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 “In the scenery of spring there is nothing superior nothing inferior flowering branches are by nature some short some long. ~ Zen Proverb
Body Image Body Image at a Glance (edited from ppct.org) - Body image is the way you see yourself and imagine how you look.
- Having a positive body image means that, most of the time, you see yourself accurately, you feel comfortable in your body, and you feel good about the way you look.
- It is common to struggle with body image, no matter who you are.
- Severe negative body image can lead to serious eating and exercise disorders.
We all have a Body Image. We all have feelings about the way we look. And we have ideas and feelings about how others think about our looks. Your overall body image can range from very positive to very negative. You may feel good about certain parts of your body or the way you look and not as good about others — that’s totally normal. Body image is also how you feel in your body — if you feel strong, able, attractive, and in control.Many of us struggle with body image. Sometimes it is difficult to understand all of the feelings we have about our bodies and ourselves. You may have questions about body image and whether the things you think and feel are normal. Here are answers to questions that are commonly asked about body image. What Is Body Image? How you feel about your body and all of its parts — your build and your legs, nose, stomach, the color of your skin, and the color or texture of your hair, for example — plays a role in your body image.
What Shapes Our Body Image? We do not develop our body image all on our own. The people around us and our culture strongly influence it. We get both positive and negative messages about our bodies from family and friends all the time — starting from when we’re very young. For example, we may develop a love of exercise and a sense of being strong and capable if our parents share their enjoyment of physical activity with us.
On the other hand, we may develop a negative body image if our parents criticize the way we look.We also get messages about body image from television, magazines, films, and other media.
- For example, on average, women who are models have very different builds. They weigh 23 % less than women who are not models.
- The average U.S. woman is 5’4” and weighs 140 pounds, whereas the average U.S. model is 5’11” & weighs 117 pounds.
- All we have to do is look around — the bodies in the real world are much more diverse and unique than those we see in the media.Body image is also influenced by the natural aging process and our life experience.
- We have different feelings about our bodies when our bodies change. Certain times in life, like puberty or menopause and andropause are key times when a person’s body image may change.
If people are hurt, sick, or disabled, their body images may be affected, too. Our emotional state also influences our body image. When work or relationships become stressful, many people notice that their body image can be affected.
Shocking Statistics - Two out of five women would trade three to five years of their life to achieve their weight goals.
- In 1970 the average age of a girl who started dieting was 14; by 1990 the average dieting age fell to age 8.
- A study found that women overestimate the size of their hips by 16% and their waists by 25%, yet the same women were able to correctly estimate the width of a box.
- After viewing images of female fashion models, seven out of ten women felt more depressed and angry than prior to viewing the images.
- The “ideal” woman - portrayed by models, Miss America, Barbie dolls, and screen actresses - is 5’5, weighs 100 pounds and wears a size 5.
- Young girls are more afraid of becoming fat than they are of nuclear war, cancer, or losing their parents.
- One out of three women are on a diet at any given time.
- Two thirds of dieters regain the weight within one year.
- Virtually all dieters regain it within five years.
- 35% of occasional dieters progress into pathological dieting.
- The diet industry (diet foods, diet programs, diet drugs, etc.) takes in over $40 billion each year and continues to grow.
- 30% of women chose an ideal body shape that is 20% underweight and an additional 44% chose an ideal body shape that is 10% underweight.
What Is a Positive Body Image? - For example, people who can easily climb stairs may have a better body image than people who struggle climbing them.Having a positive body image also means that you see yourself as you really are.
Many people with a positive body image know that certain parts of their body may not be the same as someone else’s, but they accept, appreciate, and even love the differences.People with a positive body image also understand that how they look does not determine their self-worth.
What Is a Negative Body Image? A negative body image develops when someone feels her or his body does not measure up to family, social, or media ideals. Many people feel as if they don’t measure up — especially when they measure themselves against the standards of beauty commonly seen in the media.Unlike people with positive body images who are satisfied with their body image, people with a negative body image are often very dissatisfied.
