Surabhi Sharma, 25, a student pursing her MA in English, had been slightly overweight all her life. Two years ago, she decided she had had enough of being taunted and ridiculed because of her size and decided to get in shape. Her role models were willowy girls on the
covers of magazines and
movies. Over the course of the next five months, she lost almost nine kilos.
“It wasn’t easy but at least I’m happier than before about the way I look. I still want to lose an additional four to five kilos,” says Surabhi who stuck to a single meal a day – one that mostly comprised fruits and salads – during the course of her weight loss period.[break]
Historically, the ideal female body was strong and full-figured. Think Marilyn Monroe who appealed to the masses despite in no way being thin and lean but rather the contrary – full and voluptuous. However, the trend of being slender soon took over and grew exponentially within a few years. In the current times, a “thin at all costs” mindset seems to define our culture with more and more youngsters striving to be paper thin.
In our quest of being a certain size – which in almost all cases is a size too small – yo-yo dieting and excessive exercise take over our lives. In the process, health often goes for a toss.
“There’s a direct link between how we see ourselves and how we treat our body. When people are dissatisfied with their body and the way they look, they will go to any length to fit into their ideals of beauty,” says Dipika Tiwari, a psychologist, explaining why people tend to favor crash diets despite being aware about its health repercussions.
According to Tiwari, over time models have gone from thin to emaciated, which has led to the growing problem of body image dissatisfaction and subsequent starvation diet fads in the general public. Today, the media is a far more powerful influence than ever before, sometimes taking precedence over friends, family or other real women.
Whereas in the earlier times women used to look at role models who were average-sized, they are now comparing themselves with images that are unrealistically thin. In the old days, a young girl grew up wanting to look like her mother or best friend. Now she wants to look like the airbrushed image of a model on the cover of a magazine.
Manavi Dhungel, 21, a BBA third year student, confesses to being obsessed about her weight even though at 5 feet 3 inches she measures 50 kilos which is the ideal weight for a person of her build. By her own admittance, she frequently skips meals and even goes on crash diets for a few days whenever she feels fat. And she feels fat almost always after seeing the latest covers of magazines or models frolicking in fashion shows on TV.
“I think it’s very important to look good and I believe for that you have to weigh as less as possible,” says Manavi, adding that she wants to lose at least five kilos, never mind the fact that losing that amount of weight will medically put her in the “underweight” category. Her desire to be like the model on this month’s cover of a popular fashion magazine is too strong to undermine.
“I don’t think I’ll be satisfied till I look a certain way. I want to be like this Indian model I admire and want to have a body like hers,” confesses Manavi whose mother, Janaki Dhungel, a teacher, admits that her daughter suffers from bouts of self loathing and even depression when she feels she doesn’t look as good, or in other words, thin, as the models on TV.
“More often than not, magazine images are altered and at times even conglomeration of body parts. Also, every person is different and you have to be realistic about what works or doesn’t work for your body type,” quips Tiwari.
In the current times, a “thin at all costs” mindset seems to define our culture with more and more youngsters striving to be paper thin. Photo: Keshab Thoker
Granted that there are entire sections devoted to diet and exercise tips as well as pictures of extremely thin models splashed on the pages of magazines and stick figure models walk the ramp and appear on TV. The message it appears to send out is that you need to be thin to be good looking. But the message can also be interpreted in a healthy way – as a call to keep your weight in check and not be overweight.
Jharana Bajracharya, actress and former Miss Nepal, believes that looking good is not as important as feeling good. But the line
between them has been blurred and people often confuse the two. Jharana also mentions that it is important to be healthy and keep our weight within the ideal limits; but striving to be waiflike definitely is not the way to go.
“Body image is related to self esteem, and how you feel about yourself greatly affects the way you are,” she says, adding that being overweight may lead to personal and professional problems besides health issues; so it is mandatory to be of a healthy weight.
