Body Image
BODY IMAGE: Are You Seeing the REAL You?
View this show online NOW!
What we will explore on this Reality Avenue show:
WHAT is the problem?
Body Image distortion – Statistics tell us that more than 80% of women are dissatisfied with their bodies and that the problem starts young – 65% of young girls think they are too fat and have begun dabbling in yo-yo dieting. A wide variety of factors influence the onset of body image issues, but there is no doubt that the incidence of eating disorders has dramatically increased in the last 30-40 years.
Our SELF WORTH is being damaged by our belief that our body is not what it should be. We are caught in an impossible cycle of self-hate, prejudice and body image distortion. This inability to accept ourselves, our bodies and our emotions can result in emotional difficulties as well as eating disorders such as:_
- Anorexia Nervosa
- Bulimia Nervosa
- Binge Eating and Obesity_
WHERE does it come from? Image vs. Reality
Image
You can’t go anywhere without seeing unhealthy images. Media’s images have altered reality and we attempt to alter our bodies to fit this unrealistic mold. Our icons of beauty used to be Marilyn Monroe and Mona Lisa, but then came the runway models who were chosen to be walking hangers to emphasize the designers’ clothes. Men are being affected as well, with the idealized male figure having gone from Gene Kelly to Vin Diesel – a drastic change!
Reality
The average American woman is 5′ 4″ tall and weighs 140 pounds. The average American model is 5′ 11″ tall and weighs 117 pounds. Most fashion models are thinner than 98% of American women – this body image is wholly unattainable for a person wishing to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
WHAT can we do to help?
The GOAL of Reality Avenue is to educate and empower youth and adults to view themselves as attractive and worthwhile individuals, irrespective of body images. If you want to learn more about how to help yourself, your child, or someone you care about, watch “Body Image – Are You Seeing the REAL You?” or attend our upcoming seminar on the subject.
_
Click here for Resources and Helplines related to this show topic.
Click here for post-program Discussion Prompters and Classroom Exercises and Lessons related to this show topic.