We''re all being fooled about our growing size

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 7/13/2005 10:13:01 AM
Author: IrishEyes
I agree about the weights, however I don''t like it when girls go crazy with them and start looking like body-builders

There is this girl at my gym who strength trains everyday. She''s got crazy muscles, all big and bulky like a man''s. She also has breast implants which just make her look very uncomfortable. She always looks like she''s holding a big breath of air and her chest is swelled up with it! I want to go up to her and pop her so she deflates!!

Oh yeah, and she fakes and bakes REALLY bad, she''s got bleach-blond hair and this super dark tan. ICK. But, if she feels good, than more power to her! I don''t envy her, but it'' s not my look so I won''t worry about it....

LOL....never understand why women want implants

big health risk.what you are is what you are. agree with you about women body-builders. UGLY.

 

[Kaleigh]

Those big muscles are gross IMHO!!!!

 

[partgypsy]

This is a very interesting topic. Much research and common sense shows that us American women are much harder on ourselves than men are, just think of all the magazines targeted to women tell you how to be more sexy and attractive, improve yourself domestically, etc. The same way, tabloids are mostly read by women and are incredibly HARSH on various celebrities that are caught that don''t look absolutely perfect, whether it be their clothes, lack of makeup, cellulite etc.
Let''s give ourselves a break here.
Another generalization I''ve noticed is that women focus too much attention on diet (as in dieting) and not on overall health. Men seem to get this, knowing irregularities in diet can be made up with exercise. Regular physical exercise is as important if not more so than diet. In fact strict diets can fool your body into thinking it''s a famine situation and hold onto calories even more than before. Yoyo diets are even worse, really screwing with your metabolism.
For good role models, look at European women: regular exercise (walk to the market , walk to the train), eat delicious home cooked food with portion control, and desserts, drinks in moderation.
In general the American way of life is an unhealthy one because bad choices (using a car, eating fast food, staying late at work, not getting enough sleep) are easier and sometimes encouraged, while healthier choices are made less convenient. Diet is only one part of an entire spectrum of how we live.

I also agree that life expectancy have been increasing due to medical advances; being overweight and sedentary is not a recipe for good health.

 

[Mara]

Funny so now that I have been all into this walking and eating better and stuff (summer totally brings it out of me, the thought of donning a bikini inspires discpline like nothing else)...Greg told me the other night...''you are starting to look all skinny!'' (starting to..okay whatever..i let it pass)...then 15 minutes later we were having a ''family moment'' on the bed with us hugging and kissing Portia til she runs away, and he said ''you aren''t going to turn into one of those twig women and break are you?!''...i laughed and said..''me as a twig woman? yeah not gonna happen!''

He has always been vocal that he dislikes very skinny women because he says they look like you could break them...hee hee. Works for me since I am taller and medium-boned and no one would ever call me TWIGLIKE. I''m pretty ''solid''.

He says he likes that I won''t ''blow away in a strong wind''.

 

[fire&ice]

Date: 7/12/2005 6:07:09 PM
Author: Mara
Also I''ve noticed the more expensive the clothes, the smaller the size you wear. aka $50 skirt I''d wear a size 8-10. but a $250 skirt I''d wear a size 4-6! It''s like the more you spend the more they want you to feel good?

European clothes are much smaller.

 

[jaysonsmom]

Mara, we sound like we have the same kind of physique, even when I''m at my fittest and tonest, I''d never be a ''twig''. I used to strive for the "Asian stereotype" which meant that you can be any height, but you HAVE to weigh under 115 lbs. That was impossible for my 5''7" medium boned build (plus I''m teeny bit European), and trying to fit a certain physical image really brought on the eating disorders... I was bulimic throughout high school and college. It ended when I became a peer health counselor, who focused on student eating habits. Today my weight hovers between 128-134 and I''m happy ane healthy! My husband likes it that I''m not all bones!

 

[ursulawrite]

Date: 7/13/2005 12:22:22 PM
Author: kaleigh
Those big muscles are gross IMHO!!!!

I wasn''t talking bodybuilder physiques, more of a swimmer''s or an athlete''s build. I only weigh 110lbs at 5''7, but I have loads of muscle definition through eating a lot -- the right foods, obviously -- and working out.

I guess what I''m trying to say is that "skinny", in its chain-smoking, restricted diet, muscle wasted form, isn''t necessarily something to strive for and it irks me that fashion magazines and the like think this is where beauty is at.

