Written By: Kriti Saraswat | Published : October 16, 2014 12:30 PM IST
Be it Hollywood or Bollywood, actresses are always under the scanner for the way they look or dress. And when someone is slightly on the plumper side, they are often criticised and made fun of. Sonakshi Sinha who made her debut with Dabangg, lost 30 kg before she entered the film industry. Yet she wasn't spared the jibes and mocked by several people for being 'fat'. The actress never hid the fact that she was indeed on the heavier side but also maintained that she is monitoring her eating habits and losing more weight with time. But Sonakshi did take a dig on her haters on Instagram by posting an image of a skeleton with the text -- Girls be like, I finally hit my goal weight.' She also wrote, 'To all those who keep commenting on my weight, whether its a full picture, or a close up where you cant see jack. Take a good look at this picture. Now get this: 1) this aint ever gonna be me 2) get over it. 3) i wish u could see which finger i hold up for shallow and idiotic people like yourself.'
Sonakshi has made it clear that she does not want to be skinny ever in her life. It is good to know that she is confident of her body image and does not get bogged down by critics who put her down for being a certain size. In the past too, other actresses have been mocked after they put on weight. For instance, Aishwarya Rai was referred to as 'Gol Bachchan' when she did not lose her pregnancy weight for a few months after delivery.
Not just celebs, even women in general who are plump are often made to feel that they are not beautiful or attractive which makes them hate their bodies and have body image issues. If studies are to be believed, 'Women who are accepting of their body's imperfections appear to have a more positive body image despite their high body mass index (BMI) and are better able to handle personal disappointments and setbacks in their daily lives.' This study was published in the journal Body Image.
How to improve body image
Rachel Hercman, a psychotherapist specialising in sexuality, dating and relationships, shares tips for women to work on their body image issues.
If you find it hard to drop your conditions for considering yourself beautiful and sexy, try to pretend for a moment that you ve already met those conditions and you are perfect exactly the way you are. Bask in that confidence and the permission to feel comfortable with your body just the way it is. Does it feel wrong? Unjustified? Arrogant?
See what comes up for you. For some women, doing this exercise allows them to identify messages about their body that they received from family members, relationship partners, or society in general. It can help clarify personal core beliefs about what is beautiful, sexy, and who decides. And most importantly, it is a powerful reminder that negative body beliefs can shift when you are willing to challenge your mind-set and the mirror.
Try this exercise: Stand in front of the mirror (or if you re not comfortable with that, sit in a comfortable position). Pick a body part you don t like and try to think for a few moments about positive things about that body part. For example; if you don t like your butt, concentrate on thinking about positive things your butt does for you, such as providing a cushion to sit. Focus on that feeling of gratitude and remind yourself that you are more than just your body.
Developing a healthy body image is no easy feat, but if you can practice gentleness with yourself and surround yourself with positive messages, you will become more comfortable in your own skin.
Image source: bollywoodlife.com
