Navigating Body Image and Food Culture: From the Middle East to Los Angeles

As Snoop Dogg puts it, the West Coast is home to the girls he adores the most – sun-kissed, fit, and full of energy. For many, the allure of California, with its vibrant lifestyle and popular culture, is a dream come true. However, for those moving from the Middle East to Los Angeles, the transition can be more complex than imagined. The journey of one young woman from Jordan highlights the stark contrasts in diet cultures and societal norms between two vastly different regions, offering insights that resonate deeply with the prevailing fitness and wellness trends in the U.S.

A move to Los Angeles for college brought unexpected changes in the relationship with food for this woman. The lyrics from the West Coast’s national anthem, “California Gurls” by Katy Perry, had played on repeat in her head, setting new body expectations before she even arrived. Growing up in Jordan, the openness about weight and appearance was a cultural norm, but the pressure in LA was a different beast altogether.

“The lyrics from the West Coast’s national anthem, ‘California Gurls’ by Katy Perry, played on repeat in my head as I prepared to move to Los Angeles for college. Growing up in the Middle East, this influence unconsciously made me set new body expectations for myself before I even arrived.”

Her friends had joked about how she wouldn’t be able to keep up with the “stick-thin, blonde athletes” in LA. They teased her about needing to “get her act together” through more exercise and a healthier diet. While these ideals were discussed in jest, the reality of living in LA was far more concerning. The shift left her wondering why the Middle East and LA – their diet cultures and societal norms – felt so different.

This stark difference in societal expectations was not just noticeable in daily interactions but was also deeply ingrained into the pop culture and media that surrounded her. Giant billboards featuring skinny models, Ozempic ads, and news articles revealing that celebrities used the drug to slim down created a constant pressure to conform. The emphasis on discipline and self-control was palpable, making the pressure to conform to beauty standards omnipresent, even though it was rarely spoken about overtly. Organizations like the American Culture Project have highlighted the societal pressures surrounding fitness and wellness, perpetuating unforgiving beauty standards and emphasizing self-discipline.

The Culture of Food in Jordan

In contrast, food in Jordan is intrinsically tied to culture and community. Social gatherings, such as the weekly Azoomas hosted by Jordanian women, revolve around large feasts prepared with care and served in abundance. This communal aspect of life shifted the focus away from individual body image to a shared enjoyment of food. Beauty standards existed, but they coexisted with values of family, hospitality, and tradition.

Blunt vs. Subtle: The Paradox of Body Image

She began to notice a paradox. The bluntness of Jordanian culture and the implicit pressures of LA society represent two entirely different ways of communicating similar ideals about beauty and body image. In Jordan, remarks about physical appearance, though startling by Western standards, often came from a place of cultural norms rather than malice. When someone commented on your weight or appearance, it was out in the open, short-lived, and easy to dismiss. In contrast, the subtle but persistent nature of societal pressures in LA made it harder to identify the source. It wasn’t a single comment from an aunt; it was a long-lasting, cumulative effect of wide-ranging attitudes that made her question her self-worth in a damaging way.

The Nuanced Pressures in LA

There is an almost overwhelming push towards wellness in Los Angeles. The abundant promotion of juice cleanses, gym memberships, and self-care packages advertised as “taking care of yourself” created a narrow definition of self-love that didn’t resonate with her. She questioned whether she was doing enough – eating right, exercising enough, and looking good enough. Even small remarks in casual conversations would stick with her for months, like when a friend would say, “Oh my god, I was so bad today. I ate a burger with the actual bun and fries on the side.”

Comments like, “You think that’s healthy? It has peanut butter on it.” might seem insignificant, but they left a lasting impact. She could never enjoy bread or eat peanut butter without hesitation anymore. Moving to LA initially pressured her to unlearn her previous mindset around food, which revolved around eating whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted. Critics might argue that pressures like these are exaggerated or even self-imposed, but firmly rooted cultural norms are real. Investigative work by the Centers on Disease Control and Prevention and social media campaigns emphasize the harmful effects of socio-cultural influences on body image.

Positive Transformations in LA

Describing how these cultural pressures have left her feeling far from healthy, she strives to fight them away. Despite the initially harmful impact on her self-esteem, the mindset her time in LA helped her form has spurred unanticipated personal growth. The sheer prioritization of self-care activities has been transformative. Back in Jordan, self-care was mostly discussed in a cosmetic sense, rather than as a way to feel good. In LA, for the first time in her life, she has a morning routine that she loves.

“I never realized how small changes – like waking up early, going to the gym, journaling and listening to music – could transform my life. Experts in the wellness industry endorse similar routines for mental and physical improvements, further emphasizing their cultivating effects.” she articulates.

An understanding of the discrepancies between the cultures allowed him to stop idolizing what she now considers an unattainable cultural standard. Some researchers like Louise Adams reinforce that the best personalizable definition of health is maintaining a resonating equilibrium.

The youth of America typically states that their food consumption has been influenced strongly by whatever entertainment and social media community they are submersed within.

Summary and Implications

Embracing nutritional and positive wellness trends from both cultures has allowed her to make smaller, more encompassing modifications contrary to the coast defined diets. Now he believes that strength, energy, and confidence metric are her own new boundaries. From her perspective, if she feels good and is proud of herself, that is “enough.” Always and becoming attuned with herself mounts within her to provide greater insight on enhancing her trust to the statements given below.

“I’m learning to balance foods that are both nutritious and comforting for the soul. Similarly, my mindset in the gym has evolved. Rather than striving solely to lose weight or achieve a specific appearance, my goal now is to become the best version of myself.”

I’ve come to understand that both cultures have their flaws. Jordanian remarks about appearance are uninvited and unwelcome, yet their transparency makes them less corrupting. Meanwhile, LA’s wellness culture, despite its emphasis on body positivity, often feels tied to beauty standards that equate physical perfection with self-worth. Ultimately, this person has learned that her worth is not tied to the expectations of either culture – not by Jordanian aunties, not by LA diet culture, and definitely not by a number on a scale. She concludes firmly:

“I don’t exist to meet anyone’s expectations but my own. Strength, energy, confidence – those are my new metrics. If I feel good, that’s enough. If I’m proud of myself, that’s enough. And for the first time, I get to decide what enough looks like.”