 

[Kaleigh]

ursulawrite,
I wasn''t referring to what you said. Irisheyes was talking about a woman at her gym that works out non stop and has huge bulging muscles. To me when a woman has those kind of muscles that is gross. I love to be toned, that''s cool. Just not to look like a body builder!!!

 

[kaylagee]

I can't even imagine what clothing size I'll ultimately be (after getting back to my goal range of 125-135) I have sizes in my closet all over the board. I really have to go by fit only...since those darn tags are getting increasing meaningless!

(rambling for a bit here)
Pregnancy kinda scares me because my body just takes off in this other direction and sometimes I feel helpless and out-of-control. I haven't been actually dieting or anything this time(last time I gained *a lot*... I was up to 190 before delivery...again i'm only 5'4..so I was as wide as I was tall.) but no Krispy Kreme runs this time.
Also even though I lost most of the weight from last time, my body was not the same. I have to accept that short of a brutal regime and surgery my two-piece swimsuit days are toast.

Before the babies, getting older (or maybe just less vigilant) has been panicky for me because for most of my teen to adult life I was a fashion-obsessed, compulsive exerciser and always under 115 lbs. I would do just about *anything* (short of regurgitating..i *hate* to vomit) to stay slim. Then in my mid-twenties, my weight started creeping up.

Strangely enough I was rarely asked out during the thin period even though I thought I was looking good. LOL! Sometimes I go through old photos and I looked kinda like Ren from 'Ren and Stimpy'. My face was way too thin. I think my best weight has been in the 130's range. I could still shop nearly anywhere, felt fine and confident. In the 140s I started getting uncomfortable (hence my total shock at the ogles and pinches in France). I was that weight though when I met my husband so he's never even met the thinner me(I did drop about 11 pounds before the wedding). So losing the weight isn't for his benefit, mainly for health and to be honest, fashion. It's so much easier for me to wear different styles and take risks when I'm smaller. When I gain, I get very 'play it safe' and boring with my clothes.

The clothing industry is making something already tangled more confusing with the sizing mind games. Shame on them!
(end of whine)

 

[partgypsy]

I think a women has to try pretty hard to get bulky and such from weight training. You really have to try to get that "look" (which often includes taking protein supplements or even other "supplements") That look doesn''t appeal to me either (especially accompanied by that weird orange tan!). America really is a nation of extremes.
The times I have been consistent with using weights it can add a little definition and is actually slimming. It''s counterintuitive but true. Sigh, since do not have the discipline for it will stick with walking and my low impact aerobics and yoga videos.

It''s definitely true that men like women with a little meat on their bones. I was on the slim side before I had my daughter two years ago. I haven''t been able to lose the last 8 pounds of the 35 I gained (they kept telling me to eat, eat! So I did

)
While I don''t agree, my husband keeps saying I never looked sexier, loves how I look.

My Mom sent me a funny email about this topic, if I can find it I''ll post it.

 

[Bikergirl]

Date: 7/13/2005 1:03:21 PM
Author: Mara
Funny so now that I have been all into this walking and eating better and stuff (summer totally brings it out of me, the thought of donning a bikini inspires discpline like nothing else)...Greg told me the other night...''you are starting to look all skinny!'' (starting to..okay whatever..i let it pass)...then 15 minutes later we were having a ''family moment'' on the bed with us hugging and kissing Portia til she runs away, and he said ''you aren''t going to turn into one of those twig women and break are you?!''...i laughed and said..''me as a twig woman? yeah not gonna happen!''

He has always been vocal that he dislikes very skinny women because he says they look like you could break them...hee hee. Works for me since I am taller and medium-boned and no one would ever call me TWIGLIKE. I''m pretty ''solid''.

He says he likes that I won''t ''blow away in a strong wind''.

Sounds like you two found a perfect match!

I''ve heard similar comments from a lot of my guy friends. For the most part (at least in my "crowd") it seems as though guys just don''t like high-maintenance women, implants (of any kind - including Botox!) girls that are extremely skinny or extremely overweight because it appears as though they don''t take care of themselves. Seems that natural, healthy, not-too-much makeup, not-too-much pampering, down-to-earth girls are still in demand, after all. In spite of what we (as women) may lead ourselves to believe.

 

[Bikergirl]

Date: 7/13/2005 1:59:19 PM
Author: part gypsy
I think a women has to try pretty hard to get bulky and such from weight training. You really have to try to get that ''look'' (which often includes taking protein supplements or even other ''supplements'') That look doesn''t appeal to me either (especially accompanied by that weird orange tan!). America really is a nation of extremes.
The times I have been consistent with using weights it can add a little definition and is actually slimming. It''s counterintuitive but true. Sigh, since do not have the discipline for it will stick with walking and my low impact aerobics and yoga videos.

