Body Image Impacts Everyday Life

How many times do we hear a gorgeous actress or model bemoan the fact she has a big nose, or wishes her hips were smaller.

When you have a healthy body image, you feel good in your own skin, knowing your worth is more than just how you look.

So many people have an unhealthy body image, and in this digital media age, it's not helped at all by images that have been photoshopped, and photos made perfect with special filters and lighting, leading readers to believe these people look that perfect all the time.

So many people start out wanting to become healthy and look good, but taken to the extremes, this can become a dangerous obsession, and can lead to anorexia nervosa, bulimia, or body dysmorphic disorder. A good friend who was my bridesmaid, succumbed to anorexia nervosa two years ago at the age of 56. She had battled this condition since she was a 17 old, and it had consumed the rest of her adult life, wearing her down, relentless, to the point where she couldn't handle it anymore. It still saddens me because she was an incredibly giving, caring and beautiful lady who had much to give to the world.

Some sad statistics taken from the body image centre show that

I love movements that tell women they are more than enough. Taryn Brumfitt, ( bodyimagemovement.com) showed a before and after photo to the world and received millions of responses. Her before photo was one of her body in a bikini posing in a body competition, and the after photo a semi naked photo of her with a few rolls, looking like a woman who has had 3 children. The response was overwhelming and she realised that the cosmetic, diet and beauty industries were making hordes of money off womens insecurities. She said it was time that women "embrace their positive qualities, because when they do, they make good choices for themselves and their bodies."

Spice health & fitness believes that each woman is unique & How Body Image Impacts Everyday Life can be a positive one

Even though life may have thrown some curveballs her way, physically or emotionally, she is resilient and with the right cheer squad, she can achieve incredible things. Our job as health and fitness coaches is to walk beside her, to help her discover her strengths and be there if she needs a lift. Every single lady is capable of so much more, and together we walk the journey with her . When the body starts to move, muscles are strengthened, & the system is flooded with feel good hormones, changes happen, and suddenly there is energy, strength, hope.

It's timely to remind ourselves that images seen on TV and social media are often not true depictions of people in their everyday lives. Most before and after photos are showing women made up, tanned, hair styled, and dressed in beautiful clothes. The lighting is perfect, and if too curvy, or there's a mole in the wrong spot, then the instant solution is to alter the final image. We need to teach our young people that this is not the real world.

If you feel you easily succumb to these impossible expectations, try to stay away from social media sites that make you feel bad about how you look and feel.

There is nothing more rare, nor more beautiful, than a woman being unapologetically herself; comfortable in her perfect imperfection. To me, that is the true essence of beauty.
Dr Steve Maraboli