New Fashion Trend – Healthy Body Confidence

By Olga Scott

It is interesting to note that in fashion it is not only clothes cuts and designs that make trends; it is also body shape. Fashion dictates what body shape is in and what isn’t to a farther extent than some would think. Look at how body shapes changed historically – from extra-feminine hourglass curves popular in XV-XVII centuries to boyish figure of 1920s, only then to go back to curves in 1950s and then, once again to boyish silhouette in the 60s. Being thin wasn’t regarded fashionable before 1920s (it was considered as a sign of poverty or poor health in previous centuries).

Going from one extreme to another in terms of shape popular at the time has always been a natural need for change, which has always existed in fashion. However, something happened in late 1990s-early 2000s, and suddenly, for the first time in history, the silhouette that has become most desired was extremely thin. Question of health didn’t appear obvious straight away – but it was in everyone’s perception of beauty: the thinner the better.

I am not going to get too much into what health damages this trend has resulted (even looking for some pictures from that era made me want to look away), but one good thing about it is that fashion, and the humanity have learned from it. Well, most of us. The only reason for writing this post was that actually too many of the people I know, some who work in fashion and some that don’t, still have this idea. Still people go for fad diets, feel guilty for eating and hate their bodies if they happened to be born with wider bone structure and therefore naturally are not thin.

IMAGE-MODELS

Press and media coverage are doing a very good job in supporting and putting across The New Body Trend, which is no more or less than just … a Healthy Body. This means toned, firm and healthy-looking, but size does not really come into it. Different body shapes are appreciated and valued (probably for the first time in the fashion history), and there is certain strictness with extremes – excess fat isn’t acceptable, but so is being underweight. It really is the time to just let go of the old idea of too thin as fashionable. Fashion has moved on. The world has moved on. So should every individual.

Achieving really healthy body look does take effort. It really isn’t all easy. But unlike most other trends what you get is an actual benefit to you personally. Accepting, liking your body and being confident about it will make a positive difference in life of absolutely anyone; but it is not just the matter of attitude, it is the matter of working on your body and making it look good enough to increase this confidence. An image of a Healthy Body celebrated so much now can be achieved in three simple steps that are pretty obvious and nothing new whatsoever: it is healthy eating, exercise and good skincare routine.

In terms of healthy eating and skincare there is currently an absolute overload of information readily available. All leading nutrition experts have now agreed that it is never about not eating enough or cutting food groups out – so do just go for it and educate yourself. Eating healthy now is not difficult and also very tasty if you have the knowledge (or will make effort to get that knowledge). Where however the main difficulty currently lies, is in the question of exercise.

One thing to remember here is that exercise, like healthy eating isn’t a chore. It shouldn’t be. But, again, just like starting to read a big new book or learning a new skill, the idea of starting it is more daunting than the actual process. Once you get into it, you will enjoy the process more and more and will eventually get hooked up on it. How to get into that? Find the type (or types) of exercise that you actually genuinely like. It may take lots of tries but eventually you will find what is it that makes you feel good about your body – whether it is a ballet class for adults (reminding you of that dream to become a dancer when you were a kid), kickboxing class to wake up that warrior in you or simple running that doesn’t cost any money but relaxes your mind for those precious 30 minutes of it. Anything goes, and sometimes alternating a few types works even better – but do not stop your search until you find the right one. Do not force yourself to stick to the ones you don’t like – just look for something else. And another thing, most important – do not think of exercise as a method of burning calories. Think of it as a way of making yourself stronger. A way of prolonging your life. A way of making your body, and instantly feeling, sexier. When you exercise (or fighting that little whiny voice inside that says you’re too tired or it’s too cold outside), always imagine your body exactly the way you want it to be (it helps to be imagining YOUR body, not yourself looking like Miranda Kerr). Have this confidence that every step is getting you exactly there. Be proud of yourself for making this effort.

IMAGE – celebs exercising

Celebrities, more so than models (as models generally tend to be naturally very slim while celebrities are more versatile in their shape and body structure), are a great way to see the benefit of this extra effort. Lots of people get annoyed that celebrities in majority look much better than “real people”. Well, there is absolutely no need to get annoyed – it is only so because they work out two-three times as much as a “real person” would. Anyone can look as good as this – providing they will put as much effort in.

So next time before deciding to skip lunch or dinner, or deciding to only eat egg whites and spinach for the next two weeks, do think twice – in the end, a couple of good books on nutrition and a gym membership might do just what you want to happen, and without discomfort of feeling unhealthy.

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