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The idea of what the world considers beautiful today sometimes has very little to do with what is healthy.
A significant effort has been made to educate the public on the dangers of obesity and how it can negatively affect one's health.
But the bombardment of the concept that "thin is beautiful" from every direction and every form of media has been an even stronger influence, spawning a bonanza of weight loss products in the marketplace as the public strives, sometimes unrealistically, to reach this perceived idea of beauty. |
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How to Lose Weight
However, the question "How can I lose weight?" is a rather modern concept. Today's obsessions with diet programs and herbal weight loss pills actually runs counter to the ideals of beauty for most of human history. One only has to look at some of the most famous pieces of artwork from the past to see how perceptions of beauty have changed. Botticelli's Venus, considered to be the ultimate expression of beauty in its day, portrays what would be considered a plus-size woman by modern standards. The figures portrayed by the Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens clearly have no interest in Herbalife weight loss pills or the Jenny Craig diet plan.
The reason for the shift in the perception is actually very simple. Throughout most of human history, food was hard to obtain. The majority of people were thin; only the most successful and productive (or, in more recent years, the wealthiest) could obtain the amount of food necessary to build up body fat. Therefore, fat was seen as a symbol of success, something that was desirable. Furthermore, fat was seen as a symbol of good health. During this time period, the problems that we associate with obesity today were not serious health problems for the general public. There were more immediate threats like starvation during the long winter months. Those who had more fat were more likely to survive such a threat.
In the latter part of the 19th century, thanks to the American Great Plains, food became plentiful for the first time in history. Much of the population today is overfed rather than underfed. The difficulty remaining thin in today's world is what has made it such a desirable trait.
Here are 33 diet plans to help you lose weight!
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