GUEST EDITORIAL: How Movies Can Show Unrealistic Body Standards for People
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How Movies Can Show Unrealistic Body Standards for People
by Kevin Gardner
Has it ever bothered you that your favorite movies show people that just look too good to be natural? This has been a shared sentiment around the world for many years now. Hollywood mostly shows the best-looking people in movies and television shows, but this is not a realistic standard of how people look. When people only see these kinds of examples in their daily lives, it might take a toll on their self-esteem. Movie magic makes people look unrealistically beautiful, so it's important to not use this as a gauge to judge yourself.
Every Person's Body Is Different
Even though most people watch movies and television shows, it's still impossible to escape the standards that the media places on body images. Human beings are all built to be different. Some people are built with different bone structures than others. Other people are naturally heavier than average even though they have optimal health. What Hollywood doesn't show people is that humans are built to be of different shapes and sizes. Not everyone can be the super tall and skinny supermodel type. When people are trying to change their own health so they can look and feel better, there are sometimes things that hinder them from doing so. Sometimes people are afraid of what they might think could happen after using a certain product like Thrive side effects. Research is an important key to offsetting these kinds of fears.
Each Person Loses Weight Differently
For many years, the majority of actors and actresses featured in shows and movies have been mostly thin and physically fit. For females, the desired body type is a tall, slender body with tan skin, long legs, and voluptuous features. For males, the body type is tall, with tan skin, bulging muscles, and a full head of hair. This is not how people really look in the real world. Not everyone can lose weight and pack on muscle like a bodybuilder, either. When these body images are plastered all over the silver screen, it's hard to escape these thoughts. Most people don't look like those tall, athletic actors. People are all born with different genes that respond differently to the environment. Some people can never gain weight, while others can hardly ever lose weight. People are meant to be different, and they are meant to lose weight differently. A person can't assume that they should be able to look like the people in the movies, and they should know that all people are unique.
No Two People Have the Same Journey
When people strive to be just like their favorite movie character, they are putting a lot of unnecessary pressure upon themselves. Some people can lose a tremendous amount of weight and tone their body to look like someone out of the pictures, but this is not something that everyone can expect to do. Each human being in the world has his or her own specific limits and abilities. Some people have vast muscle definition and a fast metabolism that allows them to lose weight quickly and tone up rapidly. Other people don't have the genes that provide the same muscle mass, and they won't look the same way after the same amount of training. It's a difficult thing to be able to tell people that they should just be happy with what they were born with, but at the end of the day, this is reality. If you find yourself just not pleased with yourself no matter how hard you try, then maybe this is something you could discuss with a counselor or therapist. Finding help to deal with self-acceptance and gratitude can do wonders for your self-worth.
When you finally realize that you aren't meant to look like the people in Hollywood, you'll feel better. Strive to be the best version of yourself that you can be. There can only be one of you!
