Monday, 30 November 2009

  • Asian Bodyweight Standards are Impossible!

    I've struggled with my weight for most parts of my life. From the moment I was called "fat" by my relatives at age 11, food has become my enemy and weight my obsession.
    Last Summer, I went back to Hong Kong to visit and being a relatively small girl of 5ft and 105 lbs, I didn't consider myself chubby... that is, until some of my relatives pointed out that I was "gaining too much weight".

    I have this aunt who I dread seeing because everytime she sees me, she would point out that I was getting chubby and that I should stop eating. I also noticed that the sizes in Hong Kong were relatively smaller than the sizes here in America. For the rest of my trip I felt self conscious and a little ashamed to buy clothes, starting to believe that I really am fat.

    By American standards, I think I'm considered pretty decent and healthy. Not skinny, but healthy.By Hong Kong standards, apparently I'm chubby.

    pictures of me modelling (non-photoshopped) (above and below)

     

    VS. Asian Standards

    I would never look like that, no matter how much I diet or stop eating. My natural body has curves that I've been trying to get rid of since puberty hit. I'm pretty sure it's genetics since my mother has wide hips too. I have accepted it by now, but still struggling to embrace my curves.

    Do you think there are different cultural standards in regards to bodyweight?

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Comments (420)

  • genatonks@xanga

    You're very pretty the way you are. Have confidence!

    I'm 5'2 and 106-110, yay for healthy Asians. :D
  • ordinary_gir1@xanga

    as skinny as i am..
    i'm still not good enough to not be called fat :(
    Seriously my aunt pointed out that I was getting "chubby" WTF?! and she like starves her children because she doesnt want them to get fat. Like my cousin loves to eat, and she'll get pissed off like crazy if he takes more than she gives him.. so i just sneak him food.
  • xlalaL0VE@xanga

    I completely agree. I'm not the type of girl who knows she's skinny but still goes around yelling, "I'm sooo fat!" But once I look at pictures of Asian celebrities and models, I can't help but feel a bit overweight. I have relatives who do criticize my weight too, like my mom -__-. Thanksgiving was just last week and tonight at dinner, she told me to cut back on eating because I'm going to get fat if I continue like this.

    Then I look at the pictures of my friends from Hong Kong and they all look so frigging SKINNY. How do they do it..?

  • xGirLxWiThxAtTiTuDex@xanga

    CURVES ARE FUCKING BEAUTIFUL. society has seriously messed you up. curves means you're feminine, happy, healthy, fertile, and BEAUTIFUL. stickskinny is good for models; after all, they're designed to be walking clotheshangers. but "real world" girls should transcend being skinny for the sake of conforming to the "standard" of "beauty." although if skinny's your natural body type, then that's beautiful too; you wear your skin the way you want to. your body is yours, and trying to make it something it's not will only reveal your low self-esteem--hence, lack of confidence. confidence is probably the sexiest thing a woman can wear.

    and uhh i don't think it's limited to asians... i'm pretty sure any society with any set "standard" of beauty is getting it all wrong by default; there are no standards. =)
  • danala@xanga

    I'm overweight and i'm asian. you look pretty healthy so just don't bother about those people.

    Heck to some people i don't look that fat eventhough i am, so just be happy with yourself and don't listen to those people. 
  • aznbunny604@xanga

    Obviously there are. In most parts of Africa, being chubby/overweight (or whatever you wanna call it) is considered beautiful. It may have to do with the fact that most don't get to eat, so if you're bountiful and curvacious, that translates into being wealthy and that gives you some kind of social power. Since there are so many cultural differences with the standard of beauty, you can't fit every mold and please EVERYONE.


    I'm from HK too and I totally know where you're coming from. Many young girls there are super skinny, and I can't buy much from local flea markets because 1), I'm tall (5'8") and my limbs are long, I guess, and 2) I weigh 130 lbs. Whenever I do make any purchases with clothing I always have to get sizes in XL or XXL.


    Relatives comment on my weight also. My grandma calls me "fei mui" as a nickname, but here in Canada my friends tell me I'm skinny. So what I'm trying to say is that you shouldn't take those comments to heart - be happy with your weight. You look healthy, and that's all that matters.
  • id0ntkn0vv@xanga

    Nuh huh you're very petty like that,  

    I believe that curves makes us woman more sexier : D
  • MiZzCHERRILICIOUSchink@xanga

    yeah there definitely are cultural standards to what body weight is considered attractive. In African countries where there is the problem of AIDs, most prefer bigger women becuz the skinnier women are the ones that are sick. Also I dun remember which country but it was also an African country that prefered women to be almost obese where as girls that they had to go to this camp to make them bigger. But obese women is attractive over there becuz it means wealth of the husband that he has enough money to provide for her.

    I know what you mean though, my cousin would be considered average or healthy but my mom considers her "fat" because of her thighs and arms.

