my Body Beautiful Blog | January 2011

Monday, January 31, 2011

Male Breast Surgery

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (Baaps) has announced that the number of breast reduction operations for men increased from 581 to 741 (28%) last year. More than double the 2008 figure. The medical name for the operation is gynaecomastias; it is more commonly known as man boob or "moob" ops.

Could vanity and recent photos of barechested celebs like Simon Cowell be the reason behind the increase?

Fazel Fatah, consultant plastic surgeon and president of Baaps, argued against pure vanity being the main culprit. "A lot of these men develop so much breast tissue that they begin to look like women's", he said. However, he did admit to an element of vanity by adding, "men have become more aware of body image and what's considered attractive and acceptable."

Women's breast surgery operations also increased in 2010 to 9, 430, 10% more than 2009.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Is your central heating making you fat?

A University College London study has found that indoor winter temperatures have increased over the past few decades. This, the study concludes ,might increase the likelihood Brits gaining weight.

Researcher Fiona Johnson found that reduced exposure to cold affects the bodies ability to maintain a healthy weight. This occurs because warm indoor temperatures minimises the need to expend energy in order to stay warm and also reduces the body's capacity to produce heat.

Fiona has called for new public health strategies, this time looking at heating in addition to other environmental factors such as diet and exercise.

With the recent and no doubt further hikes in household energy bills, I don't think it will be long before cooler houses and thus colder and thinner inhabitants becomes the norm.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Self Esteem & Managing Emotions Workshop

We have created a new workshop.

The one day 'Self Esteem & Managing Emotions' workshop is designed to support educators who want to augment their approach to teaching self esteem, self confidence, communication skills and the management of emotions to boys. It would also be beneficial to girls.

The workshop is interactive, with photos, topical games and short discussion exercises. All exercises / reflections are written in a workbook, which the pupils keep.

Workshop details:-

    Being male ( or female)
    Self esteem & self confidence
    Communication Skills
    Managing Emotions
        - Anger
        - Conflict Management
        - Stress

Details

Friday, January 21, 2011

Imperfect is the new perfect

One of our site visitors recommended this video. After watching it, we thought it was good enough to share. Enjoy.

Imperfect is the new perfect by Caitlin Crosby

Verse 1:-

Compare the way my body looks to the magazines
Don't know why everybody's buying into the scene
So I'm gonna drive down the boulevard
Not caring who has a faster car
Tone down the makeup and the noise
'Cause what's inside will bring the boys

I don't wanna look like you because
You're too perfect, too perfect
And I don't want to fill your shoes because
It's not worth it, it's not worth it
I don't fit the mold
I am real
Too colourful to conceal
Imperfect is the new perfect
Imperfect is the new perfect

Watch video

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

The Chinese and Western beauty ideals

This week we learned that cosmetic surgery is flourishing in China, where the industry is now worth 10 billion pounds a year.

The tragic death last year of the aspiring Chinese singer Wang Bei 24, during cosmetic surgery, has not steamed the growing tide of those seeking beauty through surgery.

In the UK and the West in general, the most popular procedures include breast surgery, facelifts and tummy tucks. In China, reports the Sky News, it is ‘double eyelids’. The goal of double eyelid surgery is to make the eyes appear more European i.e. less Asian.

Other common procedures, again aimed at making Asian features and skin look more western, include nose enlargements, jawbone reshaping or ‘grinding’, and liposuction on the cheeks.

“Foreigners think that the Chinese all have flat faces and small eyes, because that''s what our race looks like,” said Dr Shi Sanba, the founder of a high-end clinic in Beijing. “But now that China''s getting richer people are no longer satisfied with their appearance. We think Westerners are more beautiful,” she added. Dr Shi has herself had more than 60 operations.

Bao Bao, a 28-year-old former dancer from Shanghai, had Aomeiding (toxic substance ) injected into both her breasts and chin and says she is now in constant pain. The self-confessed cosmetic surgery addict has also had over 100 other procedures, including three facelifts, laser skin whitening and implants in her heels in an attempt to add stature.

“I’ve lost everything, my youth and my career,” she said in a tearful interview. “No man wants to be with me, and sometimes I look so frightening that I don’t even want to leave the house,” she added.

My only comment is to restate that beauty ideals (what is and is not deemed beautiful) are created by society. Sadly many Chinese are signing up to the narrow Western definition of beauty, rather than recognising and embracing the beauty that uniquely Asian.

Monday, January 17, 2011

A joke too far?

Yesterday Ricky Gervais hosted the Golden Globes award. It is fair to say that his 'jokes', in which he mocked both the organisers and celebrities, did not go down well with the audience.

One of Ricky Gervais's close to the knuckle jokes included a jibe regarding Hollywood's phobia about ageing and it's airbrushing culture.

"I was sure the Golden Globe for special effects team would go to the team that airbrushed that poster (Sex and the City 2). Girls, we know how old you are.... I saw one of you in an episode of Bonanza."

Robert Downey Jr, summed up the ceremony as follows. "Aside from the fact that it's been hugely mean-spirited with mildly sinister undertones, I'd say the show's going pretty good so far, wouldn't you?"

Friday, January 14, 2011

New Year and a new healthier you

The start of the year is always a good time to inject some energy into your plans for a healthier you.

Exercise
Research shows that exercise has many benefits including helping to control your weight, improving your mood, fitness levels and it even helps to prevent or control the impact of physical illness.

Health Eating
Two thirds of the women who started New Year diets gave up yesterday (survey of 1,000 women). Interestingly 72% said they would keep the fact secret for several weeks. If diets don't work for you, healthy eating may be the way forward.

Mind and emotions
Mental health and wellbeing enables an individual to function effectively in the modern world, despite the many stresses. They also help you to make positive contributions to your family, work and community.

Read Full Article

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Age discrimination

Congratulations to 53 year old ex Country File presenter Miriam O'Reilly who has won an age discrimination case against the BBC. Miriam was dropped when the program moved to a prime time slot.

" I deserve to be judged on my ability and not on my appearance.... I don't think having wrinkles is offensive", she told Sky News.

The BBC have "accepted the judgement" and said that they will apologies to her.

In the interest of fairness, we must say that the BBC do have older women presenters e.g. Angela Rippon, Gloria Hunniford and Jennie Bond recently returned to their journalistic roots in the new series of 'Rip Off Britain'.

Friday, January 07, 2011

Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions

2011 is here. This is the time when people traditionally reflect on the past year(s) and implement any changes that they want to make during the new year.

The top 10 resolutions for 2011 and predicted outcomes (Brand Keys survey) are listed below. You know the old adage. "What someone says and what they actually do are two different things."

1.Get yourself organized (89%)
2.Do things that make you happy (85%)
3.Learn something new (74%)
4.Exercise more (63%)
5.Watch your diet (58%)
6.Find a new job (50%)
7.Better manage your finances (45%)
8.Spend more time with your family (43%)
9.Quit smoking (30%)
10.Quit drinking (18%)

New Year resolutions facts:
    -    More than 75% maintain their resolutions past the first week,
    -    64% are still going strong after a month,
    -    Almost 50% are able to maintain them for more then six months.