earned the right to be viewed like the other models. But like you and the book said. They are fake.>>
I didn't say that; I said they are few and far between.
I'm currently a 32A/B-28-39.5. I'm 5'11.5, 158-165 pounds and around a size 10/11/12.

There is this website www.bodyinmind.com. I don't know if any of you have ever heard of it. It has questionable material, such as naked women as "art" in drawings and photography. Anyways, I think some of you should check it out. It's interesting and has good examples.

yes fashion shows, or has anyone seen the making of sports illustrated swim suit edition speacial...its shots of live action filming of photograhers shooting the magazine on location, and they talk with the models....they are fake (except for bosoms), they honestly do look that perfect. Or Fashion television, there are tons of those so called non existent girls. Hasn't anyone ever seen the show Wild On either, yes the hosts and cohosts are amazing, but what about all the random, tourists they film who are beautiful and look perfect in bikinis. I'm not saying its easy to look good like that, but its simply not true or fair to say that no one is really beautiful.
I know I don't look like these women becuase I just don't have the will power, the modivation for exercising enough, the drive I guess, but I admit that, and I am working on it. I know I'll likely never put in the time/effort/surgery to look like Brooke Burke, but I'd like to look, say 1/3 as good in a bathing suit.
Or I wish I didn't care, but I do.

I totally agree with you that there are many "stunningly, beautiful, and natural" people in the world. I hate it when the media and other people try to blame fashion models for the bad body image of America. Some people are born that way and they can't help it. Some of us need a little more work than others though.

I have heard of body makeup and you can use that in a fashion show.

Also Jennifer Lopez has openly stated that she gets spray on tans. It seems to me that the stuff good hide some stuff.

Laura Hutton, I think she is an older model. She is the one with the big gap in her to front teeth. She has a nice body and looks good in photographs. But I wouldn't call that gap in her teeth perfection.

Also, Mary J. Blige and Lil' Kim do Max factor ads. Mary J. looks great in those photos. But if you saw her behind the music on VH1. She looked absolutely awful in some of them.

Those Swim Suit photo shoots take days and the show was probably an hour. They had plenty of time to edit out.

I am not discrediting that there are beautiful people out there. I just saying no one is perfect.

I have a super thin friend. She can wear a size 4. I know I never well. But they way she got to size 4 was to be aneorixic. I don't want that. I am proud to say I can walk 5 city blocks with out passing out. That is worth more to me then a dress size.

Yes, it is true that only thin people are featured on these shows. But you never know what they did to get there. So be careful for what you wish for you just might get it.

This is an absolutely fabulous conversation. I have to agree that there are some stunningly beautiful people in this world, but I have to believe that these people have some flaws that dont show on the outside. I mean, the prettiest people I went to school with never graduated highschool, or didnt go to college or university. They didnt have the drive, the ambition. That is the true flaw. What they have in looks, the lack in character. And it takes so much more to fix that.

Originally posted by MissRena30
This is an absolutely fabulous conversation. I have to agree that there are some stunningly beautiful people in this world, but I have to believe that these people have some flaws that dont show on the outside. I mean, the prettiest people I went to school with never graduated highschool, or didnt go to college or university. They didnt have the drive, the ambition. That is the true flaw. What they have in looks, the lack in character. And it takes so much more to fix that.

You are so right, that character flaws are the hardest to fix and sometimes the least obvious flaw for the beholder.

Miss Rena,


Why do you have to believe that some of "these stunningly beauty people have some flaws that dont show on the outside"? Is it not possible to believe that someone beautiful on the inside and outside exists?

I'm not saying that such a person doesnt exist. I'm sure its possible. But I'm drawing from experience. I left out the fact that even if the person is beautiful and even if they are the nicest person in the world, they still have issues. I mean, I have lots of friends that are so pretty and have so much to offer, but they have no confidence in themselves. Or there are others that have outside confidence, but no self esteem. Then there are the ones with beauty and personality, but they routinely stab you in the back.

So no, I'm not saying they dont exist, I'm just saying I have yet to see someone who is perfect inside and out.

Originally posted by MissRena30
So no, I'm not saying they dont exist, I'm just saying I have yet to see someone who is perfect inside and out.

