Koldenburg’s Weblog

I have noticed recently, more than ever, that the figure of today’s woman is changing. With all of the media controversy about women being “too fat” and women being “too thin” I have noticed that those around me have become more sensitive to these criticisms. Living in a sorority house has opened my eyes to many things, but I have realized in the past few months that the wonderful women I surround myself with have been trying harder than ever to lose weight, including myself.  I’ve been told multiple times that a woman who is almost 5′7 and only 130 lbs. is probably underweight if anything, but the way I see it is that if I’m not thin like the celebrities in magazines than no standards  apply. Maybe spring break and the beginning of summer approaching has something to do with people’s attitudes changing, but I’ve begun to feel that the a size 0 is the new size 4. Stick-thin celebrities are being idolized for their lack of eating and their eating disorders when “healthy” women who are over a size 2 are considered fat. With our sorority formal approaching I have been looking for dresses to wear, so I figured my best bet would be to wear something I already have. I have narrowed my choices down to 3 dresses, none larger than a size four, yet I look in the mirror and see someone with love handles and thick legs. Who is to blame for this? I know that these feelings have generated mainly from those around me calling themselves “fat” and “huge” but what makes women so vulnerable to weight changes? Is it true that men want a girl with meat on her bones? Why has the thin look become so popular that women with normally high self esteem, like me, begin to second guess themselves? These attitudes don’t change overnight, so the media needs to begin praising women with healthy bodies. Every once in a while I like to eat a cookie…or a box of cookies. I should be able to feel like I can eat them every once in a while without feeling guilty or judging myself.