by Jennifer Marko

Created on: December 13, 2007

As a young woman, I can tell you that I am constantly picking at myself.

It's not that I hate myself, but after seeing some of the female celebs flaunt what God gave them and left out of my genetic makeup, I start to get a little on the depressed side. I know that what I'm seeing sometimes isn't a healthy image, but right now in our society skinny equals beauty.

I am a relatively thin woman whose family tells her she needs to gain some weight. But why can't I see what they're seeing? Why can't I only pick out what I think are my best traits instead of picking out the ones I think are my worst? The answer is so simple I'm surprised some people don't know what it is.

The fact of the matter is we are constantly bombarded with images of skinny models and actresses! There is not a magazine rack we can walk by or movie we can watch that doesn't have a skinny woman in the contents. It is because of this that women are turning to anorexia or extreme weight loss measures.

The Biggest Loser is a great example. Yes, these women are unhealthy, but the way they go about losing weight gives viewers at home the wrong idea. Regular women see this weight being lost in such a short time and think that they can do it too. What viewers don't see, however, is that the contestants work out for hours and hours per day and eat at the most 2000 calories. That's enough to make anyone lose a lttle more than water weight. Don't forget though that since these people are very overweight losing weight is easier for them. There's even a Biggest Loser Club that you can join from the comfort of your own home.

Plastic surgery is another key issue.

Plastic surgeons make millions of dollars a year to make people look like their opposite. The procedures can be as simple as a nose job and as extreme as a body lift - yes, there is such a thing. To have these done you'll have to spend thousands of dollars and spend a good couple of weeks in bed recuperating, depending on the procedure. Women turn to plastic surgery to make themselves look better or even like their favourite celebrity. There are people who actually request to have another human being's nose! Not literally, but a good plastic surgeon can transform anyone's nose into that of Angelina Jolie.

There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to the questions "why do women try for the unrealistic" because the answer is different for everyone, but the majority of women will tell you that they're not happy with themselves. This may be a hypocritical article, but even those of us who know why we do what we do can help other women feel better about themselves. All we have to do is look in the mirror and say, "I love me and that's all that matters."

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