What do you seein the mirror?
One of the worst, self-defeating, things we do is to hate our own bodies. Even if they serve us well, are healthy, and are attractive to others, many of us don’t like our bodies. Look in a full-length mirror, do you like or dislike what you see? How you see yourself and how you believe others see you can say a lot about your mental and physical well-being. Are you someone who has an extremely negative or distorted view of your body? This negative body image can and will be detrimental to improving your health through healthy choices. It often causes low self-esteem, depression, sexual dysfunction, poor health habits, and sometimes psychiatric disorders. A poor body image can negatively affect feelings, behaviors, interpersonal relationships, decision-making ability, and day-to-day living. Everyone who wants to be a healthy person must develop an appreciation for their own bodies and learn to accept their body as a gift which needs respect and to be taken care of. This may take some practice. You must also understand that there are some things about your looks you can not control because of genetics.

 If you have a poor body image your not alone. Studies indicate that approximately 56 percent of women and 43 percent of men are dissatisfied with their overall appearance. And two-thirds of the women and over half of them were dissatisfied with their weight. Women tend to express most dislike for their hips and abdomen while men tend to dislike their chest and abdomen. However the number one concern was weight. Because of societal pressures and false concepts about health or beauty, people who don’t need to lose weight often believe otherwise. The factors which contribute most to a negative body image include:

• media’s message that beauty and happiness come from being thin

• cultural pressures

• being in relationships where a loved one is disapproving

• physical changes, such as pregnancy

• chronic illness

• disfigurement

• childhood teasing

• sexual abuse

ProblemsWhich Often Develop From a Poor Body Image:

•  do not assert yourself at work and in relationships

•  limit social activities

•  find it hard to enjoy a healthy sex life

•  may engage in high-risk behavior to gain acceptance

•  try crash diets

When your body becomes the center of your universe, itcan have profound effects on you psyche and your health. In a worst casescenario, a negative body image can lead to psychiatric disorders and perhapssuicide. With anorexia nervosa - a self-starvation disorder to control weight,or bulimia nervosa - a bingeing and purging disorder to control weight, bodyimage becomes grossly distorted. A vast gulf exists between the person’sactual size and how they see themselves. Psychiatric therapy is stronglyindicated. One study estimated that half of American women overestimated thesize of their bodies.

Improving Body Image

You must realize that much of your appearance isgenetic! Your father’s nose, your mother’s pear-shaped bottom, your height,your bone structure, your susceptibility to some diseases are greatly associatedwith genetics. Your optimal healthy weight will not be all the same as the moviestar or model you admire most. It is essential that you strive forself-improvement, but it’s also important to be realistic about what you canchange about yourself without hurting your health. You must learn to be happyand content with who you are and accept those things you can not change. Askyourself, "Would I be happy if everyone looked the same, like the people Ibelieve are successful and happy or would that take the diversityand spice out of life and make it boring?" A positive body image isn’tjust about losing weight or working with what’s on the outside. It begins onthe inside! Enjoy your body for its good points, believe it or not, you havethem! Look for the good, do not dwell on what you think are to be the negativeaspects of your body. Others may see those negatives as very positive,perception is a personal taste and view point. Learn to reset your negativeperceptions if they are self-defeating.

Overcoming Negative Messages

The three most important things in improving one’slifestyle are:

Exercise, Healthy Food Choices, SocialSupport

Obstacles in overcoming the negative come from societyat large. Most diet programs perpetuate short-term thinking and not life longhabits. Do not allow yourself to be criticized or chided about your weight fromfriends, loved ones or the media. Change your attitudes about how you viewobesity, don’t be sucked in to the false societal garbage. Stay focused onyour goals to be healthier not thinner.

Dr. Hobson's weightmanagement programs focus on gaining health and fitness instead of just weightloss. This program helps to keep our patients focused on healthy lifestylesinstead of just loosing pounds.

Weight Control - a common sense approach

Body Image - What do you see in the mirror (you are here)

No Magic Bullet, Pill, Patch or Drink

Am I Overweight, and will this hurt me

Exercise, an absolute must

Diet Recommendations

Dietary and Exercise Histories

Fiber

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