Yes, a couple needs to be physically attracted to each other in order to get married. (This does go both ways; the onus shouldn’t just be on the girl to make herself attractive no matter if the guy is overweight or unattractive in some other way.) However, it shouldn’t be a top priority. There’s a difference between looking for attraction and having a “shopping list” of physical traits that the potential spouse MUST have. I also know women who refuse to date men who are shorter than they are. I think this is very silly, but I guess that’s a different discussion.
The important thing to remember is that numbers mean nothing. Personally, I’m a size 12- BUT I”m also 5’8. A girl who is average height, say 5’4, would be overweight if she were a size 12, but for me it is a relatively healthy weight. (Okay, so I could stand to lose a few pounds, but I think overall I’m doing well.) Obsession with numbers, be them sizes, pounds, or calories, is dangerously unhealthy and leads to eating disorders. The important thing is to be able to look in the mirror and be satisfied with what you see. Sometimes it helps to stand in front of a full-length mirror and find three things that you like about your body. (This may sound silly but I’ve done it before and it really helps.) This is great for self-esteem. But while you’re standing there, you might also want to ask yourself if you’d like to change anything about your body. This doesn’t mean that one has to be the skinniest girl around, but the question is whether or not your body is the healthiest it can possibly be. Sometimes a size 10 girl is healthier than a size 4 girl, again depending on height and body build (do the extra pounds come from fat or muscle?) as well as WHY they are the sizes they are. If a girl binges and purges in order to keep herself at size 0 or whatever the case may be, it’s better to date a size 14 girl who eats well-balanced meals and exercises regularly.
Also, regarding diets, it’s unwise to give out blanket advice because everyone’s bodies work differently, and everyone has different taste buds. To say that skim milk “tastes horrible” is an opinion statement and is not true of everyone. Certain people are sensitive to certain foods, and so while they may be healthy foods for others, these people will get sick if they eat them. One needs to find a diet that works for him or her (and by “diet” I don’t mean Atkins or South Beach; I am using the simpler meaning of the word.)