20 Ways to Love Your Body

I have been preparing for a presentation on eating disorders that I will be giving tomorrow at a local high school, so I have been scouring the NEDA website looking for cool ideas, stats and other things to make my presentation non-boring to high school students (who are probably going to think I'm old and boring anyways- JK!!). Anyways, while I was scanning some of NEDA's resources online, I came across a list of '20 Ways to Love Your Body' compiled by Margo Maine, PhD that I thought some of you might enjoy reading! I am just going to copy and paste it below (with my additions in italics:)), or, you can also follow this link and check it out on NEDA's site.

20 Ways to Love Your Body by Margo Maine

1. Think of your body as the vehicle to your dreams. Honor it. Respect it. Fuel it.

2. Create a list of all the things your body lets you do. Read it and add to it often.

3. Become aware of what your body can do each day. Remember it is the instrument of your life, not just an ornament.

4. Create a list of people you admire: people who have contributed to your life, your community, or the world. Consider whether their appearance was important to their success and accomplishments.

5. Walk with your head held high, supported by confidence in yourself as a person [who is made by God and created beautifully!].

6. Don't let your weight or shape keep you from activities that you enjoy.

7. Wear comfortable clothes that you like, that express your personal style, and that feel good to your body.

8. Count your blessings, not your blemishes.

9. Think about all the things you could accomplish with the time and energy you currently spend worrying about your body and appearance. Try one!

10. Be your body's friend and supporter, not its enemy.

11. Consider this: your skin replaces itself once a month, your stomach lining every five days, your liver ever six weeks, and your skeleton every three months. Your body is extraordinary--begin to respect and appreciate it.

12. Every morning when you wake up, thank your body for resting and rejuvenating itself so you can enjoy the day.

13. Every evening when you go to bed, tell your body how much you appreciate what it has allowed you to do throughout the day.

14. Find a method of exercise that you enjoy and do it regularly. Don't exercise to lose weight (or punish yourself because of what you have eaten) or to fight your body. Do it to make your body healthy and strong and because it makes you feel good. Exercise for the three F's: fun, fitness, and friendship.

15. Think back to a time when you felt good about your body. Tell yourself you can feel like that again, even in this body at this age.

16. Keep a list of 10 positive things about yourself (and look at it!)--without mentioning your appearance. Add to it!

17. Put a sign on each of your mirrors saying, "I'm beautiful inside and out."

18. Choose to find the beauty in the world and in yourself (because it is all around).

19. Start saying to yourself, "Life is too short to waste my time hating my body this way."

20. Eat when you are hungry. Rest when you are tired. Surround yourself with people that remind you of your inner strength and beauty.

Some of these may resonate with you more than others- I really appreciated number 4 and number 8. Gratitude is SO important; being thankful and having perspective can go a long way. Hopefully this list provides you with a few things to think about and some helpful pointers to start appreciating and loving your body! :)

The Price of Beauty

I have to say.. for someone who has undergone SO much public scrutiny, Jessica Simpson appears to have a pretty good head on her shoulders! While I obviously don't know her (and therefore am probably not qualified to make such a statement- ha), I did watch her recent interview with Oprah and I was really impressed by some of the things that she had to say about beauty and the ways that women think about their bodies.

Jessica Simpson went on Oprah to promote her new reality show, The Price of Beauty, that is airing on VH1 (I think it premieres Monday night, March 15th at 10pm) that she was inspired to make after being criticized by the media about her weight and her appearance. I'm sure you all remember (or at least have heard about) the 'mom jeans' incident that occurred this past fall... She was ridiculed for wearing a pair of high-waisted jeans (she described them as her 'mom jeans' haha) and people worldwide were commenting on and writing stories about a photo of her that was taken in this outfit- saying she had gained weight. It was interesting to hear her speak so openly about how this experience impacted her and the degree to which she had to fight to stay strong and confident about her body and her appearance. Her vulnerabilities were real. And to hear someone, who is deemed beautiful in the eyes of the world, share how her self-esteem had severely waivered was sad-- and yet in some ways, relatable for women all across America. It just goes to show that no one is immune to the struggle of body image and self-loathing, and that the media can have a powerful impact on how we feel about ourselves! Simpson shared that she had not spoken openly about the incident until now because she was afraid that by talking about the media calling her fat, she would impress upon other women that they too were fat if they looked anything like her, or happened to be larger than she was (which is most of society!). As she said, and as is true, beauty comes in all sizes, shapes, colors, forms and styles; this was one of the things that motivated her to produce her show.

