How a positive view of your body can lift your self-confidence

BY MICHAEL KRAFT, JUNIOR, STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT OSWEGO

In the media-driven society that we live in today, it can be difficult to develop a healthy body image when you are constantly being flooded with messages and images targeting your insecurities about your appearance and showing people with unattainably �perfect� bodies (that are possibly digitally enhanced).

�Our expectations of what our bodies should or shouldn�t look like are generated by the media and our cultural standards of what we think is attractive,� says Kathy Anthony, director of counseling at Harcum College, a two-year school in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.

A poll of 582 students conducted by Student Health 101 found that 95% said they know students who are not satisfied with the way they look, and 84% said they often or sometimes think about the way their body looks and wish it was different. While some of these students may have a healthy attitude about improving themselves through exercise and proper nutrition, many who are not happy with the way they look have self-esteem issues.

�Body image is your self-esteem,� of New York at Oswego (SUNY
Oswego). �Your self-esteem is what you see when you look in the mirror. If you are unhappy with yourself, then you will see someone who displeases you in the mirror. If you feel confident when you walk into a room, then you will naturally be confident about how you appear to other people.�

 

A Sign of Bigger Problems
For some students, a poor body image can lead to bigger issues. These students may take up damaging eating behaviors (called disordered eating), which can include restrictive dieting and bingeing and purging. Sometimes disordered eating will lead to more serious eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia. (To learn more about the terms and definitions of common eating disorders, VISIT http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/information-resources/general-information.php.)

�Body dissatisfaction is the most robust predictor of disordered eating, unhealthy weight control practices, eating disorders, along with depression and suicide,� says Dr. Mary Tantillo, an eating disorder specialist and director of the Western New York Comprehensive Care Center for Eating Disorders, based at the University of Rochester School of Nursing. �It is also correlated with other high-risk behaviors like substance abuse.� If you or someone you know is seriously struggling with body image problems, Anthony at Harcum College recommends seeking help from a campus counselor or a mental health professional. �Counselors are totally confidential, but if you don�t feel comfortable going to one, there are online resources and support in your community,� says Anthony.

Build a Better Body Image
If you are not in a crisis situation but are having body image issues, you may wish to take measures on your own to build a better regard for the way you look. Quattro feels positive about herself by wearing clothes she feels comfortable in, doing yoga every morning, and riding her bike to work. Other steps toward a healthy body image are to:
- Eat a balanced diet.
- Limit the time spent in front of the mirror and on the scale.
- Make a list of all the things you like about yourself.
- Surround yourself with people who like the way you look and care about your feelings.
- Find the things that make you feel good about your body.

To visit the resources and information page of the National Eating Disorders Association for more tips on improving how you see your body, VISIT http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/information-resources/general-information.php

MICHAEL KRAFT IS A JUNIOR JOURNALISM MAJOR AT THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT OSWEGO. HE STRUGGLED FOR YEARS WITH BODY IMAGE ISSUES AND ANOREXIA NERVOSA BEFORE RECEIVING TREATMENT IN THE SUMMER OF 2009.

10 Steps to a Positive Body Image

One list cannot automatically tell you how to turn negative body thoughts into positive body image, but it can help you think about new ways of looking more healthfully and happily at yourself and your body. The more you do that, the more likely you are to feel good about who you are and the body you naturally have.

1. Appreciate all that your body can do. Every day your body carries you closer to your dreams. Celebrate all of the amazing things your body does for you�running, dancing, breathing, laughing, dreaming, etc.
2. Keep a top-10 list of things you like about yourself�things that aren�t related to how much you weigh or what you look like. Read your list often. Add to it as you become aware of more things to like about you.
3. Remind yourself that �true beauty� is not simply skin deep. When you feel good about yourself and who you are, you carry yourself with a sense of confidence, self-acceptance, and openness that makes you beautiful regardless of whether you physically look like a supermodel. Beauty is a state of mind, not a state of your body.
4. Look at yourself as a whole person. When you see yourself in a mirror or in your mind, choose not to focus on specific body parts. See yourself as you want others to see you�as a whole person.
5. Surround yourself with positive people. It is easier to feel good about yourself and your body when you are around others who are supportive and who recognize the importance of liking yourself just as you naturally are.
6. Shut down those voices in your head that tell you your body is not �right� or that you are a �bad� person. You can overpower those negative thoughts with positive ones. The next time you start to tear yourself down, build yourself back up with a few quick affirmations that work for you.
7. Wear clothes that are comfortable and that make you feel good about your body. Work with your body, not against it.
8. Become a critical viewer of social and media messages. Pay attention to images, slogans, or attitudes that make you feel bad about yourself or your body. Protest these messages: Write a letter to the advertiser or talk back to the image or message.
9. Do something nice for yourself�something that lets your body know you appreciate it. Take a bubble bath, make time for a nap, or perhaps find a peaceful place outside to relax.
10. Use the time and energy that you might have spent worrying about food, calories, and your weight to do something to help others. Sometimes reaching out to other people can help you feel better about yourself and can make a positive change in our world.

