Everyone is so thin?!

[weeducky]

On holiday at the moment. I swear that a good 80% of the women here with their kids are very very slim with flat stomachs, walking around confidently in low waisted bikinis. I thought the average was a size 14, but I'm not seeing it at all! I'm a 10- bit of a tummy from pregnancies and wouldn't wear a bikini because of stretch marks and honestly I'm feeling quite the chubby one here! Does everyone just diet for holiday or something or am I at some highly unusual resort? It's nowhere particularly fancy, just a standard TUI resort in Europe.

I'm not sure. Mexicans as a nation are extremely overweight, I was shocked at what I observed last time I visited. It's hot there.

Heat has nothing to do with it. That 8d a particularly British obsession

It’s countries where American food has crept in. Mexico, U.K., Canada etc

I prefer private villas so no one has to see my rolls!

And also the Pacific Islands where increasing consumption of fast food is exacerbating an existing problem.

I completely agree with you. There's something a bit sad about monitoring other holidaymakers' swimwear choices and dress sizes.

If you want a bikini body, put a bikini on your body. Stop being judgmental about others.

Not being judgmental re beach goers, it was just really noticeable. Where I was there were no British people - I wonder if the pp in Tenerife who saw more overweight people, a lot of them were possibly Brits?

Yes, that's certainly true.

Yes!!!! I am in Spain at the moment and am on the verge of starting my own thread asking what’s their secret as they’re all (or 99%) slim with gorgeous bodies. It helps they’re all nut brown to boot (and got me wondering about incidence of skin cancer here) but I feel incredibly pale and flabby next to them. Is it the Mediterranean diet and/or active lifestyles? No wonder I struggle at Zara 😂

www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/1172084-to-wonder-how-the-hell-she-stays-so-slim

I have noticed in Spanish coastal communities that they are proactive in maintaining an active, outdoor exercise regime.
Walking, cycling, running. Absolutely no doubt that the weather is a key factor, and the wish to look good on the beach.

Genetics does play a huge part too. There are fascinating studies on adopted children and their biological parents’ weight is a better predictor of the adopted child’s weight than the parents that raised them.

Im size 14 and toned as I lift weights. No wish to be skinny. It doesnt suit me.

This thread is so patronising towards poorer people. Not all poorer people are fat and eat junk, theres always nonsense one-upmanship bullshit smug talk about weight.

Spending holiday looking at womens' figures to point you have to write about it - during your holiday - and garner opinions is just 1 symptom of weight obsession gone too far.

Relax and enjoy yourself

Interesting thread.
Many people on MN or specifically the S&B forum claim to be overweight, I see this quite a lot on here, but most people admit to being in professional careers or at least middle class. I doubt there is a simple answer.

I lived close to a very poor area for a few years and almost all of the women were quite overweight, whilst their male counterparts were largely very skinny or underweight. I wonder why?

But I absolutely do see overweight women from all income brackets due to my work. I have noticed that the higher income women of size tend to dress very carefully in comparison to the lower income ladies.

It's rather a grotesque thing to discuss isn't it? I strongly doubt that it is related to simply junk food - there's a fuck ton of that parcelled up for the affluent set with 'pure' and 'organic' labelling
My own very humble opinion is that many people on lower incomes, with stressful lifestyles or mental health issues are far more likely to drink too much alcohol. So income-wise I think booze is the elephant int he room...

I am very slim and decent looking but not very confident. I always notice this (self belief and self comfort) in other women before their actual bodysize. I love the fit, toned look much more than mere slimness, and this tends to correlate with education, confidence and free time! (so yes, at least social background related if not specifically income) I especially notice this in Scandinavian women - a strident, healthy glow.

I think what I mean is, whilst I was once on a severe budget with very little to spare, I was still fit, toned and active and mindful of nutrients in my diet. So my 'poverty' as such did not affect my weight or behaviour.
I am now in a very different financial position and still possess the same mindset.

So I think it is more connected to mental health, upbringing and education. What we are aware of in life. And to judge those who may not have been fortunate sucks balls.

I've put on a bit of weight since hitting menopause and am really self conscious about it. So much so that I wouldnt even rtake a costume to Portugal the last few times we went. There, however, no-one seems to give a monkeys. Women of all shapes and sizes are happliy in bikinis and swimsuits. I'm by no means big but we are so groomed to be a certain size here that anything else is tutted at, it seems. I've changed my mindset completely and, although I still struggle a bit - I really used to be tiny - I'm trying really hard to be body accepting.