It''s definitely true that men like women with a little meat on their bones. I was on the slim side before I had my daughter two years ago. I haven''t been able to lose the last 8 pounds of the 35 I gained (they kept telling me to eat, eat! So I did

)
While I don''t agree, my husband keeps saying I never looked sexier, loves how I look.

My Mom sent me a funny email about this topic, if I can find it I''ll post it.

It sounds counterintuitive, but muscle can add definition, even when covered by a thin layer of fat. It also helps to *keep* you thin because muscle metabolizes at a faster rate than fat, so by having larger muscles, you burn more calories just in everyday existence.

 

[jellybean]

Well, as someone that has really been trying to lose weight the last few months, I have to say clothes sizes suck!

I have lost a stinkin'' total of 5 lbs! We bought a jogging stroller and have religiously been taking our two toddlers out every Saturday and Sunday mornings (much to their dismay) and I go to the gym at least one other day a week, sometimes two.

I had joined Weight Watchers but had disaster after disaster trying to bring the kiddies to the meetings. So I am going out and getting a book this evening that is just calorie content of food.

You can say I''m a bit obsessive about this. I want so badly to lose more weight before I get pregnant again (I know, we must be crazy). But it is so hard for me.

I find myself very depressed about my weight. It constantly nags at me and everytime I eat something I just beat myself up.

Sorry, just had to vent.

I can''t even get into my pre-pre-pregnancy clothes!

 

[hoorray]

Jellybean,

Have you tried the "Weight Watchers at Home" program? It''s a very reasonable way to help you through dieting without having to go to meetings or anything. They even have two versions these days to try to fit different personalities and lifestyles. DH went on it recently to try to lose the weight he''s picked up in the past couple of years. He''s liking it, and has lost 15 pounds so far.

I think it''s a pretty reasonable, and balanced diet. Not too extreme on any points, and still fairly nutritous if you use it right.

 

[Mara]

it took me about a good month to see results on what i have been doing...

also some exercises do not make me shed lbs, just build more muscle instead. i have alot of muscle already, i don''t need more... so it''s important to know what types of exercises for your body type.

my girlfriend went on WW and lost 15 lbs within 2 months. then she kind of plateau''d but she did it for the 2 months and swore by it! so i would check it out if you are having a hard time shedding anything doing what you are doing now.

eating right is tricky...again it has to do with your body structure and where you gain and hold weight. aka those lower carb diets work for me because carbs bloat you out in your midsection and that is totally where i store my weight! if i have a heavy carb meal, my waist literally gains a whole inch or two! but some people don''t have that issue and carry their weight elsewhere. this is why no one diet is right for everyone unfortunately. just have to keep trying things til something works.

for me also i dont see changes by adding something new until about 2 weeks later. aka if we go on vacation i dont gain weight until 2 weeks later...if i add in 100 more crunches, i dont see the benefits til 2 weeks later. etc. it has taught me to be more patient and look at it more in the long-term rather than ''i want to shed 5 lbs in a month''.

 

[OldBride]

Oh, interesting thread. I''m 53 years old, and when I was in high school I weighed about 125 (I''m 5''6") and was happy to wear a size 9. I don''t remember ever seeing sizes smaller than a 3, and those were not common. They say that Marilyn Monroe was a size 12 to 14, which, after size inflation, means that today she would probably be a size 8 today. Today, I''m still 5''6"(?), weigh about 140 (but I get about a 5 pound handicap for large breasts) and typically wear a size 6. Go figure.

And, yes, wedding dresses do seem to not have suffered from size inflation. I''m getting married at the end of August and I''m wearing a white wedding dress (even though I''m an OldBride) which is a size 10. So I''m basically back to the size I wore in high school. Pretty good, huh?

 

[windy1365]

I am 5''8, 112 pounds, and very toned. I either have people come up to me and tell me that I need to eat something and am too skinny, or I have people come up to me and tell me that I have a great body (both men AND women).

So, society doesn''t know what it wants!! If I eat right, which I do now after the wedding, work out regularly (aerobic & weights), then I should be able to enjoy my body without people calling me skinny and bringing food to my desk.

