What is your base?

Ok, so a few days ago I blogged about obesity, but no I don't think everyone should look like a runway model or a professional athlete. Healthy is something we can all achieve, however, as askew as our eating habits are our popular descriptions/standards for a fit body.

I won't get into the whole anorexia topic, but unless you've lived in a cave the past ten years, you've seen or heard the stories of young women driven to extreme lengths to obtain the fashion magazine ideal size and shape. While not driven to these extremes, I can't help but wonder how many other women are affected by the same propoganda, and although this discussion will revolve around women, men are not exempt from setting unrealistic goals.

Hawaii's beaches allow for the ultimate in people watching, with multiple nationalities and ethnicities represented. During my visits I've noticed the different body traits of the different nationalities, and yes, I am typically looking at the women. Yes, my wife knows. We discussed this topic when she accompanied me, noting that the women provided greater opportunity for noticing the differences in body structure. What have I learned?

Without committing to making mistakes in labeling people at this point in my observation/learning process, let me describe some of the differences I've seen. Even among asian women you see distinct differences. One nationality tends to be very slender, while another's height to weight ratio seems very balanced, while yet a third trends toward short, compact, atheletic frames. Among Caucasian women, body types run the entire gamut, but on average it appears that European women are typically of a slighter build than their American and Australian counterparts. Those of polynesian desent appear to be predominantly athletic built, but disproportionately distributed. The older sister on the Disney cartoon, Lilo and Stitch, is a fair representation.

What does this have to do with the stuff I usually blog about? When setting fitness goals, don't set goals you can not attain. If you're a 5'2" athletic framed woman, you are not going to look like Halle Berry. If you are a small framed 6'2" man, you're not going to turn into the "Governator". Build your goals around what is ideal for your body type.

Among those body styles I described observing, I've seen fit and healthy examples of each, and as an old bumper sticker said so eloquentley, "I know I'm some body, 'cause God don't make no Junk!" Be healthy, then be content with who you are.