Healthy is always in fashion.
Unfortunately, trends care nothing for health and instead over the last decades have leaned into whatever is easiest, and purchasable. It is a big part of the reason that the trend away from being thin has happened, where "accepting yourself" the way you are has led to a lot of people struggling with their weight, and in places like the US, almost half the population is obese.
But skinny is back.
why?
Because it is purchasable.
Back in the eighties people were complaining about unrealistic body expectations based on representations in the media, where models who had been airbrushed (by hand) adorned magazine covers. And that was replaced by a movement of body positivity where being indulgent, being overweight, not caring what others think brought us to today. The problem is, a few years ago weight-loss drugs came out which made losing weight purchasable and suddenly, it was possible to be indulgent and be thin. And now, all those "happy fat" people have been uncovered as skinny cravers in a fat person's body. And inevitably, being skinny is back in trend.
Skinny - not healthy.
While in general being overweight is unhealthy for the vast majority of people, being thin doesn't automatically mean healthy either - otherwise drug addicts would be healthy. The attraction with these various weight-loss drugs isn't just the weight loss, because there are lots of things that can do that, like adjusting diet and exercise. It is that you don't need to do anything except pay for them. For the most part, people aren't forced to change their behaviours, so no control necessary.
I am not against these drugs.
I think it is ridiculous that we need them, but when culture and economy condition us to consume endlessly, not control our emotional wellbeing or health, and accept ourselves no matter how poorly we feel or are acting, it isn't entirely our fault. We have been raised to be fat consumers, just like children are being raised on screens today in ways that will make them mentally and emotionally stunted.
But now, the red carpets that were not too long ago filled with fuller figures being celebrated for their bravery at accepting their bodies, are being walked by gaunt, hollow people who all seem to have the same expression on their face, no matter their age, the occasion or how they are feeling.
Is this wellbeing?
I don't believe so.
No one has grown to actually accept themselves, they have just buried the feelings of wanting to be something other than what they are behind a curtain of trend. The trends over the last few decades has meant that they can be unhappy with themselves internally, but still fit in externally.
That trend is turning though.
But like all trends, it is driven by those who have the money to spend, and the weight loss drugs are not cheap. But that is okay, because governments are making them accessible by subsidising them, so everyone shares the cost of the people who are both indulging and wanting to lose weight - which is the same as before because the same set of people are more likely to cost more in health services due to various weight-related illnesses, including mental health.
I am not against people who are overweight, as I understand the many challenges and face them myself. However, what I dislike is the entire direction of society, where we keep on creating environments that make us ill in multiple ways, and then creating solutions to the problems we have created that make us ill in other ways. And instead of having the goal of improving our wellbeing, it is all done for money.
What is a healthy weight?
The question can't be answered at a group level, as it is very much individual. However, if a person is not moving their body enough, is eating poorly but with a suppressed appetite, and is feeling nauseous, are they likely to be healthy?
At this point, I don't need to take weight-loss medication, but I wonder if I will ever get to the point where I would, and what would I have to do to get there? How big would I need to be before I get to the point that I believe I can't do it with diet and exercise alone? I have no idea.
Perhaps if there was a pill I could take where I was the perfect weight, but also felt good, could think clearly, and was able to move freely without pain, I would take it. But alas, that pill doesn't exist yet.
So, people predictably choose their looks over all else.
Taraz
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I think weight loss drugs are pointless. But then being perfect weight with a six pack at 50 takes a lot of effort to excercise and keep a perfect diet. I am not perfect when it comes to diet I enjoy life too much, so I have a four pack at best, but I am still happy with it.
Healthy is more important than looks and I am healthy as I can do 100 pull ups and 200 squats and push-ups in one workout over ten sets.
Four is better than 1 ;D
And the gap to "the average" will keep widening as you age. The drop-off after 40 happens, and most people are not in good shape at that point already.
100 pullups I can do, not sure about the squats :D
Actually 100 pull ups is harder for me than 200 squats or pushups...
I was just thinking about this earlier,realizing that thankfully i'm outside the skinny bubble somehow (so that it took me a long long time to realize that it actually is back). I don't know if it's about not believing you can do it with diet/exercise alone, I think it's more to do with the fact that when there's an easier, faster alternative, our own efforts seem that much harder. It's why we'd rather ask ChatGPT than look for something ourselves or even write or draw something ourselves. Does it signal we thing we can't? Not necessarily, but it's quicker, easier, better. That's what's selling this thing, I believe.
I do think there's an opposite side of the coin on the rise in our culture, what with all this "biohacking" stuff. Every podcast you turn to, there's a new expert every day telling you about X diet, workout routine, skincare hack and whatever else that is the golden ticket. I think we also see a tendency to "hack" things in this way that's both gratifying and perilous. It can get exhausting, for sure, chasing the next biohacking trend, so maybe it goes hand in hand with all this GLP-1 craze.
Better seems to be tacked onto everything that is easier and quicker, doesn't it? Is Chat-GPT better, or Gen-AI? Yes, better at getting the result that most can't get, but better for the user?
All the "biohacking" is annoying too, since most of it isn't a hack, it is just some random person who is doing one particular thing that they have become "obsessed" with for attention.
