How times have changed. No longer is a size 10 so perfect. Those of us of a certain age will remember the 1979 romantic comedy '10' starring Dudley Moore and Bo Derek - the title of the film referring of course to Bo's enviable proportions.
But today her frame would be considered a little on the large side. Knock the '1' off the '10' and we get what's called perfect today. Yes ladies, the size '0'. But is it achievable? And, if you got it, would you really, really want it? Wallis Simpson, famous for her Royal lover and for her quote: "You can never be too rich or too thin" has us all chomping at the bit of envy. And – perhaps through the guilt feelings of failing to reach the unattainable - probably chomping at everything else we can lay our hands on too.
It's my view that all women can be utterly beautiful, whatever their shape or form. Look at Nigella Lawson, not a sylph and judging by her cookbooks she clearly loves her food. The difference between her and another of the same weight, shape and age is just one of self belief. Yes, confidence, confidence and more confidence.
Confidence is charismatic in itself. It bleeds out of every pore. It turns heads. A positive self image means confidence levels automatically increase exponentially. A confident individual generates his or her own personal magnetism which leaves some people wondering what it is that this person has that they haven't. So what is body confidence and more importantly - how do we get a piece of it? Controversially, body confidence, self confidence has little to do with the shape you're in. It has everything to do with how you regard your own physical self.
Getting to know your body and getting an insight into the amazing things it can do is a great starting point. Also, having a clear idea in your mind of how you want to come across to others is vital. And having someone standing shoulder to shoulder with you, motivating and inspiring you to help you achieve your vision is a proven route to your goals.
I'm a personal trainer, but I don't see myself as someone who just helps people achieve weight loss and fitness targets. My role is far greater than that. I am in the business to help my people get back their body mojo, reclaim self belief and engage with their latent body confidence. And this in turn leads to success for them on many levels - in love, at work and in family life. Why, because they believe in themselves and their own unique beauty and together we believe in and celebrate their every achievement along the way. And my goodness, I've seen meteoric changes for the better. Well done I say. Because they and I know they’re worth it.
Amanda Cole has worked on Channel 4's ‘Living Famously’, ITV factual series: ‘Strange but True and ‘One in A Million’; produced ‘Men Behaving Baldly’, 'Saving Babies’, 'The London Programme' and worked as ITN news features producer, LWT news features. She has also worked on research, scripting and production of dramatic reconstructions of real life unsolved crimes for ‘Crime Monthly; a programme presented by Penny Smith and BBC 1’s innovative prime time series, ‘How Do They Do That?’ series 1,2, 3 & 4 presented by Des Lynam.
