What does it even mean to look good?

As part of our dossier on the subject of body image,five young people describe what good looks mean to them personally and what they are prepared to do - or not do - to achieve them.

«It's important for me to look good»

Tim, 16, used to have baby fat and thinks girls have it better than boys. The older I get, the more important good looks become. Now, in sixth form, it's a big issue. I have colleagues who go to the gym and do strength training there. They also know how many calories the things they eat have. That wouldn't be for me, but I admire the way they keep their bodies under control. When I was younger, I was flabbier, had quite a bit of «baby fat». But now, thankfully, I've had a growth spurt and I'm slim. It's important for me to look good, especially because there's a real competition among the boys at my school. It's not just about how you look, but also what branded clothes you wear. I also take part in some of it, but the most important thing for me is that I like myself.

"It's important for me to look good" says Tim, who is 16 years old and thinks that girls have it better than boys. More about Tim, here.

I think the girls have it better. They post pictures of themselves on Instagram and tell each other how beautiful they think they are. That boosts their self-confidence. If I told one of my colleagues that they looked good, they would think ... well, you know what. I try to eat healthily, but I also go to McDonald's or Starbucks with my colleagues. But it's always hamburgers and shakes, I wouldn't like that. Sometimes I'm super hungry, then I eat like crazy and have a really big belly, but it's gone again the next day."

«I find heavily made-up girls cheap»

Elena, 15, recognises the desire to lose weight and believes that boys wear cool clothes because they have something to prove. «I'm really allergic to all these skinny models who make us girls feel like we're too fat. Nevertheless, I am "in shape» - but in the way that suits me. We should all just try to be ourselves and not emulate false ideals. Of course I know the desire to lose weight. I used to want that too, but today it's more important to me that I feel good about my body.

"I'm really allergic to all these skinny models who make us girls feel like we're too fat," says Elena, 15, who trains in Thai boxing. More about Elena, here.

In my class, of course, having a good figure is an issue, most of the girls, but also the boys, do sports, go to the gym, play football, go horse riding or rowing. I do Thai boxing, which I find a good all-round workout. It makes me fast, gives me good stamina and teaches me how to defend myself. As far as my clothing style is concerned, I don't care about labels. But I've realised that it's especially important for the boys to wear cool clothes. They really compete with each other. I do my make-up regularly, but only naturally. I find heavily made-up girls cheap."

«My role model is my mum»

Nick, 14, is interested in healthy eating and knows a boy who is accepted despite being overweight. "Strength training isn't an issue for me yet, but maybe it could become one when I'm 16. I think the older boys do it because they want to impress the girls. I'm not interested in having a good figure, I want to be healthy and that's why I watch what I eat. My mum is my role model in this respect. She is very interested in healthy eating, which I like. And she wants to change the world with a positive attitude.

I think I'm confident because I believe in myself. Sometimes I cook for myself, but not for myself alone, but for colleagues or my family. I try to find a good balance when I eat. It's not good for me if I eat too much sweet food, I just don't feel good afterwards. I know a boy who is fatter than the others, but his colleagues accept him as he is. I think that's good, but I'm glad that I'm fit and can do a lot of sport. I play football and basketball, and I ski."

«One of my friends is bulimic»

Anna, 17, puts on make-up to please herself and realises that many people around her eat vegetarian or vegan food. "When I was nine or ten years old, I was too thin. Then puberty hit and I was a bit too fat for a while. I had to learn that I couldn't drink another litre of chocolate milk after dinner. A good figure is important to me and I'm glad that I lose weight quickly when I have a bit too much on my ribs. It's easier in summer, when I play tennis or go jogging. One of my best friends is bulimic. I do worry about that. She has confided in me and we talk about it. But she doesn't want to get help, neither from me nor from her parents.

Eating vegetarian or vegan is fashionable in my environment right now. I eat everything and it doesn't bother me if others have their own strict dietary rules. It just annoys me when certain colleagues are always saying loudly: «I don't eat meat because of the poor animals.» It's important to me that I feel good in my body. That includes putting on make-up. Not always, sometimes I go to school in jogging bottoms and without make-up, but most of the time I make myself up. Not for the others, but I want to please myself. I think there's generally less competition among us girls than there is among the boys. On the contrary: if someone posts a great picture of themselves on Instagram, we write about how good they look. I'm not a fan of stars either. My role models don't impress me because they have a good figure or look good, but because they do something on their own, like bloggers who do their own thing."

«I like being slim because then you don't have any problems when buying clothes»

Jan, 16, is annoyed by parents of fat children and allows himself a sweet treat now and again. "I think it's the parents' job to make sure that their kids don't just stuff themselves with crisps and burgers. They should show them that there are alternatives. I used to be fatter myself and didn't feel good. Then, at a school camp, we always ate an apple for a snack and I kept it up. Today, I snack less between meals because it's important for me to stay in shape.

I play football three times a week and there's a match at the weekend, so it's important that my body works. In training, we regularly do fitness for endurance, stamina and strength. To do this, I need a good diet, which my mum, who is also very sporty, looks after. Of course I allow myself something sweet now and again, but I do it very consciously. I like being slim because then I don't have any problems buying clothes. Branded clothes used to be important to me because in class it was mainly the boys who looked at what you were wearing. But that's changed now because some children have to pay for their own clothes if they want to wear labels."

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