Is Your Body Image Positive or Negative? How Can a Negative Body Image Affect Your Health and Well-Being? Having a long-lasting negative body image can affect both your mental and physical health. People who have a long-lasting negative body image are more likely than people with a positive body image to: Eating or exercise disorder: - It is very difficult to deal with an eating or exercise disorder on your own. If you or someone you know is struggling with one of these disorders, it is a good idea to seek help.
- Living in our culture, it's not surprising if you feel you have to look a certain way to be happy or even healthy. Youmay think that dieting is a normal or even necessary part of life. However, constant concern about body weight andshape, fat grams and calories can start a vicious cycle of body dissatisfaction and obsession.
- The things you're doingto be thin can quickly spin out of control and become a serious, life-threatening eating disorder. Just because you weigh yourself, skip meals, count calories, or over-exercise doesn’t necessarily mean that you have an eating disorder. But you may be dealing with what's called "disordered eating."Just because you weigh yourself, skip meals, count calories, or over-exercise doesn’t necessarily mean that you have an eating disorder. But you may be dealing with what's called "disordered eating."
- You should discuss your concerns honestly with your parents. If this doesn't feel realistic, then please discuss this with a trusted adult, for example: your physician, guidance counselor, coach, aunt, friend's mother, etc. You can also contact the National Eating Disorders Association,nationaleatingdisorders.org.
Body Image and Sexual Health - Body image is an important part of your sexual health.
- People who feel comfortable in their bodies are more likely than others to make healthy sexual decisions, like protecting their health by using condoms.
- People who feel comfortable with their naked body are more likely to be comfortable talking openly about sex with their partner.
- People who feel ashamed of their bodies, including their sex organs, may not feel confident and strong enough to make healthy sexual decisions.
- The preteen and teenage years are a time when bodies change rapidly, and young people’s body image also changes.
- This is also a time when many people — especially young women — struggle with a negative body image.
What Can I Do to Improve My Body Image? - There is a lot you can do to improve your body image, even without changing your body. Remember, body image is not about how you look, but how you feel about the way you look.
- Some people choose to change the way they feel about their bodies. Many times, talking with people you trust, friends or family members, about the way you feel can help.
- Professional help from a therapist may be useful if you find you struggle with improving your body image, or are restricting your diet, exercising excessively in an effort to make your body into an idealized version.
- Talking about your negative feelings and developing new ways to think about your body and your self-worth is a good way to address a negative body image.
If you Find Yourself Negative: Try to think differently about your body. - Pay attention to the times when you feel bad about your body.
- Did you just weigh yourself?
- Did you just read a magazine?
- Did you just talk to a friend or family member who is negative about her or his body?
Tips for a Positive Body Image (edited from ucla.edu) In a world that is constantly showing you narrow definitions of beauty, how can you maintain a healthy body image? Here are some tips: - Remember that health and appearance are two different things.
- Accept and value your genes — you probably inherited a lot of traits from your family members, so love those traits as you love your family. You cannot change your body type.
- Keep a list of your positive qualities that have nothing to do with your appearance.
- Surround yourself with people who are supportive and who make you feel good about yourself.
- Treat your body with respect and kindness.
- Learn to love and respect your body and to work with what you have.
- Invest time and money in yourself, rather than the diet and supplement industry.
- Spend your extra money on flattering clothes, fitness equipment, haircuts, massages, and other personal indulgences--not on diets.
- Stop weighing yourself. Focus on how your clothes fit and how you feel.
- If you keep trying to achieve an unrealistically low body weight for you, you’re setting yourself up for failure, depression, disordered eating, and decreased quality of life.
- Stop comparing yourself to others.
- Celebrate your body and the marvelous things it can do when you are fit and well-nourished. So often, we take these things for granted.
- Move and enjoy your body. Go walking, swimming, biking, and dancing. Do yoga, aerobics, and weight training…. not because you have to, but because it makes you feel strong and energized.
- Surround yourself with people who have a healthy relationship with food, weight, and their bodies. It will make a difference in how you feel about yourself. Also, remember to set a good example for others by refraining from “fat talk” when you’re with friends and family.
- Stop your negative thoughts and statements about yourself. Focus on what you love about yourself.
- Compliment yourself. Talk to your body the way you would talk to a good friend.