I think the problem here is the word perfect. I think we all need to stop striving for perfection it does not exist. I think we should stick to doing are best which is all we should ask for since perfect doesn't exist.

Even the best person with inner and outer beauty is still not perfect. They are just the best they can be. Sure an outside person can assign or point out there flaws. But as long as a person is ok with there best. They will be on the road to happiness in my opinion.

Perfection is up to the person who is using the word. My idea of perfection is different from everyone elses. I view perfect as a happy, healthy (both mentally and physically) person. Nothing more, nothing less. I strive for that perfection in myself. Now, someone else may have a different definition, and I may not meet their standards, but in the end, I'm the only one who lives with me all the time, so I define myself. If that makes any sense.

Originally posted by MissRena30
Perfection is up to the person who is using the word. My idea of perfection is different from everyone elses. I view perfect as a happy, healthy (both mentally and physically) person. Nothing more, nothing less. I strive for that perfection in myself. Now, someone else may have a different definition, and I may not meet their standards, but in the end, I'm the only one who lives with me all the time, so I define myself. If that makes any sense.

Define yourself is ok. It is an idea that makes a lot of sense. Yet, I see a lot of people who are to negative on themselves. They just beat themselves up and have no self worth. Those people scare me and I don't think they should define themselves with prefection if they don't understand that it doesn't exist.

They understand that it exists, but their definition is a little to rigid. They expect too much out of themselves.

Problem is I used to have those measurements and weighed 128 lbs. Truly I looked perfect. I slowly gained 10 lbs a year for well over a decade. I still have pictures of me way back then. Now I am disgusted when I see pictures of myself. I am doing something about it by coming here to maintain my motivation to diet. Its a struggle at times. I know I will not return to the way I looked when I was younger. But I would like to look my best and that surely is better than I look now.

I dont think an ideal set of measurements truly exists. I mean, it all depends on the body type. You dont want to look like your boobs would crush your waist....:o

looseal ,

Improving yourself is always a healthy good goal. So good luck with it.

Originally posted by Raven McCoy
ughh, I am already below that in the bust, there at the waist, but my hips and bottom remain well above 34'', and I can't seem to slim them down. I don't think I will ever have that kind of perfectly balanced body. :(

Same here... I don't think my hips could ever be that small unless I was seriously underweight. I can't really afford to get smaller (I'm already kind of bony in places), but my hips are 35.5--36 inches.

Some people just aren't built to have 34 inch hips. Maybe if you're one of those girls with a "boyish" build, but not for those of us who are "hourglasses."

<<Same here... I don't think my hips could ever be that small unless I was seriously underweight. I can't really afford to get smaller (I'm already kind of bony in places), but my hips are 35.5--36 inches.>>

My pelvic bones already show, but my actual buttocks are like 40 inches. I hate it.

I know what you mean looseal ... I used to also be about 125 lbs. 10 years ago. I'm now in the low 180s, and trying like hell to get it off. The problem is, when I was that size I didn't know how wonderful I am as a person, and I still suffered from low self-esteem.
The thing that I have learned with age and experience is that the true meaning of happiness is SELF-LOVE!!! I REFUSE to think even for a second that I am not adequate because of someone else's standards because I don't fit a certain size. There are so many other things in my life that are great (clear cocoa skin to boot!), that I won't focus on what people think.
I think another thing that truly made me smile is this: On a recent trip to Nigeria, I met many women who were very healthy, walked for miles, but were about size 14-16! These women were GORGEOUS! Not because of how skinny they are, but because of how regally they carried themselves. More of us here need to learn from their example.

Love and blessings,
Toki

Originally posted by Toki-o
On a recent trip to Nigeria, I met many women who were very healthy, walked for miles, but were about size 14-16! These women were GORGEOUS! Not because of how skinny they are, but because of how regally they carried themselves. More of us here need to learn from their example.


You are so right about being healthy at 14-16. Not everyone was built to be a size 6. I feel at times we use other peoples standards to shape our standards to much.

If we all just started loving ourselves and treating ourselves well. We would learn how to treat others and how to show other how to treat us. I feel the more self love we have the better we will try to treat others.