Does this make me look fat?

I was talking to a friend recently about my idea for this blog and she told me a story about a first grade little girl. The little girl was expressing to her sister (who is my friend's friend, confusing I know!) that she needed to go on a diet. Really? A six year old on a diet. Although the rates of childhood obesity have sky rocketed, this little girl does not fit in that category.

To me, that is sad. Growing up I was a little "chunk." I was not born with the body shape to ever be a size 2, nor do I have the desire to be that small. By middle school I naturally had grown out of most of my "baby fat." To think that a six year old feels she needs to change her body image makes me sick to my stomach. How does someone of that age even know what a diet is, let alone feel she needs to already conform to society's norms of what makes a woman "pretty."

I really have enjoyed the Dove campaign for "real beauty." Not only does the campaign target middle aged women, but currently the home page of the Web site has children pictured. I feel strongly that more campaigns of this type would be hugely successful because this type of message, "real beauty," is not heard of very often.

Everyday women are exposed to air-brushed women on magazine covers, people who have had plastic surgery to look the way they do, and dangerously skinny actresses. Being exposed to so many of these images make women feel as if this is a reality when really it is a Hollywood perception of what makes someone beautiful.

I am all for living a healthy lifestyle, eating proper foods, and exercising regularly. There comes a point though when "heredity" takes over and it is out of your control.

The fashion industry also plays on this "be skinny" theme. "Skinny jeans" and "slim fit" are terms used in every store I have ever been in. I own skinny jeans and slim fit shirts, but I do not look like the models shown on store Web sites or the manakins displayed throughout the store, proving a woman does not have to look like that to wear the style. (I will continue this topic another day!)

The bottom line is young girls need more positive role models in their lives to tell them it is acceptable to be different and that not everyone in the world looks like the superstars they see on TV everyday.

Check out the Dove campaign Web site! http://www.campaignforrealbeauty.com/

This video is also amazing to watch! www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U