By: Kayli Spears, MFT-Intern
A 2020 research article on body shape ideals in the United States yielded
that women “reported conflicting pressures to be thin while also having the
desire to have curvier and fuller bodies” (Hunter et al., 2020, pp. 240).
There has been yet another shift in the perception of the “perfect body” in
the United States over the last couple of years. Similar to the changing of
the seasons and the trends that come and go, society’s ideal body fluctuates
as well. How can anyone win with what is “in” or “popular” when standards
are constantly shifting? In a world that does not permit an abundance of
control in our lives, people can often attempt to hold tightly to the things
they do have control over, one being food consumption. Crashing the
calculator that resides in your mind is possible through renewing your
mind to the truth of your worth and value as you are.
While cultural factors weigh into an individual’s understanding of body
ideals, one truth remains across the board: 2nd Corinthians 5:1. “Now we
know that when this early tent we live in is taken down, we will have a
house in heaven, an eternal body made of us by God himself and not by
human hands.” Our bodies will fail one day. Gravity will run its course, and
the ebb and flow of beauty standards will continue; however, the contents
of what our tents or our bodies keep dry are the timeless contents. We are
given finite time on Earth. How beautiful might it be to spend that time
nourishing the contents that produce glory for The Kingdom?
Life has a way of getting busy, with the concern of outward appearances to
surface and high-jack our understanding of Truth. To further discuss
freeing yourself from the shackles of the ever-present calculator, I invite
you to schedule an appointment with me, Kayli Spears, through our
portal at dwatherapy.com, or call our office at 806-780-0003.
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Kayli
References
Hunter, E. A., Kluck, A. S., Ramon, A. E., Ruff, E., & Dario, J. (2021). The curvy ideal
silhouette scale: Measuring cultural differences in the body shape ideals of young U.S.
women. Sex Roles, 84(3/4), 238–251.
https://doi-org.acu.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s11199-020-01161-x