11 Fit Body Types NOT often shown in Fitness Magazines

Audrina Patridge was listed among the top fittest Celebrities of 2010 by FITNESS magazine.

I am having one of those Facebook "back and forths" with a dear friend from college over my being upset by what I see is a monolithic portrayal of "fitness" in magazines. 

Really, it all started after I checked out Fitness magazine's slideshow of its pick for Best Celebrity bodies of 2010. Besides the fact that there were not that many celebrities of color on the list, and only one African American included, I  also felt there was an overwhelming inclusion of one type of fit body type - the type that is most often shown in fitness and fashion magazines that is more on the thinnish or slender build type.  No curves. No strong shoulders. No fit legs. Just straight up and down. 

My friend took issue to me mentioning that size 6 is not average but is considered the ideal. He went in on me, pointing all the statistics about obesity in America, and in particular among African Americans who also have high rates of hypertension, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease all related to their being overweight. I can't argue with the stats, but that was not my issue or concern with the Fitness magazine's pick. He called me oversensitive and said I was hating on those selected.

But to me, pointing to the fact that there is one standard of fitness shown often by no means constitute me "hating" on the people picked to be in the slide presentation, whatsoever. 

Rather, I disliked the magazines selection to exclude different variations of fitness that exist among regular people and celebrities. I have no issue with those in the slide presentation and in fact like many of them.

But my point is there is room for those in the list and others with other body types too. At no time did I say it was okay to include out of shape obese women in the fit list. Wanting variation of fitness doesn't mean I am promoting a "FAT" standard. 

I just think there is a wide range between size 6 and what some consider unhealthy that could've been picked. That is all.

To me, monolithic portrayals are not only damaging to young women's self esteem, they also create the type of mentality like that New York Times critic who pointed in his review that a thinnish ballerina, Jennifer Ringer, "looked as if she'd eaten one sugar plum too many."  

My friend defended the critic, which to me, is to ignore the fact that the critic's mentality is part of a brainwashed public's perception that stick thin is ideal, at least for a ballerina anyway. 

You just can't ignore the cumulative impact of monolithic media images have on society as a whole. My concern is young girls though.

I also had to remind him that once upon a time, magazines did not feature girls of color AT ALL. The effect was to create a generation of brown, black and olive skinned girls to want to have all the features of their blonde haired blue eyed friends. They wanted to chemically straighten their hair, dye their hair lighter shades, bleach their skin, wear contact lenses because, after all, that is the only type that was worthy enough to be featured in fashion magazines. 

In sum, to illustrate my point, I promised to take some time to find images of the varying fit body types that are rarely and some times not ever shown in fitness magazines or listed among the fittest.

Check out the images I found below conducting a simple 15 minute Google Search. So the point again being, if they tried as a Fitness magazine to incorporate different variations of fitness, they could EASILY!

Okay, enough of my rant, check out these images below of body types that fall outside the Ideal by American standards.

Bodybuilders have thick thighs.

---

Gymnasts have broad strong shoulders

---

Beyonce's nice abs. Curvy hips.

Kim K's assets are all the rage.

---

Square frames. Toned.

---

Round derriere of a world class Tennis champ, Serena Williams

---

Weightlifters strong arms and thick muscular thighs.

---

Strong swimmers' shoulders

---

Narrow hips. Strong arms. Baby in tow.

---

Muscular Frame. Beach Vollyball players

---

Gymnast Strong muscular legs