We've Come A Long Way, Baby?

Twenty-five years ago, Glamour magazine polled its readers in a survey designed to find out how they really felt about their bodies. Back then, the survey found, 75 percent of women polled felt that they were too fat. The magazine recently updated its body image survey, asking 16,000 women many of the same questions it asked in its original poll.

One of the most interesting statistics?

"Women under 30 are now 22 percent more likely to say that they are happy with their shape than older women are," according to the story. Believe me, I'm thrilled that younger women are becoming more self-accepting. But it makes me sad to think that, ahem, older women are still beating up on themselves and their bodies.

The survey also asked women what made them feel good about their bodies, and I was thrilled to read the results. Many said that exercising and eating healthy foods made them feel good -- even when the number on the scale and their size didn't change. The simple act of treating their bodies well made them more accepting of their size and shape. Fabulous!

How about you? What makes you feel good about the way you look? And are you becoming more or less accepting of your "flaws" as you get older?

Comments

[Dinneen-Eat Without Guilt]

Interesting survey. But I do wonder if the younger girls answered the survey of how they would "like" to feel, and not really the way they are feeling in reality. That's one of the problem w/surveys & studies -- people often tell you what you WANT to hear, as opposed to the truth.

Also wonder because the younger girls today "change" their appearance & we didn't years ago -- breast enlargement, etc. I've been shocked by the number of young women who do get 'enhancements' and other surgery done.

Also, as society is 'larger' now than it was years ago, wonder if that had an effect on the young women's responses.

Okay, I know I'm being negative here. But I see day in & day out young (and older) women who are just not satisfied w/their bodies, no matter what their shape. And I find this disheartening. Hence, the reason I do my work.

So just asking some questions.

On a positive note (!) -- I LOVE my body so much more than I ever did when I was younger. I'm 40 years old and loving it (and my body!). I now exercise for a different reason (to feel good, instead of just look good), eat better, and also have learned to "enjoy" things like choc cake, and not feel guilty about it.

Amazing what age can do for "enlightenment." But it is surprising to me that older women still don't feel good about their bodies. Just goes to show that this needs to be addressed EARLY in live, or it will be carried with you for a very long time.

Thanks for an interesting and eye-opening post!

[Alyssa]

I'm about to turn 40, and feel better than ever. I honestly believe that many of the women who are dissatisfied with their bodies have other, larger (no pun intended) issues going on. So often we focus on our bodies in order to avoid the other, more painful things.
I'm not at my ideal weight. Far from it, lol! But it hasn't stopped me from getting my teacher certifications for pilates and yoga. These are things I thought about doing when I was younger and thinner, but thought I wasn't thin ENOUGH to do it.
Challenging myself in ways that I WANT to be challenged makes me feel good. I used to live my life in ways that would please others. Now I try to please myself without feeling guilty about it. I have FINALLY realized that a happy Mommy is a good mommy!!!!!

[jamie]

I read some Seventeen magazines from the 70s and they were brutal, as well as the advertisements. As much as people think its bad today it was even worse then... so in a way to me it makes sense that women today feel better about themselves.

Also, I read somewhere that myspace is making younger people more vain... interesting.

[Sagan]

Aw that's encouraging. I hope that there really is more confidence these days (in a good way- such a delicate balance between that and pure vanity/arrogance etc, which would be more negative and not so desirable).

[Dara Chadwick]

Glad to hear that so many of us close-to-or-over-40 gals are feeling the body love! Dinneen, you make excellent points about the survey and I'm glad you did -- there's always more to the story.

Did anyone see the Today Show piece on Friday morning about this very topic? I'll try to post the link.