At points, we all compare ourselves to others, but the harsh contoured lines of Hollywood can make anyone's self esteem drop 20 points. With tight abs and killer legs, these women know what it's like to be sexy and hot. But, are they the "norm" that we should be aiming for?

A recent study claims that overweight women are a little “off” when it comes to the accuracy in which they believe they’re being perceived by friends and family. The study shows that although friends and family weren’t judging these women harshly based on their size, the women still felt as though they were seen in an unfavorable light.

Judged

This study poses an interesting question. If we are not being judged as harshly as we think we are, why is this pattern of thinking prevailing in some? What are the external contributors in situations like these? The short answer may be that some women have poor self-esteem. But where does poor self-esteem stem from? This idea just opens a whole other can of worms.

"Plus Size"

One theory suggests that media in the United States is a strong contributor to poor self-esteem. It makes sense, the average size in Hollywood is anywhere from 0 to 4. Don’t fret, though, there are also “plus size” models, showing off their curves at a voluptuous size ten. That can make any average woman, touting around a size 14 frame, feel gargantuan by comparison.

Standards

Some may argue that not every woman who catches the latest episode of Desperate Housewives will have an issue with body image. That is true, but why? What are the other variables that contribute to the idea that we’re simply not living up to the standards that our peers have set for us?

From the sound of it, we actually are living up to those standards… for the people that matter, anyway.