Being Skinny

WHO said being skinny is easy and fun? It might be natural to us if we grew up being thin (I was so scrawny when I was younger but had put on weight since 17), lucky even since there are people who are less fortunate. However, as we grow older, our metabolism rate slows down annnndd whether we like it or not, we will grow BIGGER, sideways. Our eating habits would still be the same, but notice how we don't just stay skinny but started to build love handles, or double-chin or bigger thighs and the culprit of all, a HUGE fat belly. Being thin is the way to go, it is embedded in our social norm, regardless of our cultural background. 

Well for year 2009, I was only skinny for 3 months- January to March. That was only due to my sickness that eventually led to my lost of appetite. I wasn't trying to be skinny by going to the gym or purposely not eat. Oh no, I can't control my eating habit. Staying strong by fighting my urge to stuff-my-face for three months were the limit to staying thin. The rest of the year was difficult to stay tone and in shape, even when I religiously visited the gym everyday over the summer in NYC. Going to the gym only brought comfort to eat even more.

Can you see how many products are out there that catered for only thin people or trying-to-be-skinny people. There might be almost 50% of consumer products that are tailored towards the DESIRE or a hint of being THIN. The list is as below:

 1) Food & beverages - organic/low-fat/diet

2) Clothing - size 0-4

3) Exercising - classes, gyms, equipments, video games such as wii fit and EA active

4) Advertising/Marketing Campaigns- skinny models, skinny people on the billboard

5) Media- TV shows, movies, celebrities who always look good with those teeny weeny body.

6) DRUGS- weight loss- alli

I don't think many people realized the environment that we live in. We are taunted, hunted and pressured to be thin, because that is the acceptable norm in our life. Look around you if you are out eating, or driving or walking down the street. Make a mental note on what product/ thing out there that has a correlation with being skinny.  The pressure of being thin is all around you. 

I for one have the desire in being thin/scrawny because as the social norm puts it, being skinny is the best look.