- Reclaim your own inner strength.
- Focus on the unique qualities and personality traits that make you a special and successful person.
- Nurture your inner self. Enjoy things you find relaxing (e.g. music, bubble baths, fragrances, candles, massages, reading, writing, napping), be close to nature (e.g. garden, sunsets, beach, stars), and/or seek spiritual connection (e.g. prayer, meditation, inspirational reading, reflection).
- Feeling good on the inside is key to feeling good on the outside.
- Examine the degree to which your self-esteem depends upon your appearance. Although it may seem natural to wish you looked like a fashion model or a body builder, basing your happiness on this desire may lead to failure. Unrealistic goals can prevent you from exploring ways to enhance your life.
- Broaden your perspective. Talk to people you trust, read books about body image, or write in a journal. These activities may help you to recognize emotionally destructive thoughts and put body image into perspective.
- Recognize that “fat-ism” is a form of discrimination similar to sexism, racism, and classism. Assumptions that body shape determines attractiveness, personality, and success are incorrect and unjust.
- Combat discrimination when possible.
- Question assumptions and generalizations which promote the belief that one “type” of person is better than another.
Making Realistic Changes to Please Yourself People may choose to change their appearance in many ways, for a variety of reasons. If you want to change the way you look, be sure to have realistic expectations. If you have a negative body image, it is important to deal with the mental and emotional aspects of it in order for any physical changes to be truly successful. Some people choose to make lifestyle changes, such as adopting a specific diet and an exercise program, in order to lose weight, gain muscle, or change their bodies in other ways. Often, this can be a healthy choice. If you are planning to make a considerable change in your lifestyle, it can be a good idea to talk with a health care provider who can advise you about the healthiest way to do so. People also change their looks in other ways, such as coloring or processing their hair, or using products to change the appearance of their skin. Some changes can boost your self-esteem and body image, and some changes may not be as effective. The key is to have realistic expectations about how much changing your appearance can change how you feel about yourself. Plastic Surgery Some people choose to have plastic surgery to change the body parts that they don’t like. This is one way to address a negative body image. But changing a body part does not necessarily change the way a person feels. If you are planning to make a permanent change in the way you look, you may want to think about any possible health consequences. It can be a good idea to talk about your plans with a trusted friend, family member, or health care provider. As a woman, I can relate to the common fantasy, that with the help of a talented surgeon, my outer self could match my inner beauty. In the right setting, I am generally supportive of my patient who plans plastic surgery to correct something that makes her unhappy. With realistic expectations, why shouldn't she have her tummy back after delivering a few chubby babies? Or if she is self-conscious about small breasts and wants to fill out her sweater, I am happy to help her find the right surgeon. Some of my young patients with large breasts choose to have them reduced in order to reduce back pain, as well as feeling overly self-conscious. Despite the potential scarring and blood loss associated with a breast reduction (as compared to the simpler breast augmentation), patients are ususally very relieved following this surgery. I have seen several young women come out their shell after having their breasts reduced to size they are comfortable with. On the other hand, a relatively new procedure has been introduced by a '90210' gynecologist that I rarely find indicated. Not only do I think that labial reduction is unnecessary; it feels unethical to me to give young women one more thing to worry about. Now that young women shave their vulva as routine grooming, they can now see their labia, unlike days past. The range of normal is easily confirmed by a visit to the gynecologist, rather than let yourself worry about trying to compete with Playboy playmates. My only recommendation is that my patient takes adequate time to really consider her reasons for wanting the change, and understands nothing external has the power to change her. There are many wonderful plastic surgeons in the New York/Westchester/Fairfield area, and if desired, I would highly recommend one of my colleagues, who have a long track record of professionalism and satisfied patients. Plastic Surgeons I have worked with and have tremendous respect for: | Sam Beran, MD. 914.761.7070, in Mt Kisco, White Plains & NYC, drberan.com | Carroll "Cap" Lesesne, MD. 212.570.6318, in Mt Kisco & NYC, caplesesne.com |
“When you consider yourself valuable you will take care of yourself in all ways that are necessary.” ~ M. Scott Peck
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