The Cutprice Guignol

As the title suggests, and as another article I have written suggests, health & wellbeing has always been something I have struggled with. I am constantly bombarded, as we all are, with images that focus on body positivity and body negativity and weight and tone and appearance. Furthermore I have messages from friends, relatives and constant reminders on my social media feed regarding the need for a summer body, i.e. a tanned, muscular, slim-line, non-cellulite, trimmed, smooth body fit for a nice stroll on a beach. On the flip side there is a constant, and I mean CONSTANT, stream of images, videos, memes and the like reminding us that to have a winter body, i.e. fat, lazy, chicken nugget eating, hairy, bulky, pale, bumpy body fit for nothing other than single life, Netflix-ing and chilling by yourself, is something that no one should EVER strive for.

My problem is that…