Why are girls so hung up on not being happy with the body that they have? Why don't they embrace this amazing machine that has been specially designed for each and every one of us? Why do girls aspire to being paper dolls - cut out images with zero individuality? Imagine if we all had the body of Paris Hilton or the typical androgenous model physique. Think about it boos - BORING!

We are here to say embrace your body, celebrate its every individual curve, bump, freckle - every aspect that makes your body your own.

A recent poll conducted by bellaboobabe.com showed that the majority of you guys think you are overweight. According to the Eating Disorders Foundation, anorexia is not on the decline as media reports may suggest. In fact, anorexia affects 7% of the population - that's around 1.4 million! If anything the focus on the obesity epidemic is making the whole issue of weight and body image hit girls sooner, with girls as young as 8 starting to surface with anorexia! This is so wrong.

So what feeds this obsession with thin is in? Well, we don't want to lay the blame squarely at the feet of the media, as after all we are part of the media, but there is no doubting that the media has a lot to answer for. One minute they are showing photos of Mischa declaring she's anorexic and the next she's on the front cover with damning headlines about her cellulite. Seriously, how healthy is this?

Here's the deal with the media we think. They are totally lacking in imagination. They constantly spin a one dimensional image of beauty - skinny girls, buffed guys - BORING. Give us individuality, give us variety - that's real beauty. So why do they do this? To sell mags, silly!

Advertisers want to sell products and they believe their products (clothes/music/beauty) look better on a size 6 than a healthy size 12. We look at these images and are tricked into thinking we would look better in that dress or be cooler if we were that size or had that look. Now you need to ask the question- is Nicole who has been in rehab countless times happier or better off than you? Is a model who starves herself to fit the ideal that advertisers and media demand happier than you?

So, are you going to buy into this false beauty or are you going to take a stand?

We intend to take a stand and ask you to do the same. First up at Bellaboo - no models that look under-nourished will ever grace our pages. We do use real girls with real bodies - not necessarily models for our fashion shoots. We, as an advertiser, will never promote one dimensional beauty.

Beauty comes in all shapes, sizes, colours and varieties so here's how you can Get Real about your own beauty and encourage others to do the same.

Click to read our Body Image Fact Sheet >>