The Great British Body

I'm watching The Great British Body and am increasingly concerned with how preoccupied I've become with how I, and the people around me, look. My concerns have never been related to hair, makeup, clothes, shoes - but with size and shape. I follow form over fashion when it comes to clothing - I love to look at pretty dresses and tops but for some reason I begrudge spending money on something so trivial. Nothing new gets bought until I've worn out the stuff I already own, and then I replace it with something similar. I've got to get in touch with my feminine side, god knows I could make more effort to make it look like I didn't just roll out of bed and crawl into work. But I've always been too lazy to bother getting up early enough in the morning to apply face paint, and about a year ago I gave up my straighteners to embrace my natural bouffant, and with 'hippy' hair comes a couldn't-care-less attitude.

On the other hand, it seems I could care less... Until a year ago I loved my body. I felt comfortable in my curves and confident I looked great. Well, if I didn't love me then who would? But now I can't stop looking at women who have amazingly toned figures like the ones projected in the media with disdain. Yes, it's a case of the green-eyed monster and I'm not sure where it started and why. 'The Great British Body' is imperfect - just ask Trinny and Susannah. Nobody is happy with their body and everyone wants to be more toned, tanned and cellulite free. But it's no surprise I feel the way I do, because let's face it, how many real naked bodies have we all seen, really, to compare ourselves to? The only measurement of my naked self is based on women on television and in magazines, and they aren't of the GBB mould. They are preened and photoshopped to perfection. If we all walked around the streets in our birthday suits, we would develop a healthier and more realistic perception of the way our bodies look. But thousands of years of clothed society aren't going to burn their threads in favour of a nudist community. So that's why I love programmes like The Great British Body and How to Look Good Naked. Anything that gets Joe Bloggs and Jane Doe in the buff to be scrutinised in all their fat to thin and morbidly obese to curvy glory. I love the naked body and I think it needs to be seen more, if anything to stamp out the concerning increase in young girls and women who are so under pressure to be perfect they starve or purge themselves. Bodily perfection should be based on mindset and the ability to come to accept the figure you are born with, completely and positively. And when I finally achieve that glorious state of mind in which I love my body and all its kooky imperfections, I'll do my bit and put it to good exhibitionist use to show off how beautiful my Great British Body really is.