 

STUDENTVIEWS

Daniel Monical at Heartland Community College talks about loving yourself for who you are, not the way you look.

Hello, I�m Daniel.  I�m a sophomore at Heartland Community College, and I want to talk about developing a healthy body image. Maintaining a healthy body image can take a lot of work, and by that I mean exercising, finding clothes you�re comfortable in, grooming so you don�t look too scruffy�I may need a little work there�and one of my biggest battles is fighting acne, trying different face washes and things like that. And most important is accepting the way you look.

If you ever wish, like, �Man, I want to be the guy with six pack abs�, you probably know that takes a ot of work. There are a lot of different body types out there and I think that finding you own body type and setting goals from there is probably one of the first steps.

Finding a routine, you know, second step. I try to go to the gym, like, three, five times a week. That just depends, though; everyone has a busy schedule. That goes hand-in-hand, you know: schedule, time, fitness. Even if you just stay home, do some pushups, and go on a short run, that�s better than not doing anything at all.

Another thing that can help is finding clothes you are comfortable in, because if you are not comfortable in your clothes, you are probably not comfortable at all. Finding clothes that suit you--I�m probably more of like a plain Jane kind of guy; just jeans and a t-shirt and I�m ready to go, but not everyone is like that. So dress like what suits you. If you want to express yourself more with your clothes, go ahead.

I have my self-conscious days. One of my biggest problems is acne, and you can go look for your acne washes and topical creams and stuff like that, but it never hurts to see a dermatologist because they have a lot of solutions and they can find a solution that is just for you, and I�ve done that and it�s come a long way.

Most important thing about finding a healthy body image is really just accepting the way you look and being happy with who you are. Sometimes I wish I was more taller and a little more handsome, but remember that nobody is perfect and imperfections are beauty, so I guess that sometimes I think I�m pretty beautiful but you have to love yourself for who you are, not the way you look.

And I hope that all that�s helped. You�ve got to maintain; go to the gym, groom yourself, you�ve got to do those things, but that can go so far and the rest of it is owning your own image and one thing you�ve got to stay away from is those glamorous magazines. Models make up, like, one percent of the population.

Just be happy with how you are, and stay beautiful in your own way. Peace. Bye.           

Jordan Wilson and Ashley Strickler at Towson University share how they maintain a positive self-image.

Hey, I�m Jordan

And I�m Ashley

And we�re both Freshmen here at Towson University.

I�m a dancer here at Towson

And I�m a member of the Towson dance team

As dancers, it is especially important to stay in shape and be confident about our body images

We understand, however, that this can be difficult. One of our good friends often complains about her weight, worries about what she eats, and always obsesses about going to the gym.

We reassure her that as long as we all eat healthy and exercise together, we will all stay in shape. We all encourage one another to make healthy choices.

You don�t have to go on a crash diet and starve yourself to look good. All you have to do is eat healthier foods rather than, like, cake or ice cream. Try eating salads or fruit, which are always available at, like, the dining halls.

And you should always make sure that you go to the gym a few times a week. It�s really not hard to get exercise here; you don�t have to play a rigorous D1 sport to work out. There are classes available at the gym for literally everyone. We have yoga, we have Zumba, there�s a rock climbing wall, there�s a place called Habitat. And, if you don�t like any of them, you can also join a club sport like Ashley does.

Yeah, I�m on a club lacrosse team and I love it.  Its not even that time-consuming; you practice like, two times a week and we have games on the weekends. It�s a good time for me to go out with my friends and just play and stay active. 

All these things have been working well for us since we�ve been here at Towson, and we�re both happy with the way we look and feel

We understand, though, that college is a big adjustment in so many ways. But, if you�re having problems in this area, just try some of the things like we do like gym or sports. And if you�re still experiencing difficulty, you�re not the only one. Try talking to a counselor or campus or going to the health center. Someone can help you out.

We promise, there�s someone.