There is nothing wrong in wanting to be slender and fit. But when the same mindset transcends into an obsession and you resort to extreme measures to lose weight, it is where it starts to get dangerous. Experts believe that it may be the reason behind eating disorders and even depression.
“Some women internalize our society’s thinness ideal and when they cannot measure up to the ridiculous standards set for the female body, they often develop a negative body image. Negative body images can lead to eating disorders as well as depression,” says Tiwari.
Trying to emulate the pictures you see in magazines, television and movies is a setup for self-hatred. However, the aspiration to have Barbie-like measurements that are physiologically impossible without surgery and or starvation is nothing new anymore. Being ultra skinny is seen as beautiful, and fat is often regarded repulsive. What many forget is that there is a healthy in-between the two extremes.
“Every person needs to be fit and maintained and that doesn’t necessarily mean thin. Your body structure may not allow that. It’s important to understand one’s body and be at a weight meant for your height and frame. And that’s beautiful,” says Jharana.
While the media does portray an unhealthy body standard for women to live up to and thus have been blamed for creating and perpetuating an unrealistic ideal, it also falls under every individual to strive to be in her best healthy form and not force-fit themselves into a warped notion of perfect that always seems a little out of reach.
On the heavier side: The cost of being overweight
At 5 feet 2 inches, Shraddha Karki, a bank teller, weighs 71 kilos. She wasn’t always on the heavier side and used to weigh not more than 55 kilos till two years back. Coming from a family with no history of obesity, she blames her lifestyle – a desk job and dependence on fast food – for the weight gain.
In recent years, obesity has become a rising problem even in Nepal, with an increased dependence on fast food, coupled with decrease in physical activity. On a random survey conducted by The Week, eight out of ten people confessed to being largely dependent on fast food like sandwiches, burgers and pizza for their daily food requirements – not to say anything of the colas and coffees that are consumed alongside.
“I gained ten kilos in the past one year and it has had severe health impacts,” says the 28 years old Shraddha who is desperate to go back to her slim and svelte self once again. From painful periods to borderline blood pressure, she has had to face numerous health issues in the last few months.
Being overweight certainly comes with a price. The extra weight strains all your body systems, putting you at risk of developing numerous health problems. The health risks double with each extra kilo you put on. From hypertension and diabetes to respiratory problems and even cancer, the downsides of being overweight are many.
“Maintaining an ideal weight according to your height is of paramount importance. This way you’ll be able to ward off many health problems,” says Dr Mahesh Raj Ghimire, Resident at National Medical College in Birgunj.
According to the latest WHO projections, at least one in three of the world’s adult population is overweight and one in 10 is obese. Also, worldwide, there are over 40 million children under the age of five who are overweight.
Obesity is responsible for high levels of LDL or bad cholesterol and triglycerides. At the same time, it lowers HDL or good cholesterol. It impairs the body’s responsiveness to insulin and raises blood sugar and insulin levels. Obesity also contributes to major causes of death and disability, including heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, osteoarthritis, fatty liver and depression.
Various research and studies have associated central obesity – increase in abdominal fat – with an increased risk of premature death, regardless of overall weight. Some studies have found that even when women were considered to be a normal or ideal weight based on standard body mass index (BMI) measurements, a large waistline increased the risk of dying of cardiovascular disease.
“If you are a woman and your waist measures more than 35 inches, or if you are a man and your waist measures more than 40 inches, you are more likely to develop heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and certain cancers,” says Dr Ghimire.
What is not widely known is that the risk of health problems can start from the time when someone is slightly overweight and the likelihood of problems increase as they put on more weight. However, the good news is that being overweight and obese are largely preventable.
“The key to maintaining ideal weight is to achieve a balance between calories consumed and calories used on a daily basis,” says Dr Ghimire, adding that the cost of being overweight – even slightly – is far too high to ignore. So people should become conscious about their health and strive to attain and maintain a healthy weight.