Simpson's show examines beauty in cultures all over the world. It sounds like traveling and meeting women from different countries was a healing experience for her, and one that she is hoping will be healing for other people as they watch. The way that interacting with women from different cultures and learning about beauty in other countries helped her to gain confidence and a new awareness of the beauty that she had within. Oprah showed a clip from her show (a scene actually where Jessica met with a former French supermodel who was severely anorexic) and Simpson was crying a little bit when the clip ended. Oprah asked her why she was crying, and she said, "It makes me very emotional because the pressure that women feel to be thin or to be beautiful, the pressure that the media puts on women is so unfair and so disgusting, and if i can do something to make it better for people.. that's the reason why I did this show." While the media does not make people anorexic, the media certainly effects the way that we view our bodies and beauty- and it has taken a major toll on too many of our self-esteems and body images!!

Oprah ended the segment by asking her what she had learned about beauty through all of her experiences and how she defines it. Her words? "No one can define it [beauty] but myself. Nobody's words, nobody's compliments, nobody's love. It is all within myself." I think that her message of beauty being within us is an important one. Of course we can have fun with our clothes, our hair, our make-up if we choose to do so, but that is NOT what makes us beautiful- nor is it the size of our jeans, our thighs or our boobs. The things that cannot be seen, the traits and qualities that make us who we are are the things that make us beautiful.

If there was a contest that awarded a prize to the person with the most junk mail in their inbox, I might have a good shot at winning. I have no idea how I ended up on so many random listservs. I get emails announcing sales at stores that I have never heard of, announcements about travel deals (which if I'm honest, I kind of like!), stationary sales, opportunities to participate in paid surveys, home improvement tips from Home Depot and Lowe's... you name it, it's probably in my e-trash. As I was deleting all the useless emails in my junk mail account (hotmail, cough cough), I came across an email from Victoria's Secret. The subject read "New! I Love My Body Bras." I sort of laughed and wondered if perhaps Victoria's Secret was working to promote positive body image. I clicked on the email and there were three models in their bras and underwear looking a little hungry. My next move- I googled 'Victoria's Secret Love My Body' and this is what I found. Follow the link to read the article on their 'campaign.'

I don't mean to make fun of it or anything- promise! If you read my blog, you know that I am all about promoting positive body image and people loving their bodies. And for this, I think it's great that Victoria's Secret is trying to help women love their bodies. I just find it funny/ironic/unfortunate that their campaign slogan is "Body for Everybody, Love Your Body" and the picture attached to the campaign shows 7 women who all look the same. A more appropriate slogan might be "Body for Seven, Love Your Body." :) I think if the goal is to promote the idea that all bodies are beautiful, then showing women of all sizes and shapes might be more effective in communicating this message. I dislike being critical for the sake of being critical, but I think it's important to be critical about the media/images that we view and how we interpret them, as they have a significant impact on how we view ourselves and our bodies (whether we are aware of it or not). I think observing and thinking critically is important, and it's also important and okay to act and react appropriately to such things.

I don't often tell stories, but I've been thinking a lot lately (especially in honor of last week's National Eating Disorders Awareness Week) about doing 'just one thing'- and how doing one thing here or there can really make a difference. Well, when I was putting away some groceries I bought the other day, I noticed that as I was putting a particular item into my refrigerator, there was a picture of a girl's face (a cartoon) along with a website address on the outside of this item. In addition, this particular item had been 'approved' by this cartoon girl. I'm a curious person by nature and wanted to know who this girl was and why she was on my food, so I checked out her website. I refuse to share the alias of this cartoon girl or her website because when I went online to see what she was all about, all that I could found were tips on cutting calories, dieting tips, what to eat at certain restaurants, etc. This website also provides the option for people to sign up to receive daily emails sharing dieting tips, how to cut calories, and specific products to buy that help promote weight loss. I'm really not sure who created this site, but the girl behind the alias says that she is obsessed with food, counting calories, finding great diet tips.... and to me, that is one giant red flag!! If you are obsessed with numbers, weight, counting calories, dieting, etc.. it may be a good idea to talk to someone about this, especially if it is interfering with your ability to think rationally, maintain health and be yourself.

