“Do these pants make me look fat?” Most men with a woman in their lives have heard this dangerous question before. For those who haven’t, the answer is always, “NO.” Even your response has to be given carefully – answer too quickly and you aren’t paying attention. If the answer is given too late – and she thinks you DO think those pants make her look fat.
Body image (how we see our outward selves), is everything. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard people say the most horrible things to themselves while looking in the mirror. Criticisms we should never give to a total stranger, let alone someone we apparently love.
Almost everyone has experienced some sort of dissatisfaction with their appearance. This becomes evident during puberty when our bodies are changing right before our eyes. Body image is not innate, it’s learned.
Problems start to occur when our body image is distorted. This is where one sees oneself as fat when he or she is not or thin when actually overweight. This can lead to low self esteem and even depression.
Sometimes people obsess about their appearances. They constantly have to check their appearance in the mirror and oftentimes see flaws that aren’t even there. This is called Body Dysmorphic Disorder, or BDD.
BDD is an anxiety disorder which manifests itself as an obsession with one’s appearance. It involves persistent thoughts that one’s hair is too thin, nose is too big, thighs are too fat, etc. Disorders which hatch from BDD include anorexia (starving oneself to lose weight), bulimia (vomiting after eating) and even obesity (how ironic).
This is seen more in women (especially teen girls) but men can suffer from it as well. They tend not to share their feelings about their bodies for fear of seeming effeminate to their peers.
How do you know if you have a distorted body image? Ask yourself a few questions: Do I avoid the gym for fear of being seen in exercise clothes?
Do I avoid family or high school reunions because of the way I look? Do I criticize myself every time I look in the mirror?
Body image isn’t static – it can and does change. There are things you can do to change yours if it is negative.
Start simply – when looking at yourself in the mirror, only tell yourself things that you would tell your best friend, “Yes those are pimples but they are barely noticeable.” “Yes, you could lose some weight but you are a beautiful wonderful person I enjoy spending time with.”
Lie to myself? If your body image is negative or distorted, it may seem like that especially at first, but keep at it. Talk to someone about your feelings – someone who’s opinion you trust and respect and who has a positive self image his or herself.
If weight loss is your issue, get a friend to join you at the gym. Having someone who’s expecting you to show up is key. Having someone to “hang” with at the gym will also help you to feel less insecure and will allow you to focus on your workout.
If you need help getting started, I highly recommend my all natural Weight Loss Breeze program. It’s simple to do and results are seen immediately!
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