Used to be in great physical condition. Exceptional if I do say so myself. However, once I left the military, I let things slip a little. Then when my initial health challenges hit it just became worse. Just in the last few months have I really been focusing on diet. Exercise is where I need to start giving more attention now. I walk occasionally. But not religiously. I am not happy with how I look. But I also look a lot older than my age already in many respects. So looks are something I am less concerned about. More concerned about the health aspects. Got enough challenges without the weight.
This is what I say about my bedroom prowess - but I am the only one who ever has. ;D
Exactly! Enough challenges without the weight. Life is pretty difficult for many, being heavier/ larger on top of that is a literal added burden that makes all the other things harder to overcome.
Fuck me, I spat out my coffee!
Have we already discussed the conspiracy theory of how health and wellbeing is extremely detrimental to the medical industry who would much rather everyone be permanently and constantly sick so we have to keep purchasing from them forever? I feel like we have but I could be wrong, either way that's where my thoughts went after reading this :)
I am sure we have. Wouldn't it be nice if the medical industry was incentivised by helping people get healthy?
I t hink it would almost definitely be better. I wanted to say that I'm sure it was that way once upon a time but thinking about it I'm much less sure.
Being thin is good here, but over there in Africa it's the opposite—being fat isn't bad, it's very good. It depends on where you are.
Luckily we're neither fat nor skinny, we're in shape... shaped like a ball. Well, I hope there's always health, even if you're shaped like a ball, because health is the best thing in life.
Contrary to many beliefs, you can still be healthy while looking like a ball. You are right about this. No matter how much I exercise or how much muscle I put on, no one calls me fit. In Asian countries, if you cannot tell through your clothes that someone has some mass to it, otherwise you are considered weak or unhealthy.
Very, very few can be.
Aren't all the K-Pop men skinny?
Yes they are, korea generally has much more like that, pop artists generally tend to look like that as a muscular one feels odd, atleast to me. Even the rappers in US tend to be lean, even though they look like they do exercise.
leaness is kinda in fashion now, but in my country it isn't.
The healthy is a business in our world an empire around it unfortunately right now we can not do it by ourself.
When everyone is shaped like a ball, is anyone healthy? For some it is okay, for most - I am not so sure :)
More then ideal weight.. always leads to the start of so many diseases. The major one is laziness. Also, using short cuts for being thin leads to missing the chance of seeing/enjoying the grooming journey. I myself is going through this journey and i am loving each small step...
Missing the journey is a big part of it for sure. Cheaters will always feel like cheats.
for some people, staying fit could help them professionally and in their dating life. Although I have never felt the need to do this, for some people being skinny is accessible, while for others it is not. I have friends who eat three times as much as I do, but nothing happens to them. On the other hand, I participate in fitness and intentionally skip meals throughout the day. Hunger is painful, but at some point, it becomes the most human feeling you can experience. Nothing else matters. Sometimes I intentionally stay hungry, but after a while, my brain starts to lag, and all I get are headaches. Keep in mind, this involves drinking water. I don't really mind discussing drugs because for me, being fit comes at my own cost. Not only can drugs be bad, but when you overdo it, it's still bad. You lose all your intimacy and desire. Even though you look fit, you are not actually well.
In the end, people will take drugs for anything: for fitness, for euphoria, sometimes to look skinny. And this time, people have problems with it because it is apparent and undeserved. Why is that?
No need to skip meals and that can cause other issues - eat healthy. Hunger isn't bad, just uncomfortable and I believe we need it for our bodies to function well.
I just took them from your words to say that this could be because people do not priritize the issues with their health up until it is too late.
And "too late" seems to be getting younger and younger.
You are totally right that modern trends prioritize convenience and profit over our actual well being. By rebranding unhealthy habits as "self-acceptance," society has made it easier for people to avoid the hard work of staying healthy leading to the massive obesity rates we see today. It is a harsh reality that true self-care means looking past marketing trends and focusing on what our bodies actually need to survive.
With all the easily accessible information available on what to do, most people instead scroll feeds hoping to find something that means they don't have to do anything.
People are just wasting their time in scrolling social media.
Yeah and body positivity for me was never really about health, it was about making unhealthy lifestyles socially untouchable. The moment people got access to an easier shortcut to being thin, most abandoned the “love yourself as you are” message instantly
Yes.
As appearance comes first today, being thin overlooks the fact that health comes in many shapes and sizes.
Many shapes and sizes, but not all shapes and sizes.
Trends always change but good health should matter more than societies trends.
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STOPA balanced lifestyle is essential, maintaining a healthy diet and exercising is essential. Indeed, bring overweight can lead to illness. Being thin is fine as long as you're healthy. Eating habits vary from country to country, especially in terms of menu choices. I've seen mostly healthy villagers, who exercise daily in the fields and rice paddies. I still remember the saying Age is destiny, health is a choice. Thank you @tarazkp. Participate in comments.
if my medical professional tried to push any kind of weight loss/gain drug on me, i would just nod, but walk away.
i was a skinny lad up till i got married. (at age 26) then i learned how to eat good and started working out. my goal now is to look good naked. thats all i have to say about that..
I think they are viable options for people who need them to manage their diabetes and for people who have tried all other avenues to lose weight but don't want to take the medical route. That being said, I think way too many people are using them just because they can and I think there are some major side effects that just aren't worth it or are still unknown. My wife knows several people who are on them and they legit spend half of their time in the bathroom crapping their brains out. I that really a higher quality of life than being a bit overweight?
Thanks