by Michelle Wilkinson

Created on: June 18, 2009

It can be much easier to preach the benefits of body acceptance than to actually practise body acceptance, since we are all influenced by our genetics, our upbringing, our culture and the society in which we live to think a certain way about beauty. It is not always possible to accept the way you look when you are constantly exposed to images which supposedly reflect 'perfection', usually focusing on individuals who are slim, toned, with flawless skin and immaculate style. When you're constantly comparing yourself to 'perfection' it can be hard to be satisfied with your own appearance, which is probably why so many women loathe their bodies and spend most of their lives on a diet.

Weight can become an obsession for some women because it is an aspect of their appearance that they have the power to change. They might have a crooked nose or big ears, but unless they are prepared to have cosmetic surgery there is little they can do about these 'flaws', though they may try to disguise them. However, on an almost a daily basis we are shown extremely skinny celebrities who have managed to slim down from a slightly larger size, and women's magazines are often littered with the latest fad diets that helped these celebrities get the perfect body. We often get sucked into believing that we, too, could look as good as them without considering all the time and money that they have got to make the most of their appearance, and the fact that they have a lot of help from stylists, professional photographers, and an airbrush.

Consequently, too many women end up following fad diets without thinking through why they are actually trying to lose weight. Is it really just so they can look like their favourite celebrities? Perhaps it has more to do with having low self-esteem and the pressure they feel to be seen to care about their appearance. Often real life can get in the way of you reaching your ideal size, as you have to clean the house, feed and wash the kids, and even spend some time with your husband. You really don't want to spend all your free time in the gym, do you? Celebrities manage to do it - they appear to epitomise self-control and dedication - but, then again, they make their money from their bodies. It therefore makes sense for them to invest time into remaining slim and toned; besides, they can afford to employ a nanny and a cleaner, unlike most of us.

Then, there are those women who claim that they can eat whatever they want and never gain weight, which can be extremely frustrating for those of us who only have to catch a whiff of a pizza baking in an oven to gain a few ounces. There may be a few lucky people who don't have to watch their weight, but for most people managing their weight depends on their ability to monitor their calorie intake. They might want other people to think they don't have to work at it, but usually they do, though maybe not always consciously if they have developed good habits from a young age. The trouble is we end up convinced that we have been saddled with unlucky genes and that we're destined to be fat.

However, maybe this isn't such a bad thing, so long as we follow a healthy lifestyle. Not all of us were designed to be extremely slim, and surely it is more important to focus on being in good physical condition than continually striving to be skinny, especially since for most people this means cutting calories drastically and thus not getting the right nutrients. Thus, accepting your body the way it is has to be considered a step worth taking if you are ever going to be happy in your own skin.

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