The ‘Perfect Body’ Syndrome.
Fairness, objectivity and honesty are three factors that always keep me going. Every time I am on a new topic, l always position myself where I must put personal feelings aside in order to unleash the truth.
Are you ready! Well, today’s article must motivate my sisters, mothers and female friends out there. I also expect men to be happy as they will be the ones to pay for the ‘war’ I’m starting now. Here we go.
Social media and the society we live in has defined what they call a ‘perfect body’ that a person should have. In most instances, women are the ones that suffer the most. The narrative that society drives towards women and their bodies have led to them flocking sports training facilities so they can have the so-called ‘perfect body.’
The society’s take on body image is generally shaped by the media, the beauty industry and the notions of health and fitness. These messages define body shape and size as targets for regulation and control.
Ironically, a majority of media photos or photoshoots portray women with perfect bodies that are enhanced by modern technology (God forbid) to achieve the desired results or portray women who may actually be seriously underweight.
It is ridiculous, unfair and unrealistic to expect everyone to look like these so-called perfect women, but the power of such images remains hard to resist. It may be difficult to give up the pursuit of this mythical perfect body size, even though that pursuit may end up being detrimental to one’s emotional and physical health.
Many societal elements promote the idea that having an ‘perfect body’ is a guaranteed way to command others’ admiration and approval. Society portrays this perfect body as the key-secret to attracting a romantic partner. This is not true as every man has their type of woman they love. And if a man wants their spouse to have a certain body, they usually support their partner to achieve such results.
Because of wrong definitions on the perfect body, girls at a very tender age starts thinking about their increasing weight, size, their looks, when they actually should be bothered just to study, play and hang around.
In light of this women have been top favourites in most gyms and training facilities and they are ready to lose weight for any price. However, most fitness trainers believe in the theme that goes, “No pain, no gain” meaning for someone to achieve desired results in any fitness training they must be able to go through pain.
Having a healthy body and ideal body weight is everyone’s dream. It’s a personal choice, one chooses what to do as there is training for everything (losing weight, for gaining weight).
There is a new health norm in town and all those that are particular about their bodies are going for it. Women prefer going to a women-only gym and most men are in support of this idea as they value and preserve their women from ‘vultures.’
Irene Moyo from Ruwa, Harare, who is currently going to a gym where both males and females take part could not hide her feelings towards her preferences. She said, “To me, a women’s gym is a safer place for working out, it allows us as women to exercise exclusively in the company of other women with the same fears and insecurities as ourselves, where support and understanding comes as guaranteed.”
With the advent of technology, there are many ways women can incorporate if they want to achieve the results they want. YouTube is full of fitness trainers that share their journeys and sometimes do videos showing how the workouts are done.
However, some have not been so lucky especially on social media as a lot of people advertise products they allege can change and transform someone’s body for period ranging from 1 to 30 days. They even put comparison pictures. I have seen some ladies who had their pictures stolen and used in their fake adverts as ‘Before and After.’
After heavy sweat, sleepless nights and sacrifice in the Gym, one will come within a second and wants to make money.
There are many sports can be used to maintain a healthy and ‘perfect body.’ There is jogging, yoga, and fitness training programs can be very helpful in achieving maximum results. A study says, and you’d be surprised to know, that about 65 percent of women avoid the gym for fear of being judged, while only 36 percent of men are affected by it. Some women find it hard to go to the gym; below are a few elements that can help keep your fear at bay:
- Plan and be disciplined – Before walking into the gym, you need to plan what you are going to do there. This will help you feel more confident and comfortable.
- Practice at home – People often fear doing the workout improperly. In such a case, perfect your form at home to feel more confident.
- Know your equipment – It is quite obvious that not all gym equipment is the same. So, if you don’t know how to use a piece of equipment, ask a trainer. Don’t let them leave without explaining fully all the equipment you need to know.
- Report any form of harassment – If you feel that you are being harassed at your gym, then report it to the management immediately or any person you trust.
- Remember your goals – Stay focused and remember the main reason why you are going to the gym in the first place. Once you stay focused on your goal, it won’t feel like a big task.
In conclusion, women do need to exercise not because of wanting to achieve the ‘perfect body’ status but it’s good for your health. I would like to believe that apart from cultural and social norms, lack of knowledge on the importance of physical exercise and the risks associated with unhealthy lifestyles also influences the choices that are made concerning physical exercise.
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