 

[icekid]

Date: 7/13/2005 10:20:51 AM
Author: Bikergirl

I think life expectancy has more to do with medical advances than with actual health. I heard that somewhere, but I couldn''t tell you exactly where... sorry

As for royalty/changes in perception, I also heard (from that famed somewhere) that people who were skinny were thought to be poor (couldn''t afford food) and people with tans were also thought to be poor (had to work in the sun) while people who were pasty white and overweight were looked upon as protected and wealthy (had the luxury of sitting around all day protected from the sun, and had more than an ample food supply).

actually, the VAST majority of the increase in life expectancy is due to public health measures, not advances in medicine- ie clean water supply, etc

 

[windy1365]

Maybe in other countries. But, in the US, the medical field is what makes life expectancy longer. When was the water supply ever an issue in the U.S.?

 

[Mara]

As little as 50-75 years ago, life expectancy was much lower. Medical advances (aka things like safer childbirth, treatments for diseases and sicknesses) AND things like better quality of living (aka cleaner living environments/water/ample food) for most here have contributed to longer lives.

Personally I don't know that I want to live to 85, esp if Greg is only supposed to live til 75 or something...since they always say Men die sooner and he is 6 years older than me. Seems like a bit of a drag to carry on after your spouse at such an advanced age! What if I don't want to hang around?!?

Not to mention that since people are living longer, retirement lasts longer so the amount you need to live in the manner to which you are accustomed to goes up as life expectancy does.

 

[Bikergirl]

I''ve actually had that same thought. Not that I''m afraid of getting old, but I know a lot of people who are up there in years (70+) and are miserable because they can''t do the things they used to. Talking about things like cleaning the house and cooking their own meals, not stuff like running marathons. But I guess I''ll just cope with whatever comes my way - it''s not like we can pick when we go. But DH is 16 years older than me, so I potentially have a VERY long time after he''s gone. My MIL is still alive, and DH''s father passed away 15 years ago.

 

[TheDiamondangel]

Back when I was 20, I measured 36-24-36, weighed 130 lbs, and I''m 5''9. Everything was toned, strong and sexy. Did I realize I had a great bod? Heck no! I was shy, and covered my body neck to ankle because I was very self conscious. Now I''m a mommy and almost 16 years older. I''ve gained a bit of weight after having three kids. My belly is no longer flat, but soft and rounded from having children. I still have a killer waist-to-hip ratio, but my boobs are no longer where they used to be (I''m still nursing a 15-month-old too). My arms are a bit heavier than I''d like them to be, but I still have racehorse ankles and something I never had before...confidence. My husband loves my body, and I do too. It bore three beautiful healthy children, and I''ve managed to nurse all three. My belly is a soft place my daughter likes to lay her head. My little guy loves to jump on my slightly padded thighs, and all three children love mommy''s hugs. I no longer worry about my weight, or stress over the scale. I''m happier now than I''ve ever been in my life, and yeah I wear a size 14...so what? I''m healthy. That''s what really matters.

 

[windy1365]

I have a super thin body. But, at the gym and at work, I think women that have more curves look very attractive. I guess it''s all about you want what you don''t have!

My friend and I were at the gym the other day, and we saw a girl that had the perfect body. She was toned, with curves, and had lines and definition in her stomach. I think she has a kid, too. But, her face wasn''t all that attractive. You can''t have it all!!

 

[Kaleigh]

 

[Dancing Fire]

i knew it was all down hill when the waist # went pass the inseam #.used to be 28W X 31L now 34W X 31L. those extra thick GIRDLES

always bad news,not only for diamonds.

 

[Kaleigh]

Oh those bruted girdles, Lol!!!!!!!

 

[kaylagee]

Date: 7/14/2005 9:48:49 PM
Author: windy1365
I have a super thin body. But, at the gym and at work, I think women that have more curves look very attractive. I guess it''s all about you want what you don''t have!


My friend and I were at the gym the other day, and we saw a girl that had the perfect body. She was toned, with curves, and had lines and definition in her stomach. I think she has a kid, too. But, her face wasn''t all that attractive. You can''t have it all!!

That reminds of a French expression about women having to choose between the face and the body after a certain age. I think it''s true for a lot of women. Ideally, I''d prefer some compromise between the two. If it were an absolute choice I''d pick the face.

