Thanks for all of your replies.

Historically, women have done crazy things to achieve their generations ideal of beauty. In the 1800's thin waists were popular, women wore corsets so tight they endangered their organs and cut off their breathing. In the 1920's there was the flapper, the 1950's was big breasts and curves, (Jayne Mansfield and Marilyn Monroe), 1960's was Twiggy. 1980's was Jane Fonda. A few years ago it was Kate Moss. There have been tons of fad diets, the grapefruit diet, Scarsdale diet and I remember my mom and my friends moms eating cottage cheese with a half a pear or peach for lunch, they were dieting.

Teenagers are prone to self-image problems due to the changes in their bodies but women of all ages have self-image problems, specifically with breasts, hips and stomachs.

In my case, I weighed 85lbs when I graduated from high school in 1966. I had terrible a self image because I was constantly being told how I had no figure, no breasts, hips, etc. When Twiggy appeared I finally had someone to identify with. And about that time my Aunt told me "don't worry about gaining weight, you'll gain it when you get older" So, I just started accepting myself as I was.

I remember my freshman year in high school my friend had gotten big enough to wear a Junior size 7. That was so exciting! No more kids clothes and I couldn't wait. There were no petite sizes. During those years my mom made my clothes or everything had to be altered to fit. I learned to sew and I made my prom dress so I had something that fit decently. Not only that, I learned to alter the patterns because they were to big for me.

Junior petite clothing surfaced around my senior year but the smallest size was a 5. Still too big, but getting closer. In my mid twenties size 3's came on the market and they fit perfectly. From then on, I had plenty of clothes to chose from and so I stopped making my own.

Today, even though I'm 15lbs heavier than those high school days, I wear a size 0 or an XS and sometimes they are too big. Waistlines are too big, shoulders run to wide, pants are too long. I'm almost back to making my own clothes for proper fit!

In my late 30's, I started exercising, Jane Fonda influence. I didn't do it for my health, to lose weight, etc. I started because it was the "thing to do". I continued because I love movement. I spent hours as a kid riding my bike, jumping rope, roller skating, dancing. So aerobics reminded me of all this. I also felt better, handled the stress at work better, skied and biked stronger.

At the same time, my friends chose not to exercise, ignored their weight gains, bought into the over indulged life of alcohol and to much food. Now they're approaching 60 and they are facing the problems of too much weight and the problems that go along with it. One friend, who was a phenomenal skier, now weighs so much and is so out of shape that she has to help herself to stand up. This year, I didn't get to ski with her but a male friend who did commented on how out of shape she is.

From these people I keep hearing, "I know I should exercise, lose weight, eat healthy, etc. but they make no changes". They yo-yo diet for a while or start to exercise, lose a little, but then gain the weight back and add on more pounds. I can't help them because they assume I don't eat. They don't think about how maintaining weight is a commitment, a lifestyle, and feeling good about who you are.

And I'm back where I started from, "you're to thin, you don't eat, that's how you stay thin", and clothes don't fit. But, I'm healthy, have muscle, average 4,000 miles a year on my bike and ski over 50 days a year, and hike. And, yes, I eat! I'm retired, so I don't need fashionable clothes.

I rehabbed very quickly from my ACL surgery which amazes my overweight friends and my physical therapist. 2 friends have stopped skiing after having acl surgery, 1 friend did not ski for 2 years. I'm riding my bike, I started 2 months before the acl protocol recommended and will ski next winter.

Oh, and have you noticed that in magazines for women over 40, it's not about weight loss, but now it's "anti-aging diets"!