    Funny thing though... my mom n other family members consider me too skinny. lolz so I dun think the smallest of the small is okay either.

  • JadeChalice@xanga

    Absolutely.  I've already acknowledged the reality that people in HK live by their own standards, and Americans have their own as well.  I wouldn't ever let my relatives in HK judge me like their opinion is all that counts.  Don't allow the opinion of ONE RELATIVE to offset your overall image of yourself.
  • Gorrific@xanga

    I think your body is a lot better than that girl's.  Because, she hardly looks female.  In my opinion, curves are a lot more appealing.
  • sugar_mama@xanga

    girrrrl i SO feel you on this one. asian adults don't have a problem telling your fat or need to lose weight, they consider it as doing a favor for you! your weight and height are healthy by MY standards and american standards. to be average in asian standards, you would literally have to be underweight or aneorexic. there is definently a huge cultural standard in regards to body weight. (i'm chinese btw, so completely understand )

    i use to starve myself to "perfection", now i know better. i know it's hard to disregard these comments, but it's like hey... i'm sorry i didn't grow up in a third world country where everyone is malnourished. and plus there all freakin old and want to clown on everything you do and live vicariously through you. i also think its  a chain reaction... there rents put them down, so now the have low self esteem, and now they exude it on to you. when you think about it, how often are asian parents actually "positive"? on that note, strive to find a medium and be happy.

  • P0RCELA1N_D0LL@xanga

    I'm a size M in american sizing but I have to buy the size XL when I buy clothes from hk I usually get comments that I'm too skinny from my peers but from the older generation, they think I'm fat. who cares what old people think Lol I think some skinny girls look chubbier or curvier if they wear clothes that fit too tight and some clothes make the body look slimmer.

  • decembriel@xanga

    Yes, of course there are different cultural standards when it comes to body weight.  Personally, I think you look just fine!  It makes me very sad when people are held up to unrealistic standards and especially when people are called "chubby" despite being right in the center (or the lower end) of the healthy weight range for their height.
  • oohtique@xanga

    @aznbunny604@xanga - "It may have to do with the fact that most
    don't get to eat, so if you're bountiful and curvacious, that
    translates into being wealthy and that gives you some kind of social
    power."

    That was so extremely ignorant. Wow. Is the only knowledge of Africa that entered your mind was the commercials showing starving children and Christian organizations? Educate yourself please.

    In Africa the standards of weight are different yes but weight isn't as emphasized as other things, and it varies with the country.

    ------------

    And to answer the poster - who the fuck cares?
  • princessremy@xanga

    my mom calls me fat jokingly, but yes, asian bodyweight standards ARE crazy.

    i'd have to drop at least 15 pounds to be considered skinny for my height. (5'3")
    and i'm like only...106?
  • JoeytheGenie@xanga

    you make me feel fat
    5'3 -108lb (well anywhere from 104-108)
  • s_h_a_sha@xanga

    yup asian stds are pretty crazy.. we have different bmi  table from western countries ...
  • lilqtazn35@xanga

    I hear ya. My uncle came over from China and brought gifts with him. I tried on the skirt he brought over and it was a bit snug. He then suggested that I was a bit overweight. At that time, I was 14 years old and a size 1. 
  • naguyin@xanga

    I like the way you look better than her. 


    She doesn't have enough to look at and it's overly dark around her eyes. D:
  • snapeful@xanga

    I think you're pretty enough to find a nice, kind husband... which is what I don't understand. When did our Asian values of familial bonds become to the point where when we have daughters who are curvier, everybody picks on them? It's funny, in fact, I suffer the opposite. All day I get "why are you so skinny? You're 19 and you are still an A-Cup? Why are you so flat?" Ugh. Stupid people. It pisses me off because that's ALL THEY SAY WHEN THEY SEE ME. Jesus christ.

  • AimeeFrying@xanga

    Yeah :| Im chinese and when my parents buy me clothes from China, theyd have to buy like xxl.. i think. And im like a Small-Medium here in Canada :S
  • mewithoutu77@xanga

    i'm 5'3 and 120 so that must make me really fat then in asian standards.  i love the fact that i'm not your typical asian girl.  i have curves and i love it.  guys in america love it.  i don't care what anyone else thinks.  i think you're a beautiful girl and you should just plug your ears when someone calls you fat. 
  • fivepointfourtwo@xanga

    I am 5'6'' 108lbs. Hmm... yeah, I get what you mean. I feel fat sometimes according to Asian bodyweight standards ):
  • ScorpioInBlack@xanga

    Curves make us sexy.    It makes us more feminine, rather than a boyish body....

    Who cares about their standards?!  We should just be happy the way we are.  And accept things we can't change.
  • lesprit__descalier@xanga

    i think it's just the chinese culture. they like to point out weight. they point out your height until you stop growing, and then they point out your weight.

    i have a male cousin who would be considered a bit chubby ere, but they complain about him to no ends in china and consider him fat beyond belief or something... it's so mean.

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