Healthy Body Image

HEALTH & WELL-BEING

Selena DeLeon Certified Personal Trainer

Thursday, July 08, 2010

Jada Pinkett-Smith, wife of mega-Hollywood star Will Smith, is empowering women's body images.... in the nude. Her message of freedom and self-acceptance for all women is delivered "in the flesh", on this month's cover of Essence.

When interviewed about her photo spread, she said that she chose to bare it all as a way of teaching younger women (especially her daughter) that our bodies should be celebrated. This marks a revolution of an era of media manipulation, which has brainwashed the minds of young women worldwide and created unhealthy body images and self-loathing on many levels over the years. Jada, this month... you are my hero.

Bold and Beautiful

Jada Pinkett-Smith found herself reaching for Frosted Flakes and Pringles during her first pregnancy. The petite star put on 50 pounds while carrying son Jaden, but was careful not to overindulge the second time around. After daughter Willow was born, the five-foot actress dropped the baby weight with twice daily cardio and lightweight training sessions to increase her metabolism. Her diet focused on high-protein foods such as grilled chicken or fish and apples with peanut butter. The gorgeous 39-year-old actress/model told Shape magazine that the secret to her 12-year successful Hollywood marriage is Kegel exercises. This month she has more straight talk on being a whole and healthy woman.

Are You Trapped?

If you are trying to assess whether or not you have fallen into the trap of the media's image of beauty and appeal, ask yourself this question...How many times a day do you criticise your body?

Images of female bodies are everywhere. Women and their body parts sell everything from food to cars. To me, the most disturbing is the fact that media images of female beauty are not always attainable for every woman. Ongoing exposure to images of young, air-brushed female bodies is linked to depression, loss of self-esteem and the development of unhealthy eating habits in women and girls.

If everyone looked like a supermodel, then this view would be biased. But why are standards of beauty being imposed on women, the majority of whom are naturally larger and more mature than any of the models? My personal belief is that the roots are economic. By presenting an ideal that is difficult to achieve and maintain, the cosmetic and diet product industries are assured of growth and profits and the stakes are huge.

On the one hand, women who are insecure about their bodies are more likely to buy beauty products, new clothes, and diet aids. It is estimated that the diet industry in the US alone is worth anywhere between US $40 to $100 billion a year. Most of the industry is focused on selling temporary weight loss, in which statistics show that 90 to 95 per cent of dieters all regain the weight lost using these methods. Still, the number of real- life women and girls who seek to fix and change themselves due to a negative self-image is epidemic.

Now I'm not suggesting we burn the scale here, and I would never say that Cindy Crawford doesn't really look good, either. Striving towards a goal such as Cindy is not totally distorted nor does it suggest brainwashing. The real tragedy is that many women internalise these stereotypes, and judge themselves by the beauty industry's standards. Women learn to compare themselves to other women, and to compete with them for attention.

How can we take charge of the deep lesions that have been left on our self-esteem as women? I believe that the first step is to identify where they are. The next time you stand in front of a mirror, and your self-critical voice inside your head begins to go off, notice those thoughts, and then find something that is positive or appealing about yourself and switch to praise.

Ending The Cycle — The Purification Of Pop Culture

In developing our girls as whole and healthy women, encouraging activities such as sports definitely prevails over watching television, when it comes to exposing their self-esteem to the indoctrination of the media. Protect your self-image by getting active and being selective about your media sources. Where women's whole "self" is at stake is when we allow ourselves to be lured into a false sense of gratification by the media.

How can we train ourselves and teach our younger counterparts that we do not have to focus on beauty and desirability to get ahead? Be careful what you listen to, watch and read. Getting back into a culture of simplicity that promotes enjoyable and rewarding activities can develop a new kind of focus.

Why You Should Celebrate Your Body

Healthy body stimulation can come in many forms. To me, exercise is the best way that your body can make YOU feel good. Think about all of the ways that your body can work for you, such as dancing, exercising, walking, bicycle riding, horseback riding; hobbies, even daily chores such as cleaning the house, are all means of getting active and channelling healthy energy. Finding what you really love to do, setting goals and reaping the rewards of them, develops a sense of simple satisfaction, which I believe can replace the need for superficial aspirations.

What's Your Best Feature?

Remind yourself every day, even if it is one thing about your body that you appreciate and love. So the next time you say, "My thighs look so huge in these jeans," think about the run that your legs carried you on that day. Your body does so much for you, and there is so much that we overlook and take for granted, as we get swept up in the physical world. Take the time to be thankful for your body and its gifts, and make every day a 'Love Your Body Day'.

Did you watch American football's Super Bowl on Sunday?
	Yes, but just for the advertisements
	Yes, just for the game itself
	Yes, for both the game and advertisements
	No, I did not watch the Super Bowl.

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