The Body Fascination Redefined Again?

I’ve been seeing the ‘dad bod’ thingy being discussed again on social media again. Once again, the definition of a certain type of body shape is positioned and disputed. As it usually happens, a celebrity has a “body transformation” for an on screen role and the tabloids begin to tell the masses that it’s the way to be, what they should think about it, and how they should react to it.

Again, it is decided that the trend body is the one that is desired not by the individual necessarily, but by the person searching for a partner or what society deems attractive. I mean seriously, people still find it necessary to justify their body. What is the point of these trend bodies? It went from the skinny body to the muscular body to the dad bod to what’s next, the no bod? Or maybe it’s the dead bod.

The thing is it’s been like this for women for years. I remember when the trend and objectification was for a really skinny ‘model’ look. Like skin and bones look. Then there was the thigh gap, the bikini bridge, and the ‘thick’ look to name a few, followed. Rox wrote about her own experience in her post My Struggle as a Muscular Women.

I actually remember when the dad bod first became popular and was characterized so. It started when some people found a non-toned body (which was previously toned) on a certain celebrity attractive. It became a new trend, and men who never exercised before or who had a roundish physique now had a dad bod.

There is also the plus size model which I believe in its most sincere form is an important addition to fashion and body image depiction. However, it as well has become a definition with which to measure rather than accept.

See it’s the trend bod that becomes a universally accepted new image. It does not become an acceptance of individuality and body image or body positivity. It simply becomes a new definition of how society thinks one’s should look and defines what a body should look like or what body shape is attractive.

This may be controversial, but I don’t believe that this is body positivity or acceptance at all really. I don’t usually give much thought to the trend body or get involved in the conversation, but it’s something that effects the wellness of many individuals.

Based on the conversation happening on social media this week, the feel comfortable with the dad bod image because it is considered attractive to others or by society has apparently changed. The goal posts of the finally accepting body type have been moved again and it has become another difficult body to attain for some.

This is trend physique, and as long as you follow the trend, the trend will keep changing to what others or popular culture determine is attractive. It will be nothing to do with you or your personal journey and struggle. You will then have to redefine your own body again.

For me, fitness is about me, my body, my health, my fitness, my wellness. I’m not after the ‘perfect body’ or the on trend look. It’s about my freedom, my individuality, my journey and my decisions. And yes, I still train hard… I still exercise at least five days a week. Why? Because I love it. I like to be relatively healthy, strong and physically fit. I like pushing myself. I enjoy all the thousand other benefits that come with fitness besides for the society’s accepted physique. I like living better. I want to and enjoy living strong.