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BODY IMAGE AND FITNESS
Anybody and everybody who engages in an exercise
routine will have particular motivations for doing so. There are a multitude of
personal motivations for why one exercises, and each person is unique; each
body is unique.
Whatever form
it takes, exercise is a crucial element in maintaining one's health and sense
of well being as we carry ourselves through life. It is certainly no secret
today that exercise can counteract depression, reduce stress, stabilize our
energy levels, and help us feel more emotionally balanced. Who hasn't finished
an exercise routine only to feel content that they overcame their reticence to
go to the gym or go on that run? Every body is different, of course, and one's
personal exercise regime should be tailored to fit. One common factor, however,
that we all share is that we have a body. And, in some way, we must relate to
our body. The quality of this relationship can be referred to as “body image.”
Body image is
at its core a sense of satisfaction with our self and our body on and off the
mat. With a negative body image, any fitness routine can become a practice in
self-loathing and torture as we hope for the day we will be able to be happy
with the way we are. A positive body image, on the other hand, buoys our
efforts to be fit and healthy. It allows for a sense of contentment and fluid
appreciation of our uniqueness as embodied individuals.
What is body image exactly?
Body
image has various dimensions. Moreover, it is a dynamic phenomenon. Explore the
following questions to elucidate the contours of what body image is:
* How do I see my whole self or my parts, either in my mind’s eye or when I look in
the mirror? (Do I have an accurate sense of my shape, my figure, or is it
distorted? Do I over-focus or under-focus on parts of my body or do I treat
each with equal regard?)
* What do I believe about my appearance? (Do memories and experiences
from my past inform the beliefs I have about my body? Do I believe, for
example, I have to lose weight for someone to love me? Have I had traumatic
experiences that have impacted how I relate to my body?)
* How do I feel about my body on the whole? How do I feel about its different parts? (Can I accept and be
proud of my self the way I am? Am I ashamed of my body and its features? Do I
feel attractive? Do I feel open to love and acceptance from others, regardless
of my size or shape?)
* How do I sense my body? How do I control
my body as I move through space? (Here, body image is not just information about your body, as above, but also how you feel in your body. This requires our moment-to-moment
awareness. It is involved in all the above dimensions. How I feel in my body informs my perceptions, beliefs, and
feelings about my body. Often under-emphasized, this area of body image brings
a certain organic quality into the picture. One’s body image becomes a dynamic
rather than a static phenomenon.)
With this brief overview, one begins to see how
involved body image can be. Yet, a healthy body image is so important for a
healthy and well-rounded approach to fitness and the fitness goals we set for
ourselves.
Someone with
a positive body image has a clear, true sense of their proportion and their
shape, celebrates and appreciates their body, and feels proud and accepting of
its uniqueness. This doesn’t negate, of course, the fact that we all have our
days where we feel awkward and uncomfortable in our body. However, it is
understood that physical appearance doesn’t determine one’s value as a person.
If we have
carry around a negative body image our perception and preoccupation with our
body is distorted. It eats away at our happiness like an acid throughout the
day until we get our next exercise fix to boost our self-esteem. We harbor
shame about our body. We are overly self-conscious or anxious about our body.
We may feel chronically awkward and uncomfortable in it.
Let’s cover
some key points before we move on. Does body image have anything to do with our
motivations to exercise? Does it contribute to a sense of how happy we are?
Naturally. Is it an ongoing daily practice? Yes. Can everyone benefit from
exploring their relationship to their body? Yes. Are women and men both prone
to having a negative body image? Yes.
How do we end up with our current body image?
Our body image
is influenced by many factors and could span a book unto its own. However, in
brief there are three primary influences when it comes to the development of
our body image: our experiences growing up and messages we received therein,
our peer culture, and the media.
As adolescent
and adults, we are molded quite strongly by our exposure to the media. The
media market makes sure to convince us that something in us needs to change for
us to be acceptable and lovable, regardless of how happy we are. The unrealistic
images of the media implicitly coach us towards a hyper-vigilance towards the
superficial. Explore the following websites and you’ll be surprised. There’s
always more to learn about how much our own body-image is influenced by the
larger culture we find ourselves in:
· The Dove Campaign for Real Beauty: a wonderful campaign that emphasizes natural
as-it-comes beauty and strives to promote global awareness about the negative
influence the media industry can have on each of us. http://www.campaignforrealbeauty.com/home.asp
· About Face: a San Francisco non-profit for promoting media awareness. The have a
current “Gallery of Offenders,” where they show media ads and describe how
media messages are damaging. AND they keep a “Gallery of Winners!” to help
inspire the media-literate connoisseur.
http://www.about-face.org
The basic question is: are we measuring our worth
from the inside out, or from the outside in? Adopting a positive body image
requires an accounting of one’s historic and current influences. Knowing this
one is freed up to make an informed decision about which standards and messages
to keep. This journey can be called an act of “media literacy,” “somatic
awareness,” or “embodied process.” They are all terms that have a similar
result, taking graceful ownership of our bodies.
What are the steps on the road to a healthier
body image?
Exercise
should be a rewarding experience. Yet, you can work out your whole life and
have a deplorable body image. You can never work out a day in your life and
have a great one. Many of the steps to a better body image are internal and
require a shift of perspective and an awareness of the many messages we absorb
from the outside and perpetuate within ourselves daily. Coming from this
internal place (from the inside out) we transform the activities we are already
engaged in, or adopt new activities that support us on the road to a healthier
body image and happier life. Here are a few possible avenues for building a
stronger and healthier body image:
1.
Find a method of
exercise that you enjoy and do it regularly. Don’t exercise to lose weight or
to fight your body. Do it to make your body healthy and strong and because it
makes you feel good. Exercise for the 3 F’s: Fun, Fitness, and Friendship.
2.
Keep a list of 10
positive things about yourself – without mentioning your appearance, by the
way. I know you can do it. Keep it on your fridge (or some other place where you’ll
see it on a regular basis) and add to when the spirit moves you.
3.
Be your body’s
supporter, not its enemy.
4.
Eat when you are
hungry. Rest when you are tired. Surround yourself with people that remind you
of your inner strength and beauty.
5.
Think of your body as
the vehicle to your dreams. Honor it. Respect it. Fuel it.
Jean-Paul Eberle, MA Body Psychotherapy
Boulder, CO
Any questions or comments about this article will be
respectfully received. Simply e-mail Jean-Paul @ jeanpaul@bodybar.com
Body Bar Systems,
Inc. is committed to enhancing the fitness and well being of the world by
providing quality products and education with passion, integrity, and fun.
Additional
Resources
Cash, T. F. (1997). The Body Image Workbook: An 8-step
program for learning to like your
looks. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger
Publications.
Hutchinson, M. G. (1985). Transforming Body Image: love the body you have. Freedom,
CA: The Crossing Press.
Luciano, L. (2000). Looking Good: Male Body Image in
America. New York: Hill
and Wang.
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