Understanding & Improving Your Body Image

Introduction

We are continually bombarded with numerous unhealthy actions and standards each day. Thanks to social media trends, peer pressure in general from people around us.

And if that's not enough, most of us may have internalized body dissatisfaction from a young age. Sadly, we unintentionally continue the chain and pass on the same standards — to children, friends, family members and communities. And the cycle continues. And regrettably, most of us wind up experiencing deep psychological distress impacting our social interactions, food intake, inter-personal relationships and physical health. All based on how we ‘think’ we look.


How You View Yourself Can Pave Your Future

Young female looking in mirror with disgust, ashamed of fat body, obesity issue

Body image is a subjective impression that you have of your own body. This image is distinct from how your body actually appears. Your own feeling about your body image is a complex construct formed from your beliefs, behaviors, emotions, opinions, perceptions and thoughts.

How you regard yourself will impact your health greatly — physically, mentally and in your relationships.

In some cases, body dissatisfaction also results in grave mental issues. Body Dysmorphic Disorder [BDD], for one, can grow into adulthood and manifest itself into unhealthy or disorderly eating habits.


quotesAccording to research, sociocultural pressures are becoming increasingly critical in how we internalize the concept of being thin, muscular, athletic, fat and other social comparisons. So, when a person fails to adapt to a socially stereotyped body image, it could result in BDD, classified as a type of psychiatric disorder classified under obsessive-compulsive and related disorders — among men and women. quotes

There are various reasons why one may have a negative body image. These could because of:

Evolutionary Factors

Genetics and Neurochemistry

Visual Processing Differences

Personality Traits and Self-Concept

Difficult Life Experiences

Family and Peer Pressure

Appearance -Related Comparisons


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Having a negative body image could result in:

Anxiety Disorders

Depression

Social Anxiety Issues

Anorexia

Bulimia

Binge Eating Disorder

Skin Picking Disorders

Substance Abuse

Delusions

And a wide range of mental afflictions.

This is why how you perceive your body image and eating patterns can affect your psychological profile and lifestyle.


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Conforming to an 'Ideal' Body Image

Sun-tanned female in stylish swimsuit at beach

Men and women may have differing views on body image. Men may aspire to be strong, muscular and athletic and may resort to extreme measures to attain it. On the other hand, most women desire a thin body image. And in their quest for 'thinness', they look to various health-compromising weight-reducing strategies such as extreme diets, laxative use, surgery, purging, and dysfunctional activities, among many others.

To have a healthy body image involves perceiving ourselves objectively about our appearance. It also means displaying our ability to separate our value as an individual from the way we look.

A healthy body image is unique to every individual. For instance, one person may feel more comfortable about their body and how they take care of it. For another, they may not be comfortable about how their body appears and how they identify with it. Regardless of how you perceive a healthy body image, it could influence your self-esteem and various aspects of who you are as a person, not just your weight.


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Eating Disorders and Body Image Issues

Hungry overweight woman holding hamburger on wooden plate

Distress concerning our body image is often a symptom of an eating disorder. But, not every person who has an eating disorder may have a negative body image. So, let's look at the relationship between eating disorders and body image.

Medical experts opine that an eating disorder is a complex mental disability caused by several factors, including genetics and environment. One potential contributor to an eating disorder is a negative body image. Most people with eating disorders perceive their body negatively and place a high value on how they appear and weigh when determining their self-worth.


quotesA study conducted in a Lithuanian University studied how participants viewed body image, disorderly eating and the various domains affecting the quality of their lives. It aimed to explore the connections between disorderly eating and body image concerns in a large sample of students among both genders in Lithuania. The study concluded that those with poor psychological ability and low body image experienced disorderly eating and a poor lifestyle.quotes

Building a Positive Body Image

Happy plus size positive woman

All around us, social and family pressures, unrealistic goals, and not to forget, the impact of social media affects how we perceive our bodies. A glance through social media can leave you feeling distraught and down and in your own body. Such thoughts can be destructive and result in unhealthy eating habits to achieve your ideal body size.


quotesA crucial factor in building a positive body image is health, not your size or weight. Rather than setting unrealistic goals to lose weight or cut down your size, you may want to consider setting goals for better health, nutrition and exercise.quotes

Let's look at some of the ways to promote a positive body image.

