Body Image in Italy

It's unfortunate that women around the world can struggle with self-image. In America, advertisements with impossibly thin models permeate the minds of young girls, who then feel inadequate and overweight for the rest of their lives.

I was one of those girls, then one of those women. For decades, I fretted over my weight, went on fruitless diets, and went through that churn that so many of us do.

When I moved to Italy...all that changed.

Every Body is Welcome

Years before I moved to Italy, I noticed when I visited in the summer how nearly every woman, regardless of shape, size, or age, wore a bikini. There was none of this wear-a-oversized-tankini-to-cover-your-rolls nonsense we have in the U.S.

I hadn't worn a bikini in decades, but after visiting Italy, I bravely bought a red bikini and fell in love.

I love seeing women not caring how they look or what others think of them when they're floating in the sea or getting a tan on the sand. They're healthy and happy, and we could learn a lot from them.

(I guess the same freedom goes for men...you'll see many in Speedos! It's a look I can't get used to. Fortunately, Fra does not partake.)

This is Not a Diet Culture

I'll caveat this by saying that, certainly, there are women who watch their weight or even go through the same rigmarole that American women do to lose a few pounds.

But Italian women's magazines aren't headlined with "Lose 5 Pounds This Weekend!" or "Sugar-Busting Tips" the way they are in the U.S.

You might wonder why Italians aren't huge, given their love for pasta. The thing is, they're smart about it. They eat it once a day, along with veggies and meat.

For many Italians, staying active is a part of life, not a Pilates class at the gym (though there's that too). I haven't worked out nearly as much as I did before we moved to Davoli because walking around town running errands is a workout in and of itself. And the mountains are steps away!

I did gain a little weight when I started visiting Fra's family for meals, but Mamma and I have finally come to a compromise. She presents me with a heaping plate of pasta, and I tell her I only want half. She takes away one-third, and we're both happy. If I want three of something, I ask for one (her math is Italian Mamma math!).

I've slowed down on wanting to eat everything in sight because I'm here for the long haul. There will be more pasta con sugo, chicken cutlet, and oven-baked potatoes next Sunday!

Frankly, other cultures could learn a lot from Italy. The focus isn't on how you're lacking in some way physically, but rather how you can nourish yourself with the right food, some sea or mountain air, and natural exercise!