The Secret Your Man Isn't Telling You: Page 4

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The Secret Your Man Isn't Telling You: Page 4

Monday, September 1, 2008

Continued from The Secret Your Man Isn't Telling You: Page 3

We asked momlogic contributor and licensed and family therapist Shannon Fox to weigh in on the state of American society and its love of women who are a size 0. Here's what she had to say:

"How tragic that the American 'ideal' body is seven sizes below the national average! It is no wonder that eating disorders are at an all-time high, diet pills are a billion-dollar business and everyone jumps on the latest diet fad."

According to Fox:

Between 40-60% of high school girls diet

30-40% of junior high girls are concerned about their weight

40% of 9-year-old girls have dieted

Fox believes that our body-conscious society can lead to serious problems. "This obsession with weight and unrealistic body ideals is very dangerous for young girls. Why is it that Western cultures have a much higher rate of anorexia than non-Western countries?"

Fox also says, "Men and women's idealization of the female body has harmful consequences for moms. As every mom knows, a woman's body is never the same after having a baby. But the ideal body is still a size zero with big, perky pre-breastfeeding breasts.

"Many moms become depressed, express that they hate their bodies, and even report poor sex lives (see Sexless Marriage Survey results) as a result of not being able to measure up to the perfect body image. There has been a significant rise in the number of moms seeking plastic surgery (like breast implants and tummy tucks) in recent years.

"I'm all for making the most of what you've got, but there has to be more room for ideal bodies that are more realistic and healthy."

Shannon Fox, a licensed marriage and family therapist, is an expert in relationship dynamics who has worked in private practice for nearly a decade, navigating issues of intimacy, honesty, and forgiveness.



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11 comments so far | Post a comment now >>

Dr. Fox seems to think that because we think the best bodies are 7 sizes below the national avaerage that there’s something wrong with that. I ask, what makes her think that the “national average” is ideal? We live in the fattest, mosy obease country in the world. All those dangeriously over-weight people bump the average far beyond any healthy range. When our national average boarders on obease it is probably healther to admire something 7 sizes below that. It would even be better to see the “national average” body lose 20 lbs. Mark

- Mark

Posted 09/05/08 08:53 AM

As a scientist the first thing I noticed was that even though the swim suits were black they are not uniform. Also the models stance and thus body language was vastly different. From a pure biological/psychological aspect #1 is the only choice. Standing with her hips out and arms cradling her breasts , she is the only one showing sex appeal. I believe this “test” to be inconclusive. Thanks

- Ron

Posted 09/05/08 09:26 AM

Blame Hollywood, and Madison avenue. Skinny women are made to look sexy and superior. It makes our young men think that is sexy. They have trouble imagining anyone looking like their moms to be sexy.

- peggy

Posted 09/05/08 09:39 AM

I agree with Ron. Thats exactly what i noticed. Everyone else has hands to the side and standing straight. But #1’s hip is protruding out on one side and shes def perking up those breasts. What a horrible experiment. Of course anyone would pick number one.

- STFUtypohere

Posted 09/05/08 09:50 AM

I noticed the same thing as Ron. If you had all the models with the same arms crossed pose pushing the breasts together, causing more cleavage and gave #1 the same B cups as #3 the results would be different. Most of the women I have known with size 4 or less have A or B cups and don’t look nearly as voluptuous.

- Bob

Posted 09/05/08 10:50 AM

First of all, I would have picked #1 just because she looks better in the way she is posing. The funny thing is, my wife looks skinnier than #1 and is a size 4. I think the test would have been better if all the girls were in a picture together, in the same style suits, and were around the same hieght. IF #1 is a 0, then I wouuld guess she is around 5’ 2”

- Daniel

Posted 09/05/08 11:38 AM

Let’s do a study now with men! Perhaps muscular presentation, intellence, and wit! Plus the all time women’s personnal fav….mmmmmm….don’t get me wrong….men are great!..but they need to take care of themselves and then be smarter than to tell women what to do. If we all focus on healthy then we’ll be fine. And yes…too many men are 14 sizes smaller than most women’s desires except for their bellies! Maybe more men should invest in plastic surgery for themselves!

- Tracy

Posted 09/05/08 11:57 AM

I agree with Ron. I don’t think the “national average” is any kind of ideal. “Normal” in the sense of “the norm” does NOT mean healthy in this case. We are hardwired to find healthy features attractive. Fat is not healthy. (Not that skeletal is healthy either, but the camera /does/ add weight, and the woman in picture No. 1 looks in the photo like a healthy weight.) I also agree in that I don’t think the test is scientifically valid. The suits are not the same, and the body language is vastly different. Those factors should be uniform. What should also be uniform, at least in a few of the pictures, is a waist-to-hip ratio. Heavier women can still have a waist that is smaller than waist or chest. I’d be interested to see how that pans out. But this test is not valid, and if Dr. Fox would like people to find healthy bodies sexy, then she’s got to let go of the national average as a standard.

- Stephanie

Posted 09/05/08 12:10 PM

Wait…men are superficial in how they rate women? Thanks for the groundbreaking journalism.

- Cookie

Posted 09/05/08 01:37 PM

i would of picked # 4 reminds me of the better 1/2 this test was flawed bad put then all side by side same pose and same bathing suit bet test come out totaly diferant

- steve d

Posted 09/05/08 08:50 PM

I would of picked # 4 looks like the better 1/2

- steve d

Posted 09/05/08 08:52 PM

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The Secret Your Man Isn't Telling You: Page 4

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11 comments so far | Post a comment now >>