MANILA, Philippines—People, especially women, think that to be sexy, one must be thin. Regardless of effects, most people will do whatever it takes to attain what they perceive as society’s idea of a desirable and acceptable body.

The obsession with thinness is becoming quite extreme with unhealthy psychological and physical consequences. Some strategies people use to achieve a thin body include extreme dieting, over-exercising, use of pills, unnecessary surgeries and intentional stress.

But what does it really take to be fit and sexy. What should be done to reach that goal?

Develop the right motivation.

According to the article “Dying to be Thin,” published in Personality and Psychology Bulletin, the disordered eating behavior and body dissatisfaction, especially for women, stem from the power of social pressure and the effects of media.

If you want to have your ideal body, you should have the right type of motivation first to be able to maintain your weight and free your mind from stress.

You should lose weight because you want to be healthy, you want to feel good about yourself or you want to have more things in life, not because of pressures from your environment.

The right types of motivation will make you undergo a healthy, moderate and balanced process to achieve fit and sexy mind and body.

Aim for a normal weight and fat percentage.

It is definitely fine to be slim but not underweight, which is having a body mass index (BMI) below 19. Normal BMI ranges from 19 to 24.9. Body mass index can be computed by dividing your weight in kilograms by twice your height in meters.

Make sure you also aim for a normal fat percentage. Fat percentage values can be established by using a body fat analyzer machine or a fat caliper, which is usually available in fitness centers and hospitals.

For women, the normal, healthy range of total body fat percentage is 20-27 percent; and for men, 13-17 percent.

Adore yourself.

Some people tell you how good you look but you do not believe because you have low self-esteem. The perception of sexiness is also psychological, not just physical.

Stop comparing yourself to others. If you feel good about yourself, you will feel content about the way you look, and it will show regardless of what people say.

Always strive for improvement and balance. If you think and believe that you are always improving yourself physically, emotionally, mentally, socially and spiritually, then you will become more confident about yourself.

Develop a strong body.

Aside from your perception of yourself as sexy, it is still important to have a strong body to free yourself from health problems, improve your mood and energy level, and be more productive during the day.

Improve your endurance and strength by regular exercise and balanced eating. Compare someone who is thin and weak, unable to endure a five-minute jog, and a slim person who can easily run for 45 minutes.

The fit person definitely invests time and effort to improve his/her exercise performance and is eating well-balanced meals while the thin person is always on a restricted diet, thus lacks energy.

Take charge

To be slim and fit, you need to be in control of your self. You cannot maintain the right body weight if you are having a hard time controlling your cravings.

You might be thin, but still having trouble controlling intake of sweets. In effect, you deprive yourself of healthy foods and complete meals, like bread or rice with protein and vegetables. The process will not stop unless you learn to control yourself.

Start writing down your food intake and analyze patterns. Identify the triggers and manage them gradually by keeping yourself away from your cravings, substituting healthier alternatives to high-calorie foods, and sharing your problems with a friend, your family. Seek professional help.

Take good care of yourself

You might be thin, but stressed and unhappy. Most probably your weight loss is caused by your stressful lifestyle that leads to lack of sleep, unresolved problems, disorganized schedule and work obsession.

You can have a slim figure and, at the same time, live a life with less stress and problems if you will learn to balance your life and identify your needs as a person.

Take good care of your health by having a regular medical checkup. Most importantly, make sure you have enough rest to face the tasks and challenges of each day.

Find time for pleasures and reward your accomplishments with a vacation, spa treatment, shopping or just the right amount of time for yourself to do what you have always wanted to, alone or with others.

For comments or questions, e-mail the author at mitchfelipe@gmail.com