New Delhi: It is not easy to help yourself from doubting after watching an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as you are given to think that actress Sarah Michelle Gellar, who stars in the film may weigh a little more than a loaf of bread.

Beside that there are also fashion magazines having pictures of models, who should really be called the stick models.

But in your battle to stay slim, you might end up going overboard into the world of binge- eating, starvation and constant exercise.

So its important to know whether you really need to lose those kilos and more importantly, is it a healthy idea?

To make you feel a whole lot better about the skin you’re in, here is a little reality check when it comes to body image. But before that some food for thought:

* If female mannequins were real women they would be too thin to have babies.

* If Hollywood actress Marilyn Monroe wore a size 14 brassiere she was actually wearing an extra large (XL) size.

* If Barbie was a real person her measurements would be an impossible 36-18-38, which would make it impossible for her to stand on her feet.

We make an effort to look like the semi-starved celebrities as a result we develop a fear for fat.

"There is so much of glamourisation about looks in media. Especially in the entertainment media there is a standard look, anything outside the look might not be acceptable. The youth, who are very conscious about their looks want to follow what the media says about the right image," senior psychologist, Max Healthcare, Dr Sameer Parikh says.

However, is there such a thing called a perfect body weight?

The answer could be a complicated formula called the Body-Mass Index (BMI).

Another method of assessing whether you’re a healthy weight is to measure your waist. A measurement of more than 94cm (37in) for men and 80cm (32in) for women suggests that you should not gain any more weight.

An extra 8 cm (three inches) is an indication that your health will probably improve if you lose a few inches.

"Basically the waist-hip ratio defines the distribution of fat over the body as compared to BMI, which tells you how fat you are or you have the right weight," nutritionist, Fortis, Dr Rupali Dutta says.

If your weight lies within the healthy range but you’ are unhappy with your shape, you are likely to derive more benefits from a supervised exercise programme than by restricting your food.

This will improve your fitness, help to tone specific muscle groups and enhance your overall health and well-being.