He explains that to reach this goal, people can limit energy intake from total fats and shift fat consumption away from saturated fats to unsaturated fats, increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, incorporate more legumes, whole grains and nuts in their diet as well as limit their intake of sugar and sweets.
And to increase the amount of calories used, Dr Ghimire stresses the need for people to be more physically active. The best way to achieve this would be to exercise at least 30 minutes daily. Regular, moderate-intensity cardio workout on a daily basis can help you burn calories and shed those extra kilos.
“While excess weight is harmful, losing weight rapidly is also equally bad. Slow and steady weight loss of no more than a kilo per week is the safest way to lose weight,” says Dr Ghimire, adding that crash diets and food deprivation never really work, and when and if they do, can have severe health repercussions.
While carrying around excess weight endangers your health, rapid weight loss is also harmful and should be avoided as it can lead to muscle loss rather than fat. Being overweight and losing weight too rapidly both pose serious risks to your health and neither is a matter that should be taken lightly. Paying attention to what you eat and making sure you get enough exercise are sure-shot ways that can go a long way in not only helping you become fit and look good but stay healthy as well.
The right way to lose weight
While we tend to associate weight loss with looking good, it is vital not only to fit into your favorite pair of jeans but also because being overweight often comes with a myriad of health problems.
“Weight loss takes time and it isn’t wise to want immediate results,” says Dr Usha Shah, Chief Dietician at Nepal Police Hospital, and Consultant at Norvic International Hospital. According to Dr Shah, many people tend to starve themselves to lose weight or go on strenuous exercise programs but these extreme methods rarely work and can lead to health problems in the long run.
“Slow and steady is the key in losing weight and keeping it off,” says Dr Usha, stressing on the importance of weight loss plans being sustainable and practical. She says that people set up Herculean tasks – like eating very, very less and walking, running besides working out at the gym – which aren’t possible to carry out for a long term, which is why diet plans and exercise regimes tend to fail.
Dr Usha offers a way out. She first recommends finding out your BMI to determine how much and at what rate you should aim to lose weight. The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measurement tool that compares your height to your weight and gives you an indication of whether or not you are overweight.
If your BMI is above the normal range by a single unit, then you should lose weight at the rate of half a kilo per week, and if your BMI falls outside the normal values by two or more units, then you can aim to lose up to a kilo per week. Weight loss, however, should not exceed more than a kilo per week, as that can strain your body system and lead to health problems.
According to Dr Shah, being physically active is of paramount importance in losing weight. One hour of brisk walking everyday is a good way to start, she suggests, adding that swimming and aerobic exercises burn more calories than walking; so one can gradually shift to that after a few weeks of walking and building up stamina.
However, Dr Shah mentions that the right way to lose weight involves exercising along with a combination of dietary approaches. She does not recommend complete deprivation of any food item, as that, she believes, can lead to cravings that will subsequently lead to binging.
“Cutting down on junk food, colas and chocolates help speed up weight loss, as much of the calories people consume on a daily basis come from these items. But you can indulge in a little bit every once in a while to keep cravings at bay,” says Dr Shah, adding that one should also incorporate more fruits and vegetables, which are rich in fiber but low in calorie content, in their diet.
Water, too, can help in cutting down calories. Dr Shah narrates an account of a nine-year-old who resorted to Coke instead of water every time he was thirsty. The overweight child had kidney stones as a result.
“This kid used to have one and a half liters of Coke every single day,” she says, adding that during the hot summer months, people tend to opt for cold drinks when they are thirsty when a swig of water would work as well.
According to the expert, weight loss will only be possible when it is doable and sensible. Also, you have to be ready to give it time and keep at it without losing sight of the goal. Lessening your calorie consumption by cutting down on fast food is also imperative.
People tend to want quick fixes but unfortunately there aren’t any where weight loss is concerned. The key to sustaining any weight loss program lies in perseverance. Losing weight is a long and often tedious process but with the right approach and attitude, it can be accomplished.
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