VOLUME10 - ISSUE 1
JANUARY 9, 2002
UNIVERSITYCOLLEGE Of THE FRASERVALLEY'SSTUDENTNEWSPAPER
A NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONYou CAN KEEP By Nicole Pecenka
ci e are far more likely to yield long term results.
Christmas is over and a New Year is upon us. In the midst of the holiday revelry, many people resolve to ''do better·· in the year to come. Many of these resolutions take the form of decisions to lose weight, work out, or otherwise improve one·s self. Women may obsess about their weight in general or specific body part in particular. In a day and age where androgyny has somehow become a fashionable ideal and eating disorder are ravaging the population, New Year's resolution to lo e weight are not necessarily good ideas. Actors like Leonardo Dicaprio gain fame looking as though they have yet to reach puberty desrite exceeding the age .-,f25, and models like Kate Moss become hou ehold names despite having almost no hips and even Jes che t. The "willowy .. look has been eclipsed by the anorexic look - soft curves and hourglass figures eem to be thing nf the 'past. Society's ideals today are impos ible. Doctors have c mmented that the majority of models and many actresses are clinically underweight. Jn spite of this expert opinion, a devout following faithfully adheres to extreme diets and frequents the local gym in an attempt to reach half- tarved nirvana. Anore ia and Bulimia are a growing concern in North America, as people strive to live up to impossible ideal . This growing problem often causes depression; incidences of suicide are greater among those with eating disorder as they struggle to live up to an unreali tic goal. Plastic urgery is increasing in popularity; facelifts. liposuction and tummy tucks become commonplace in a society where no one ever looks good enough. Crash diets undertaken as a result of Resolutions are rarely if ever successful. a the body quickly reacts co 1he hortage of food by economizing. As oon as the diet ends, weight piles back on, putting a train on the body and discouraging the dieter. Long term plans to improve health through healthy eating habits and moderate exer-
1f one's food is too rich and a diet is a good idea for health reasons, here are ~ few rough guidelines to follow. A general rule of thumb to determine the ideal weight for a female is JOOpounds for the fir t five feet and an additional 5 pound for every extra inch of height. This e timate falls right in the middle of the weight-for-height table by the gerontology re earch center. lf one remember. to give or take ten pounds. and take bone structure and body type into consideration, they will have a starting point. Moderate exercise, uch a walking briskly for half an hour a day, is for more likely to become habitual than an occasional aftemn n spent at the gym. Also, in a society of couch potatoes, short walks are often enough to significantly benefit one ·s health. Marilyn Monroe, beloved ex symbol. was the ideal
not so long ago. Marilyn was a ize 14. as was Rita
Hayworth. By today's standards, they would both be considered plus-size models. While a willowy figure is beautiful, a malnourished figure i. not. 90% of the population will never achieve model-like measurements. and would be much better off if they accept and love themselves the way they are. So, when considering your New Year· resolutions remember thi. : toothpicks are not cool, healthy bodie. are, in whatever. ize or hape they come in. This year, resulve to be happy with yourself.