Protein World Debate: The obesity crisis is much more worrying than a model who is 'beach body ready'

There’s a big debate in the news at the moment about the Protein World ‘beach body’ advert. 

Photo: Protein World

The ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) has received a number of complaints, stating that the ad is “offensive, irresponsible and harmful because it promotes an unhealthy body image.” Thousands of people have signed an online petition, arguing that “Protein World is directly targeting individuals, aiming to make them feel physically inferior to the unrealistic body image of the bronzed model, in order to sell their product.”

The debate has developed so much so, that a protest is due to take place this weekend and there has even been an alleged bomb threat against the Protein World head office.

I’ll be honest, I find it all a bit puzzling.

If you take a look at billboard ads in any big city, open up any magazine, visit most fashion websites or watch a TV advert break, you’ll easily find a model who is the same size as the one in question, yet nobody kicks up a big fuss.

The model in question has a crackin’ bod. She’s not emaciated like a lot of high fashion models are. She has boobs, she has hips – she has a feminine shape. Yes, you can see a slight hint of her ribs, but she still looks healthy and fit.

I truly believe that high fashion brands and magazines are much more irresponsible when it comes to promoting unrealistic body ideals. I think images of gaunt young men and women walking down a catwalk are 100 times more harmful, especially to impressionable teenagers.

Photo: Peter Duhon

Richard Staveley, head of marketing at Protein World, has defended the image, stating that the company simply wants to “encourage a healthier, fitter nation.” Well, who can actually argue with that? The results are in and it’s official – we are a nation of fatties, with one in every four adults being classed as overweight or obese.*

The UK has the highest level of obesity in Western Europe and obesity levels have more than trebled in the last 30 years. In fact, it is predicted that MORE THAN HALF the population will be classed as obese by 2050. That is really frightening. Especially when you consider the health consequences that come with being overweight or obese – it increases the risk of serious illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure.

I think that is far more worrying than a model on a billboard.

*figures taken from NHS.uk 

Why everybody should feel the love on Valentine’s Day

Ever since I flipped my calendar over to February, I’ve noticed article after article slamming Valentine’s Day. Apparently it’s overrated, overpriced… one writer even called it ‘evil’!

I love Valentine’s Day and no, it’s not just because I’m engaged. I loved it even when I was a little kid and I loved it every year that I was single.

Valentine’s Day is effectively a day to celebrate love. It doesn’t mean you have to go out and buy a £40 bouquet of roses, or go for dinner at a restaurant that has put its prices through the roof.

It also certainly doesn't mean that you can’t enjoy it if you don’t have a significant other. I hope that everybody has someone in their life that they love – family member, friend, even a pet! Why not throw yourself into the Valentines spirit and spend the day doing something fun with them? 

Valentine’s Day can be the perfect opportunity to appreciate how lucky you are to have lovely people in your life and there are so many easy and fun ways to celebrate that.

Food

If you don’t fancy eating out, why not make a tasty treat for your favourite family member or best friend? You could cook their favourite dinner, bake a cake, or even look through some recipe books and create something new together. Inviting people round for afternoon tea is a lovely treat and it’s so easy to put together – just make a few finger sandwiches and you can always buy scones and cupcakes if you can’t be bothered with the hassle of baking them.

Flowers

I find it so annoying that my favourite flowers (roses) are ludicrously priced in February. However, there are loads of lovely flowers in season at the same time, such as wild primroses, delphinium, hydrangea and chrysanthemums. You could nip out to the local florist and buy a bunch to decorate your lounge or bedroom.

Cards

To order a personalised card online, you’re looking at around £5 minimum, but it can be just as fun and much cheaper to make your own. Instead of the usual soppy message, write a funny poem to make a parent, sibling or friend smile.

