A generation ago, someone was considered lazy or abnormal if they looked to be overweight. It was shameful and a disgrace to be obese in public. Thin was in, and nothing else would do. It was not until well into the 1990’s that Americans perception of weight began to shift. Slowly shifted. Young women and men still worked to have a perfect body. They were still trying to fight what was becoming the new norm.

Fast forward to 2009. There are a lot more overweight and obese people out there now. More importantly, there is a greater acceptance of different sizes in society. Going into the “plus sized department” of a store is not as embarassing as it once was. Women are learning to love their bodies as they are. Every little pound does not intimidate a woman anymore. They strive more for healithy living and realistic weight goals. According to the CDC, more than half of the United States population is over their recommended body mass index(BMI). That is defined as “overweight”. About one-third of those people are obese. This is indeed the new norm. With today’s lazy lifestyle, we have become overweight quickly. That has forced us to change our attitudes about beauty and what we find attractive.

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” This is a very old but true saying. There are many things and qualities that make someone attractive. With the recent acceptablity of different body shapes, often a person does not need to be pencil-thin to be desirable. Men realize that it is okay to be less than perfect also. A person’s inner beauty often times outshines any excessive weight they may carry. This has lead to a general acceptance of all sizes and shapes.

Anyone of any shape is good-looking in their own way. Women still strive for a perfect body. However, some will not waste their lives to achieve it. They know if they have self-confidence, they will be attractive in other ways. They just need someone to see it. Having a deeper sense of inner beauty has become more of a factor in a relationship. Getting to know somone on a personal level is more important than their dress size. Finally, society has caught up and allowed people to be comfortable in their own bodies. A woman can feel proud for who she is as a person, not because she lost the last five pounds to get into her size 6 jeans. We look at our potential partners with too much sexual interest at first. That is a shame. The one that you ruled out as not “your type” could have been your soulmate. I’ll close with another old, tired but true line. ” You can’t judge a book by its cover.”