This thread is a creative exercise. If you could design your physical body in any way, how would you describe it?

I would choose a petite body with minimum curvature. As for outward age, thirty or younger.

Jeanette Isabelle

I'm not sure of the purpose of the discussion. To me it would be wonderful if we could all have good health -- nobody wants to be genetically prone to this or that. That includes physical, mental, dental, and ophthalmologic health. It's crazy that these areas are often insured differently.

Good health is more than enough. But I guess if we want more, we could be smarter, faster, stronger, more perceptive in our senses, etc. Sure, hard work counts, but Olympic athletes, great musicians, scientists, etc. all have a natural advantage to begin with.

No fantasy. I am comfortable with the body I have I've invested a fair amount of time in its maintenance and improvement, although I could do with a little less belly fat....

Agree with Bingley about the purpose of this thread. overall, good health is supreme, as opposed to mere shape. I would say, looking back, that the gaining of good lifestyle habits (no smoking, good diet, regular exercise) now is really paying off.

Life can't just be about prepping. It's good to let our minds explore.

Jeanette Isabelle

All the good habits a person can practice would not give me the petite body I would like to have.

Jeanette Isabelle

Could you define 'petite' jeanette?
Qjs

Petite as in approximately 152cm, small bone structure, and no curves.

Jeanette Isabelle

Don't worry. All things come to those who wait. When old age arrives, your height will shrink, as Mrs. Hikermor and i are finding out to our chagrin.

As a youngster, Iwas quit tall for my age in 5th grade, and I aspired to be 6 feet tall, and a huge basketball star. I topped out at 5' ll 1/2" (179 cm) nd th world lost a basketball player.

Today I have shrunk to 5'7" (maybe 8 if I cheat a little).

Just bee patient; your time is coming...

Like hikermor, I feel we should value functionality over appearance, and we should maintain our body because it does a lot of things for us, not because we want our body to conform to some arbitrary standard imposed by society. It feels good to exercise, eat well, and live a healthy life. That's plenty.

It doesn't make sense to chase after impossible images. Jeanette is right that we have genetic dispositions that can prevent us from achieving movie star bods. It's a bit of a lottery. Our society's taste in beauty changes. Why chase after a moving goal post that may not have been designed for your game?

Some people may want a slim, petite body. But be careful of what you wish for. I know a number of slim, petite women whose genetics is such that it is really hard for them to gain weight. Some wish they were curvy and could fill out a bikini better. Some have to gain weight for health reasons, and they have a hard time doing it. Some get bullied and have unflattering, objectifying adjectives thrown at them. I'm not asking for sympathy for them. I'm pointing out that dissatisfaction with one's own body image is common, even with the body type that one idealizes.

What I described is not a standard imposed by society, nor is it a movie star body. The social standard and movie star image is height.

I'm tall but want to be petite. I don't know why you believe I want to follow the herd mentality.

Jeanette Isabelle