 

[fortheloveofdiamonds]

Date: 7/14/2005 11:47:26 AM
Author: TheDiamondangel
Back when I was 20, I measured 36-24-36, weighed 130 lbs, and I''m 5''9. Everything was toned, strong and sexy. Did I realize I had a great bod? Heck no! I was shy, and covered my body neck to ankle because I was very self conscious. Now I''m a mommy and almost 16 years older. I''ve gained a bit of weight after having three kids. My belly is no longer flat, but soft and rounded from having children. I still have a killer waist-to-hip ratio, but my boobs are no longer where they used to be (I''m still nursing a 15-month-old too). My arms are a bit heavier than I''d like them to be, but I still have racehorse ankles and something I never had before...confidence. My husband loves my body, and I do too. It bore three beautiful healthy children, and I''ve managed to nurse all three. My belly is a soft place my daughter likes to lay her head. My little guy loves to jump on my slightly padded thighs, and all three children love mommy''s hugs. I no longer worry about my weight, or stress over the scale. I''m happier now than I''ve ever been in my life, and yeah I wear a size 14...so what? I''m healthy. That''s what really matters.

You go on girl!

 

[moremoremore]

That''s what you call a Butter Face windy LOL..... (but her face)

 

[phoenixgirl]

I''ve been thinking about all of this recently as I have begun exercising for the first serious time in my life since high school. I understand that genetics has a lot to do with it . . . without exercising or watching what I eat, I wasn''t overweight, just sort of sloppy and weak (5''5" and 135). I know that some people are obese who probably have similar habits to mine. But I have to think that during the course of human evolution, humans were a whole lot more active. Now a lot of us sit at a desk all day, sit in front of the television at night, and then sleep.

Frankly, I''m embarrassed that I''m 25 and probably couldn''t run a mile comfortably. No, I''m not overweight, and I don''t have a serious problem with the way I look (well don''t love the growing belly and arm flab), but I just want to be fit. I want to be able to do something vigorous without getting out of breath.

I moved to the city a year ago, and that has been really good for getting the body in motion even when it''s not "exercise time." My husband and I walked over 10 blocks to dinner last night. We''ve also started power walking in the morning, and then I do The Firm every other day. And it''s only been three weeks, and I can tell that some of my stomach pooch disappeared already (I guess you lose it first where you gained it last). I don''t have any hope for my thighs (I''m a pear) since they''ve housed the fat since I was a super skinny teenager, but I have hope for my overall health and well-being.

Of course, all of this is easy over summer vacation. The real test will be getting up even earlier once school starts again. Thankfully, school doesn''t start until 8:45 (pretty late for a high school), but to be there by 8:15 I suppose I''ll have to wake up at 5:30.

I noticed the wedding dress size thing too. I was a 10, and I usually wear a size 6 dress, and 6 or 8 pants. Does this mean that Banana Republic and those other stores are carrying clothes for larger women who couldn''t dress there before, or that they''ve just jumbled the numbers? My sister recently gained 40 pounds (including the baby) with her pregnancy and was a size bigger than me to begin with. She said she can''t currently fit into the clothes sold in places like Ann Taylor anymore because she''s a 14 and they stop at 12. The baby is 3 1/2 months old, so I expect that she won''t remain that size forever. And unlike me, she''s always jogged and worked out and watched what she eats, so I don''t consider her unhealthy. She''s just got more of my dad''s genes than I do.

But the majority of Americans are sedentary and eat huge portions at places like Olive Garden and McDonald''s. Who can we blame? Who out there doesn''t know that he or she should exercise? Who doesn''t know the difference between healthy and unhealthy eating? I always get chicken mcnuggets when I eat at McDonalds (only when on a long road trip). Why wasn''t 6 in a meal enough? But now all you can get are 10 (maybe the kids'' meal is 6? but it so, then that''s gone up too since it used to be 4). But I don''t think the food industry is run by some evil old men who want America to get fat. I think that it just doesn''t cost that much to add 4 additional nuggets, but you can charge more. And hey, perhaps it''s the chicken and the egg, but a lot of their customers like to eat a lot. If people thought the portions were too big, then a new fast food joint would come along and fill the "small, reasonable portion" niche. I just don''t think there''s much demand for that among fast-food eaters.

Ya know what, I don''t think the clothing industry is trying to make us feel better, I think they''re just trying to sell clothes. If they stick to their original sizes, then fewer women can actually still fit into them. So if 42% of women are over size 14, then only about half of women can shop there now. I bet that without the shift, it would be something like 35 or 40%. They''re just making smart business decisions.

Anyway, I don''t think we should care about being stick-thin, but we should be active people with a good cardiovascular system. We ARE getting fatter and lazier, and I think we''re the punch-line to a lot of jokes around the world.