Lately, I’ve rearranged my wardrobe to prepare for the summer season. One of my favorites is a tapering denim skirt. I changed into it and almost screamed. Oh, my! How come there is more room than I remembered. Am I getting thinner? Trying to console myself, I measured the circumference of my arms with my fingers. But it’s of no use. They looked like they were ever-shrinking. It’s a pity that I don’t have a scale at home, or else I would jump on it and check immediately if I am getting thinner.
By Asian standard, I am slim (gladly not the gaunt type). I don’t have extra fat on my arms and thighs. But I am not especially proud of it, because I think if I could grow some fat on specific spots, I could have a more attractive appearance.
Yes, I am a bit against the mainstream. While all kinds of ads and commercials on magazines and TV promote a “thinner is better” concept, I want the opposite. I agree that being thin may make me look younger, but as I am getting old, I have another thought, “Is being thinner really make me look younger and beautiful?”
To answer this question, I did my own observation and conclude that fat people really do look younger than thin ones. I am 100% sure I’m not the only one who thinks this way. But in order to provide support for my statement, I did further research.
Women Over 40
My assumption is proved to be correct. A New York Times report found out that people over 40 have a younger look when their faces are fatter. Although the report focused on westerners, I think it’s also applicable to Asians. The study compared around 200 pairs of identical twins, and it found out that one dress size smaller can age a woman by an average of four years. Because identical twins share their gene, the major factor that differentiates their looks is their lifestyle. This has sort of strengthened what I said about life experience as a major aging factor.
Women Under 40
However, this being-fat-makes-you-look-younger thought only applies to people over 40. For those of us who are under 40, being fat can make us look older.
But for me, all research in the world seems not to be convincing. I still like a slightly plump body. So, yes, I will ignore what others have to say about being thin making you look younger, and eat healthily to my heart’s content!
Do you belong to the thin or fat group? How do you like it?
