“ I
am soooo fat!”
“ My butt looks HUGE in these jeans.”
“ Why am I so ugly?”
“ If only I looked like her.”
“ She is so thin. What does she do?”
“ My complexion is terrible.”
“ I look so old. What can I do to look younger?”
“ My belly is enormous.”
Do any of these statements sound familiar to you? Body image
is a very personal issue that touches all of us at one time or
another. Whether we have just had a baby and are struggling with
the postpartum body changes, we have put on 10 pounds a year
the last 5 years, we have noticed more wrinkles and thinning
hair, or we have never been happy with our looks, the American
obsession with appearance and beauty affects all of us.
Body
Acceptance
Body acceptance is a state of grace with our bodies. It is a basic acceptance
of our body’s size and shape. Who do you know who has body acceptance?
There may be few people you know who accept their bodies, but those people
have an advantage over everyone else. People who accept their bodies:
-
Are
more likely to take risks in life to improve themselves
-
Don’t
spend time wishing they had a different
body or face
-
Are
less worried about how they look, especially as
they age
-
Are
more comfortable being sexual with their partner
-
Are
more likely to stick to healthy diet and exercise
programs
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Give Up Body Bashing
Body bashing is the practice of putting
down your body in a variety of
situations. The most
common
situation is when you are standing
in front of a mirror. Do
you cut down your body before you start your
day? Do you cringe when somebody takes out
a camera?
Do you avoid swimming
and swimsuits even when it is hot?
Do you avoid situations where thin or attractive
people will be present because
you feel
inferior?
It is not situations that cause
your self-esteem to drop! The cause
is your
habit of putting
your body down in those situations.
Avoiding situations that
you used to enjoy only feeds the problem
of declining body image. The problem
is what you are
telling yourself. Substitute
negative, nonproductive body bashing
with affirming, accepting talk:
- I
am going to accept the body I was born with
rather than putting it down
- I
am going to take care of this body that takes
such good care
of me
- I
am fine the way I am, not perfect, but fine
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The
Quest The Quest For Beauty
Shows that highlight young, thin, voluptuous
and muscular bodies are sending the message that
we
should all try
to look like
that. Studies have shown that body image for
men and women drops when we view those “ideal specimens”.
The plain truth about being thin is that many women deprive themselves
of good health in order to keep a low weight. This futile lifestyle
damages bone strength, fertility, the heart and other organs.
In addition, it saps away the energy to pursue activities that
really build self-esteem such as college or career changes and
leads to rapid weight gain when eating increases. Some women
feel so ashamed of their bodies that they eat to comfort themselves
or punish themselves, of course compounding the problem.
Take
a Stand
If you think that Americans are lead to overemphasize weight,
then let your behavior show it:
- Watch
shows that portray people in reasonable sizes and people
doing normal things
- Focus
less on the stars and more on the remarkable people you
already know
- Avoid
TV shows like Extreme Makeover, which promote the idea
that looking better is the answer to happiness
- Buy
magazines that have good information, not pretty people
- Decide
not to talk about weight with your friends
- Try
one day just looking at people’s faces
- Avoid
pornography, which objectifies women
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Stay
Positive About Your Body At Any Weight
For those folks who have been told by their physicians that they
are at an unhealthy, high weight, self-loathing and despair
are the worst companions for losing weight. If you decide to
accept your body while you are working to make it healthier,
rather then telling yourself that you will not be happy until
you lose 20 pounds, you improve your chances of sticking to
your goals. Hating yourself and your body is not a good formula
for getting healthier. How about focusing on your healthy behavior
rather than focusing on what the scale says?
Take
on Activities That Promote Body Acceptance
- If
you are athletic, focus on your body’s
strength and grace
- Go
places where you feel comfortable in your skin
- Relax
with people who like you for who you are
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Your body is not likely to transform into the dream image you
have. However, liking your body requires a change in your mindset.
It requires that you commit yourself to acceptance, practice
accepting thoughts and seek out affirming people and activities.
You can still exercise, eat healthy or any of the other things
you would do to improve your body, but do it with encouraging
self-talk. It will work much better!
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