Love Your Body

How often do you look in the mirror and say "If I could just lose ten pounds, then I would be happy"? Unfortunately, the majority of Americans are dissatisfied with their bodies, and many take extreme measures in an attempt to change their bodies. For example, one study found that 63% of participants identified weight as the key factor in determining how they felt about themselves -- more important than family, school, or career. Having an unhealthy body image is not inborn, but learned. This learning occurs in the family and among peers, but these only reinforce what is learned and expected culturally.

Developing a Healthy Body Image
1. Listen to your body. Eat when you are hungry.
2 .Be realistic about the size you are likely to be based on your genetic and environmental history.
3. Exercise regularly in an enjoyable way, regardless of size.
4. Expect normal weekly and monthly changes in weight and shape
5. Work towards self acceptance and self forgiveness
6. Ask for support and encouragement from friends and family when life is stressful.
7. Decide how you wish to spend your energy -- pursuing the "perfect body image" or enjoying family, friends, school and, most importantly, life.

Healthy body weight is the size a person naturally returns to after a long period of both non-compulsive eating* and consistent exercise commensurate with the person' s physical health and condition. We must learn to advocate for ourselves and our children to aspire to a naturally determined size, even though that will often mean confronting misinformed family, friends, and media advertising again and again.

For more information come visit our “Love your body” education fair on February 21st and 22nd in the UVSC Hall of Flags.
Adapted from BodyLove: Learning to Like Our Looks and Ourselves, Rita Freeman, Ph.D.