[CHAT] Body image & health at every size!
Body image is one of the major issues that we all face in different ways every day. Regardless of weight and height, it is always in our minds and we always want to be different or to want what other's have. Whether it's losing weight, gaining weight or having muscles we are always striving for what we think is better, to the point that it might break down our sense of self and bring down our self esteem
Health at Every Size (HAES) is a peaceful movement that acknowledges that it is very important to be healthy but that does not mean that a particular size cannot be healthy. It supports that people of all sizes can adopt healthy behaviours.
Accepting your body the way that it is, takes so much strength and power. Full acceptance means letting go of society's ideas of how we should be and also loving ourselves the way we are without comparison, and this is so hard to do. I'm sure if I asked you guys what do you want to change about yourself, you could write a long list without hesitation, but if I asked what do you love about your body, some of you might stop and think for a while.
So what can we do about this? How can we love ourselves more and accept ourselves more every day? Come join us in this GR session, where we explore what it means to be Healthy at Every Size, and can we sign up to this and change our lives and our bodies and our minds forever?
Before you come to the session, check this out for more information on HAES - cant wait to have this chat on Monday 4th May at 8pm.
Great response stonepixie and rue!
I think it's very important to know when to stop, whether you've reached your limit or you're in pain. Not adding salt to food is also very good idea 🙂
It is good that we all try to be healthy and key word there is TRY
So, with the media constantly telling us what we should look like, how is it possible to challenge such a powerful institution?
So, with the media constantly telling us what we should look like, how is it possible to challenge such a powerful institution?
You can boycott, call it out for what it is, don't be afraid to let your feminist flag fly high. Find some good role models like J Law and Rebel Wilson. They both love their body for what it is. And I love, Love, LOVE how J Law stood up to the producers of HG and put her foot down on what she should look like. They thought Catnis should have been way skinnier with more bones showing, J showed whose boss and thought about all the young girls who would be watching the movie.
And I went out on a tangent, but yeah ...
So, with the media constantly telling us what we should look like, how is it possible to challenge such a powerful institution
Together.
It's easy to singularly filter past all the crap, but that doesn't stop it flying in faces of everyone else especially really impressionable kids. The media is such a large, rude entity that I don't think it can really be stopped - not without considerable challenges to it's authority/monopoly from those it feeds off (celebrities)
Also, foot traffic. Don't engage. Encourage others not to engage. If there's no market, they won't print it. That's probably the big one, more so than A listers denouncing it.
What are your 3 favourite things about your body?
May I refer all of you back to one of my earlier posts? Stuff that, too hard to look for it. Hahaha. My eyes, legs and arms. That is if we are talking about physical appearance.
I definitely agree with you Stonepixie! There are some great A-list role models out there. Anna Kendrick recently refused to pose 'sexy' for pitch perfect 2 because she believed it would be uncharacteristic of her character in the movie.
Okay, next question guys 🙂
8. What are your 3 favourite things about your body?
Even some male celebrities are catching on too -- Marlk Ruffalo defending Scarlett Johannson after she continued to receive ridiculous questions that would never be asked of a male in her position. Gold stars to everyone who isn't taking the media's crap anymore!
3 fav body things:
1. my boobs
2. my legs (they're strong as heck)
3. and shout out to my rebel upper front right tooth for being true to itself and being wonky in an otherwise pretty good looking row of teeth
I love that even through the foggy negatives we can sometimes remember the good. I like to memorize that list so when I am down I remember that. So here is the last question for tonight 🙂
What's one way you will challenge negative body image this week?
What's one way you will challenge negative body image this week?
Work on a positive internal mantra that promotes positive body image for me. I have to believe it if I'm going to preach it
What's one way you will challenge negative body image this week?
Regardless of how I feel about my body, I'm going to make sure I give myself one HUGE smile each morning in the mirror before I start my day 
What's one way you will challenge negative body image this week?
Not going to read any trashy mags. Maybe do stretches every morning. Get my sleeping pattern back on track and back to normal.
Wishing everyone one great big happy week!
Night.
Awesome work guys! I've had a great time tonight and have learnt a lot 🙂 I also have a lot to think about. Here's the summary for the night:
- How would you describe your attitude towards your body?
- Work in progress
- Love/hate relationship
- Depends on your mood
- Depends on how you react to negative thoughts
- We should focus on health not weight
- 2. Do you feel pressure for you body to look a certain way? If so, where does that pressure come from?
- Friends, school, magazines, fashion, internet, advertising, Hollywood, from within
- More and more there seems to be pressure on guys to look a certain way - what are some of the pressures that you've noticed facing guys?
- Gym guy persona, being ‘ripped or buff’, working out, pimple and acne free, good haircut, strong/tough persona. Guys go through same pressure as girls.
- Have you taken any steps towards better accepting your body?
- Exercise, eating well, more positive self talk, making sure you get enough sleep in order to look after your body, focusing on the positives rather than the negatives, aiming for strength – not skinniness
- What do you think about the concept of being ‘healthy at every size’ (that supports people in adopting health habits for the sake of health and well-being (rather than weight control)?
- Important message to get across
- Hard for general public to accept this
- Health is so fundamentally important to our lives
- Promotes real wellness
- What are some healthy behaviours you do for your body?
- Get enough sleep
- Eat lots of fruit and veggies
- Stretch and exercise
- Stop when you’re at your limit or in pain
- Practice mindfulness
- Walk when possible
- Drink lots of water
- With the media constantly telling us what we should look like, how is it possible to challenge such a powerful institution?
- Try and filter it out
- Learn how to deal with the information the media gives you
- Stop comparing yourself to people you see in the media
- Don’t engage in the media that you don’t agree with
- What are your 3 favourite things about your body?
- Hair, smile, hips, eyes, legs, arms, nails, dimples, height
- What's one way you will challenge negative body image this week?
- Work on positive internal mantra
- Smile at yourself in the mirror
- Take care of yourself
- Keep a positive frame of mind
- Get sleeping pattern back to normal
- Do stretches in the morning
Real talk, I love that tooth. I'm going to be sad when I'm old and don't have it anymore
Hahaha I have one of those teeth too CeeGee! It's my favourite tooth because it stands out 😉
What are your 3 favourite things about your body?
I absolutely love my nails
I love my smile and the ONE dimple I have 🙂
I love my height, yeah I make fun of it but I love being portable haha