While I wouldn't necessarily call this person's site a pro-anorexia site, it is certainly not a healthy site. The information presented is likely triggering for anyone who has struggled with an eating disorder, food issues, body image struggles, etc. It made me upset to think that someone could do something as simple as buy something at the grocery store and be confronted with this little cartoon girl and her website. My reaction was so strong that I felt like I needed to take an action step. So, I sent this cartoon girl a little message on the 'contact me' section of her site. My message was not rude or judgmental, but I shared my thoughts and concerns with her. I haven't heard back from her, and I don't expect to. I didn't write to her expecting a response or even needing one. The simple act of putting that feedback out there was empowering and I think we need to be doing this kind of thing more often, myself included. It's not even about trying to change someone else, or to show someone that they are wrong about something- of course, it is helpful for people to be educated and knowledgeable and to have correct information. But I think when we take action steps, it actually frees us and empowers us in ways that help us to move one step closer to health and acceptance of ourselves. In doing that, we may actually end up facilitating change after all! Every little action helps, whether it helps us or helps others, or both! As we interact with people and media (print, TV, etc) this week, let's consider how we might take small action steps to promote positive body image in ourselves and in those around us.

The Body Image Project!

This week has been a really busy one, and it is not over yet- which means that National Eating Disorders Awareness Week is still going strong! I received an email from Tiffany, who is the woman behind the Body Image Project- a really cool website and organization that I have written about before (click here to read my post and here to check out the Body Image Project). The mission of her site is to help people reframe and reshape the way they feel and think about their bodies. I want to quote her because I think she said it best- We want to hit the message home that if you do one thing this week, participate. Share your story. Help spread the word. Encourage positive body image and take control of your own advocacy …your right to be happy, healthy and thrive in your own skin. I love the attitude behind this statement. It starts with each one of us as individuals!

What can you do? Be intentional about reminding yourself what you value and like about your body and yourself each day. I read an interview that Jenni Schaefer gave recently and she said that she encourages people (including herself!) to think about what your body can do for you- instead of focusing on your individual body parts and criticizing them, consider what purpose these body parts serve for you and how lucky we are to have functioning bodies. She also said the following (so great!)-"Realize that your body is just a vehicle for life. I've heard people say it's like an earth suit. It's what you get to wear to walk around and experience the world." I think that is a cute, unique and helpful way to think about our bodies. To read the most recent blog post written by Tiffany at the Body Image Project, follow this link to read her thoughts on National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. And remember, do just one thing this week!! No matter how big or small, you can make a difference by doing one thing.

Did You Know???

I thought it might be fun/informative to share some random body image facts, and I came across a site that listed a bunch. I am pulling all of these from Northwestern Health Sciences University's website under a section called U Healthy, so I can't take credit for putting this list together- but it is worth repeating, as these facts demonstrate the role that size, weight, and body image have upon individuals in our society.

Did You Know...

• There are 3 billion women who don’t look like super-models and only 18 who do.
• Marilyn Monroe wore a size 14.
• 7% of 12th grade males have used steroids in order to become more muscular.
• If Barbie was a real woman, she’d have to walk on all fours due to her proportions.
• Male action figures (GI Joe, etc.) have greatly increased in muscular size since 1973; If GI Joe were human, he would have larger biceps than any bodybuilder in history.
• One out of 4 college aged women has an eating disorder.
• In one U.S. National survey, women feared being fat more than dying.
• A survey of formally overweight people revealed they would rather be blind or lose a limb than be overweight again.
• Americans spend more than 40 billion dollars a year on dieting and diet-related products. That’s roughly equivalent to the amount the U.S. Federal Government spends on education each year.
• 46% of 9-11 year olds are sometimes or very often on diets.
• 50% of 10th grade and 12th grade boys want a more muscular upper body.
• Underweight males have body images just as negative as overweight women’s body images.
• 42% of 1st-3rd graders want to be thinner.
• Most fashion models are thinner than 98% of women.
• 25% of American men and 45% of American women are on a diet on any given day.

These statistics are a bit overwhelming! Today I was having a conversation with some women that attend a class that I teach and we were discussing the impact that we can have on others simply based on the ways that we view and accept ourselves. One of the women mentioned that she observed a 3 year old complaining about her stomach being fat after witnessing her mother talking negatively about her own stomach. If we are able to accept ourselves and model this to those around us, we can have such a positive impact on others! In going with this theme, I saw a video on You Tube that I thought I'd share. It was produced by NEDA (National Eating Disorder Association) and may inspire you to help others, especially young girls that you know, to see their unique beauty and to embrace beauty in all sizes, shapes and forms. Enjoy!