It’s almost summertime, and many teenage girls are working hard to get the stereotypical “perfect beach body” that “all guys care about,” which seems to mean not having your thighs touch and having a toned stomach.

Sometimes, girls want a flat stomach and thin legs so badly that they do not consider the consequences of the unhealthy actions they take.

According to certified nursing assistant Robyn Baron, the health room sees cases of anorexia and bulimia every year, the effects of which can be severe.

“It’s not only the lack of eating, but the brain and organs shut down,” Baron said.

Girls and boys have different perspectives about the importance of that “beach body.”

How girls feel:

Many girls think the “perfect body” should be like a model’s body.

“I think the perfect body consists of skinny legs and a skinny stomach,” sophomore Stephanie Casabe said. “Girls work out an extreme amount and some don’t eat much.”

Being toned is a trait that most girls commonly want. According to senior Paige Brody, being toned means a “flat stomach, muscular, but not big arms and legs.”

“I don’t like how it looks when thighs touch,” senior Paige Brody said. “A thigh gap would make a perfect body.”

However, some consider not being too skinny as a factor for the “perfect body.”

“Skinny, toned, and tan,” said a junior girl who asked that her name not be used. “I think some curves are nice. A thigh gap is nice too, but also with some meat on them and not like a twig.”

How boys feel:

Despite what girls feel about thigh gaps and having a skinny body, boys feel that it is not as important as looking healthy.

“Girls think thigh gaps look so cool but guys really don’t even notice it,” freshman Sebastian Paez said. “I don’t care if a girl’s thighs touch. Actually, I’d like them better not to be too skinny.”

In some teenage boys’ eyes, a girl’s “perfect body” does not only involve their stomach and legs.

According to one boy who asked that his name not be used, a girl has a perfect body if she is “skinny but not too skinny.”

Hobbies and activities factor into boys’ perceptions of the “perfect body” as well.

“Athletic girls, like someone who runs, are always more attractive than girls who just diet and don’t eat stuff because they have better toned bodies, and because girls fussing over whether or not to eat a slice of bread is a turn off,” senior Jacob Jankel said.

In reality, what girls see about themselves is often a lot different than other people’s views. They point out their flaws while others do not even see them.

“Everyone’s got an image stuck in their heads as big boobs, little stomach, nice butt,” sophomore Kristin Lane said. “Girls get so fixated on this image it becomes a sudden competition and death trap, and it’s really bad.”