Remember It's Not Your Job to Wear a Size 4

from Cosmopolitan Magazine, Summer 2004 issue

If you're in the habit of launching into a lose-lose comparathon every time you turn on the TV, remember this: Actresses, models, and athletes are paid big bucks to keep their bodies in ridiculous shape. It's their job (literally) to live at the gym, eat sparingly, and have every stray hair plucked from their bodies. "Lamenting that you don't look as good as an actress is like being upset that you're not as good at tennis as Venus Williams," says Gloria Brame, Ph.D., a clinical therapist in Athens, Georgia. "You could be, but only if you made it your number-one priority." Good-bye life.

Here's the thing: "Sex appeal doesn't depend on your looks," says Carolyn Strauss, self-esteem expert and motivational speaker. "It's more about letting go and having a good time." When you're having fun, your face lights up and your body relaxes. You look confident and comfortable. And that, ladies, is damn sexy.