[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.
Thanks for your comments guys.
The problem for me is that I know it can be better because I was in a place where I was much happier. And it's that knowledge/my immense dislike that spurs me on most days (particularly when I'm pushing out that last 5mins on the elliptical!!)
Body image is, to say the least how we and others percieve our size and body. It's not always what it is, but what you think it is or what you've been told it is. Body image plays a (negatively) important role in our society at the moment because all you really see are skinny models, men with abs amd toned muscles, a clear face and for women shaved legs. And that is, as society has dictated the 'prime' body. While it is more heavily leaned on women, men also face body image issues. I'm sorry if I miss them though, as a girl I don't always see things like this when they relate to the other gender.
And I personally don't care about someone's weight. As long as they are healthy. If you are overweight and you eat terribly, then you should eat healthier, get fitter and perhaps along the way you'll loose weight. But that shouldn't be the drive. It's not loose weight to look better, it's get healthy and (maybe) loose weight. That's what's important, the healthy part, not the beauty part. Unfortunately society doesn't see it that way.
I had a friend who thought she was fat. She was skinnier that me. I told her if she's fat, I'm close to obese. Proportionally it would be true. But I know I'm not fat. I feel fat, sometimes I think I look fat. But I'm not. I have thick thighs, a bit of a pudgy belly, but that doesn't make me fat. It makes me, me. I don't eat the best, maybe if I did I wouldn't have thar weight around my middle but that's not.important, it shouldn't be imporant.
Focus on health, not weight!
Bye! And enjoy your week!
Hahah thanks for the $3 😉
Yes so true health is far more important than weight.
Have a good week.
I definitely think the importance of health over weight is going to come up a lot tonight!
Do you feel pressure for you body to look a certain way? If so, where does that pressure come from?
Yes definitely. I used to feel it from my parents when I lived at home, and definitely all during high school from my friends. Now it just comes from me.
I did feel it from my mum as well and it forced me into going into dieting and all that. Looking back that was probably the worst choice. If I had said no to the pressure, I probably would have accepted my body a long time ago I think.
Great start guys 🙂
Now moving on to the next question:
2. Do you feel pressure for you body to look a certain way? If so, where does that pressure come from?
Do you feel pressure for you body to look a certain way? If so, where does that pressure come from?
I feel there is all this added pressure to either be a stick or curvey. If you fall out of these 2 then there is some spandax to fix you up. You've got to have flawless skin, no shine. These pressures come from main stream media, womens magazines including 'health' ones. It's all about how to loose weight. What is wrong with these marketing people? Can we just sue them all for encouraging dangerous behaviours?
Do you feel pressure for you body to look a certain way? If so, where does that pressure come from?
Yes I do feel pressured and I think its mostly me that says no you dont have this or you need this or you dont need that but I think the media and society. I am beginning to be accepting of my body but yes the pressure is there I just fight it.
Do you feel pressure for you body to look a certain way? If so, where does that pressure come from?
Oh yeah, absolutely! Everywhere - television, hollywood, magazines, fashion industry, advertising. Just everywhere. And even if you try and remove yourself from the culture, it still exists all around. It's easy to say "I don't conform to society's expectations of beauty", but it can be really hard to actually truly not care what others might think.
On that though, I really think that most people don't really actually care as much about your body as you think they do. Everyone is too concerned with how they look themselves to worry about how other people look.
I've had a lot of experience with that attitude. For me, being skinnier didn't make me happier, and so I kept trying to reach that unattainable happiness through weight loss.
I think the important thing about body image is to accept your body for the great thing it is, and not be under too many illusions that reaching an ideal body will fix all our problems.
This is such an important chat, you are all so awesome for participating tonight
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?
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?
There is more and more pressure for guys to be buff and tone, have a fandangle haircut. Even they are expected to have pimple / acne free skin. Hasn't anyone heard of hormones?
That's so true stonepixie! My brother is obsessed with having the 'right' hairstyle and having clear skin - makes me realise that it's not just girls who go through this!
It really is very sad stonepixie. Regardless of gender, everyone experiences so much pressure to look and act a certain way
- Have you taken any steps towards better accepting your body?
Have you taken any steps towards better accepting your body?
Yeah, I think it's a work in progress for me too. I remind myself that nurturing my body allows me to do so many things, so I need to love it and take care of it.
3. 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?
I think being 'buff or ripped', having a 6 pack and working in the gym. Basically having the whole athletic persona going on.
It hit me, like guys go through the same thing females go through, they want to show off their body thinking that when people appreciate their body only then will they be happy or feel accomplished.
I definitely agree with you Georgie. It always seems like be skinnier will make you happier, but in reality that's not true. I've found that I've had some of my happiest parts of life whilst at my heaviest, and my lowest parts of my life at my smallest.