Women Sport Healthy Lifestyle Gym Good Body Condition

Look into your thought processes. Understand your attitude, belief, prejudices and behavior regarding your weight, body image, physical appearance, exercise, food and health. Introspect to find any unhealthy attitudes you may have derived from unhealthy dieting, body dissatisfaction and the urge to be thin. Examining your thoughts can help you change your thinking to replace unhealthy attitudes with positive ones.

Practice mindful eating habits. As part of a well-rounded lifestyle, include only physical activity and good dietary practices. Look into your habits regarding eating and exercise and aim to balance rather than resort to extreme measures.

Don't perceive food as a reward or punishment. By encouraging yourself to eat various healthy foods in moderation, you will set yourself to perceive food or eating in response to body hunger. Avoid aiming for any body size that you think could lead to satisfaction or happiness.


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Therapies to Tackle Negative Body Image

Young woman sitting on floor do yoga exercise and meditation at home

Experts suggest various interventions to target a negative body image. Some of these include:

Awareness of self-image

Cognitive behavioural therapies

Psychological education

Practising gratitude

Enhancing self-esteem

Media literacy

Fitness training

In most cases, more than one form of intervention is used to treat a negative body image. For instance, psychological education is a part of a media literacy program and cognitive behavioral therapy.


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Self-help strategies that you can try at home may also help improve body image. Here are some ways to go about it:

● Maintain a gratitude journal. Avoid making self-deprecating comments about your body. Rather, note any positive developments during the day that can help to start the shift towards appreciating better things about yourself.

● Filter your social media feeds. Look for messages that support body acceptance and read blogs or follow body-positive role models. You may want to unfollow social media sites that barrage you with images and messages emphasizing an ideal physique or becoming thin.

● Stop body checking. Keep track of the number of times you look at yourself in the mirror and try to cut it out gradually. Over a while, this habit will ease off to give away to more constructive use of your time.

● Engage in positive body language. Indulging in negative and judgmental commands focused on weight and appearance may harm your body image. Pledge not to engage in negative conversations and look for little nuances that you appreciate about your body.


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Homoeopathy: Treats the Mind and Body

pill-plant-alternative-medicine

Homoeopathy can become your complementary aide in your drive towards a positive body image. It offers you a holistic remedy that aims to heal you as a person and not the sickness. It can gently take care of you as a whole individual through natural, safe and non-toxic remedies. Reports indicate that homoeopathy benefits last for years, unlike chemical medications that only provide symptomatic relief for a few hours.

Homoeopathy advocates that the mind and body are dynamically interconnected. This means both the mind and body directly influence one another, and hence, homoeopathy can become an effective complementary therapeutic option to change unhealthy eating disorders.

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These diet drops hold the key to augment and boost your body image. It can help you address the underlying weight issue at the back of your mind that could be hampering your physical and mental progress.

Along with the hCG diet and Nutra Pure HCG Diet Drops to lose weight, you are in safe hands. As a reliable option containing pure hCG drops and without any fear of side effects, Nutra Pure HCG can be your handy aid in helping you set positive habits towards a healthy and balanced relationship with food.


quotesHaving a healthy body image is the key to boosting your self-esteem and preventing eating disorders while allowing you to be happy and stay fulfilled. And in this regard, Nutra Pure hCG weight loss drops can become your ally in combating negative body image.quotes

In Conclusion

There are various ways to find out how to love and accept yourself the way you are. Appreciating and accepting yourself can improve your body image and lead to mindful eating habits. Follow a healthy eating plan in conjunction with Nutra Pure HCG Diet Drops that work fast to lose weight with minimal effort and help you stay active. In time, you will find yourself engaged in hobbies and activities that you love and look to live a wholesome and fulfilled life.

Sources

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7084262/

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/body-image-report/protect-body-image#:~:text=One%20study%20seeking%20to%20gain,)%3B%20praise%20their%20children%20on

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1025984816300205

https://foodandnutrition.org/blogs/student-scoop/health-not-size-promoting-positive-body-image/