The Barbie doll has long been criticized for promoting an unrealistic and unattainable body image. With her long legs, tiny waist, and ample bust, Barbie’s proportions are dramatically different from those of real women. This has led many to wonder – is it even possible for a real woman to achieve a Barbie-like figure? In this article, we’ll examine what it takes to get a Barbie body, including diet, exercise, and plastic surgery. We’ll also look at the potential physical and mental health consequences of pursuing such an extreme body ideal.
What are Barbie’s body proportions?
Barbie’s proportions have changed slightly over the decades, but she has always had a figure that would be considered very unrealistic for a human woman. Here are some key stats on Barbie’s body (based on a standard 11.5 inch doll):
- Height: 5 feet 9 inches
- Bust-Waist-Hips measurements: 36″-18″-33″
- Weight: 110 pounds
- Neck circumference: 13.3 inches
- Waist circumference: 15 inches
- Shoe size: 5
To put that in perspective, the average American woman is 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighs around 170 pounds, and has measurements of 42″-34″-43″. So Barbie has a much slimmer build with measurements that are physically impossible to attain for most.
Diet needed to achieve a Barbie body
To get a Barbie-like 36″-18″-33″ hourglass figure, an extremely low calorie diet would be required. Here’s what the numbers show:
- To maintain Barbie’s skinny 110 pound frame, a woman would need to consume just 500-800 calories per day.
- That’s far below the recommended daily calorie intake for adult women, which ranges from 1,600-2,400 calories depending on age and activity level.
- Such a severely low calorie diet would put a woman at risk for nutritional deficiencies and organ damage over time.
- To healthfully achieve Barbie’s slim build, a reduced calorie diet of around 1,200 calories per day could be followed, but even this may be too low for many women.
Rather than starvation-level diets, a better approach is to follow a balanced, moderately calorie-reduced diet that allows for slow and steady weight loss over time. Extreme calorie restriction is dangerous and can negatively impact health.
Exercise regimen for a Barbie body
Along with diet, a rigorous exercise regimen would be required to sculpt the lean, long-limbed physique of Barbie:
- Cardio like running or swimming for 60-90 minutes per day to burn extra calories.
- Strength training 4-5 days per week to build shapely muscle tone.
- Toning exercises like Pilates or Gyrotonics to create lean and long muscles.
- Stretching daily to improve flexibility and maintain slim limbs.
- Consistent exercise over a long period; sculpting a physique like Barbie’s does not happen overnight.
This intense exercise plan could only be sustained by someone who makes fitness their full-time job. For most people, a sustainable exercise routine includes 30-45 minutes of cardio and 2-3 days per week of strength training. Pushing the body to extremes can increase the risk of overuse injuries.
A sample Barbie body workout plan
Here is an example one week workout schedule that could help move towards a toned, Barbie-esque physique:
| Day 1 | 60 min. cardio (running), 45 min. lower body strength training |
|---|---|
| Day 2 | 90 min. Pilates class, 30 min. walk |
| Day 3 | 60 min. cardio (swimming), 45 min. upper body strength training |
| Day 4 | Rest day or light stretching only |
| Day 5 | 60 min. cardio (elliptical), 45 min. full body strength training |
| Day 6 | 90 min. Gyrotonics class, 30 min. walk |
| Day 7 | Rest day or light yoga/stretching |
This 7 day plan has 5 workout days including cardio, strength training, and sculpting disciplines like Pilates or Gyrotonics. Rest days are built in for muscle recovery.
Plastic surgery procedures to get a Barbie body
For those truly committed to achieving Barbie’s exaggerated proportions, going under the knife would be the only option. Here are some plastic surgeries that can manipulate the body’s shape:
- Breast augmentation – silicone gel implants to increase bust size
- Liposuction – removal of fat deposits around the waist and thighs
- Butt lift – contouring the buttocks into a perkier shape
- Thigh lift – tightens loose skin and fat on the thighs
- Rib removal – removes ribs to narrow the rib cage and waist
- Jaw slimming – reshapes the jawline to a delicate oval shape
However, these invasive procedures come with significant risk including infection, scarring, loss of sensation, and surgical complications. For most women, it would be unwise to undergo extensive cosmetic surgery purely to resemble a doll. Consulting a qualified plastic surgeon is imperative before considering any procedure.
Potential health consequences of a Barbie body
Pursuing a Barbie-like figure could jeopardize physical health in the following ways:
- Malnutrition and organ damage from restrictive dieting
- Osteoporosis and fractures from low body weight
- Hormonal issues like missed periods or fertility struggles
- Cardiovascular problems from over-exercising
- Physical injuries and pain from overtraining
- Complications and long recovery from invasive plastic surgeries
Mental health can also suffer when chasing an unrealistic body ideal, in the form of:
- Low self-esteem and constant body dissatisfaction
- Obsessive thoughts about weight, food and exercise
- Depression, anxiety, and social isolation
- Eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia, or exercise addiction
The risks of striving for Barbie proportions far outweigh any potential rewards. Accepting and appreciating your natural body shape is a much healthier goal.
Conclusion
While Barbie’s exaggerated physique is certainly eye-catching, achieving her slim waist, long legs and ample bust poses severe risks to both physical and mental health. A diet of starvation-level calorie restriction, excessive exercise, and drastic plastic surgery procedures would be required to sculpt such a dramatic hourglass figure. Yet this extreme body type is neither realistic nor healthy for the vast majority of women. Rather than chasing an artificial ideal, the healthiest approach is to care for your body through balanced nutrition, reasonable exercise, and an attitude of positive body image. Barbie may be a doll, but real women come in all magnificent shapes and sizes.