Column: Tipful Tuesday
Usually, when people hear about body positivity, it’s mainly women preaching about it. Even when we go on social media women are the main ones talking about it which makes us forget that guys also have issues with body positivity and go through the same struggles as women.
Along with feeling insecure about their weight, men may also think they’re not tall enough, not muscular enough, and so much more. Because of the way society is built, many men and women think of a man’s perfect body as having abs, being tall, having muscles, and being athletic. Although that body type is real, we still have to remember that there is no such thing as a perfect body or perfect anything. Being “perfect” is a stigma that we have to get rid of in society because it causes people to have unrealistic standards when it comes to the way they think they should look. As long as you’re healthy that’s all that matters. You don’t have to have a bunch of muscles or abs to be healthy, and if someone says you do, they’re wrong.
Boys, just remember that no matter if you're skinny, short, chubby, or tall, your body type is beautiful and as long as you appreciate yourself, that’s all that matters. Don’t try to play into the unrealistic standards society has built, because the more you keep trying to reach those standards, the more you’re going to lose yourself and still not be happy with the way you look in the end. I know this rant may not help some guys, so for those people, I’ve listed a few tips below to help you become the best version of yourself.
I know it may be a bit cheesy, but try to compliment a part of your body that you like every day, even if it’s something small.
You can also start to get into a daily routine and try to incorporate one exercise into your routine when you have the time to do it.
You can also start by just eating a little healthier. Instead of picking up a bag of chips, pick up some fruit or even a granola bar. Start to replace your bad eating habits with good ones.
Also, try not to compare yourself to other people and what they look like because it hurts your confidence.
I know it’s a process, but over time you’ll get that confidence and start to appreciate yourself. Just take baby steps at first, and you’ll be good, and remember, YOUR BODY IS PERFECT THE WAY IT IS.
As you can probably tell this article was a bit harder for me to write considering I’m a girl, and I have no idea what boys struggle with when it comes to their body, so for any girls reading this, I hope you too take something away from this article and realize that girls and guys are more alike than we may think, and that certain topics, such as body positivity, need to be addressed to guys more so everyone knows that these topics don’t just relate to women, but also men too.