Movies

Some of the best films in the world are love stories. Curl up on the sofa with a glass of wine, your favourite person and some yummy treats, and take your pick:

• When Harry Met Sally
• Sleepless in Seattle
• Love Actually
• Notting Hill
• Pretty Woman
• Titanic
• The Notebook
• Gone with the Wind
• Casablanca
• Brief Encounter
• Roman Holiday
• Silver Linings Playbook
• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
• Bridget Jones’s Diary
• Dirty Dancing

Books

Again, there are some fantastic books that are based on great love stories and there’s something for everyone. You could order one online, pick it up from a shop, download it to your kindle, or check out your local library selection:

• Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen
• Persuasion – Jane Austen
• Jane Eyre – Charlotte Brontë
• Wuthering Heights – Emily Brontë
• Twilight – Stephanie Meyer
• Gone with the Wind – Margaret Mitchell
• Outlander – Diana Gabaldon
• The Notebook – Nicholas Sparks
• The Time Traveller’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger
• Romeo and Juliet – William Shakespeare
• A Room with a View – E.M. Forster

Fun activities

There are plenty of indoor and outdoor activities that won’t break the bank. You could get together with your family or friends and play a fun board game or charades, go for a walk, visit an exhibition or a gallery, watch old home videos, or explore a new place you haven’t been to before.

If you’re still not feeling the Valentines spirit and none of those ideas have tickled your fancy, then here are some funny dog pictures to cheer you up…

I hope everyone has a really lovely Valentine’s Day! x

Is acne-shaming the new fat-shaming?

This morning I went through my usual routine of trying to turn myself from sleepy zombie to wide awake writer. I put the kettle on, ate my porridge, scanned my favourite social media sites and read the news headlines. I'm slightly (massively) ashamed to admit that I love a bit of celebrity gossip and I usually get my daily fix of this from the Daily Mail showbiz section (please don't judge me). 

While I was scrolling down the stories, I saw the usual culprits - the TOWIE star showing off her bikini bod on a beach in Dubai, the Geordie Shore girls stumbling around outside a nightclub, an interview with the latest CBB evictee and so on. 

Then one story in particular caught my eye. And not in a good way. 

I'm well aware of the newspaper's usual antics - fat-shaming, the relentless publicity given to z-listers etc. But this one article seemed to go just that one step too far - even by the DM's standards. Take a look and see what you think:

At first glance, it was the headline which bothered me - the way it stated that Delta Goodrem was 'once again' caking on the make-up and 'drawing attention' to her skin. The poor girl was probably using make-up to do anything BUT draw attention to her skin! 

Now I have to be honest, I'm a bit biased about this issue. I suffered from bad acne throughout my teenage years. Then, when I was 17, it got so severe that I was referred to a dermatologist who prescribed the controversial drug, Roaccutane. 

If you are not familiar with Roaccutane, it's an incredibly strong acne treatment which has a bad reputation due to the possible serious side effects (such as depression) and it has even been linked to a number of suicides.

Roaccutane is generally a last resort for those who have been plagued with bad skin for years and you are carefully monitored while you are taking it. I had blood tests every month which was a nightmare for me as I'm very squeamish/wimpy! 

Apart from that, my experience with Roaccutane was mostly good. It did the job in the way that it cleared my skin up, but the main side effect I experienced was having extremely dry skin and lips. I remember buying masses and masses of Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream because it was literally the only moisturiser strong enough to soothe my skin. Even then, my make-up would always look flaky and patchy and my lips were always chapped. However, in the end, it was a price worth paying because my acne hasn't returned since (touch wood). 

I think the reason why that article hit a nerve is because I can completely relate to the horrible feelings you experience when you're going through the acne nightmare. Feeling ugly, feeling self-conscious and feeling sad... to name just a few. It can be hard to understand if you're lucky enough to be blessed with good skin, but if you've ever had a massive spot then you'll know how annoying it is when you're talking to somebody and all they do is stare at it, instead of looking you in the eye. I very much doubt that the writer of the article knows how it feels to have troublesome skin, otherwise they wouldn't be so insensitive, or even run the story to begin with. 

I think, actually, I hope, that it was just a slow news day and not the start of a new trend similar to fat-shaming.