Body Image & Eating Concerns
WHAT IS BODY IMAGE?
Body image consists of how we perceive our bodies visually, how we feel about our physical appearance, how we think and talk to ourselves about our bodies, and how we behave based on these perceptions.
What is positive body image?
- A clear, true perception of your shape
- You celebrate and appreciate your natural body shape and you understand that a person's physical appearance says very little about their character and value as a person.
- You feel proud and accepting of your unique body and refuse to spend an unreasonable amount of time worrying about food, weight, and calories.
- You feel comfortable and confident in your body.
What is negative body image?
- A distorted perception of your shape
- You are convinced that only other people are attractive and that your body size or shape is a sign of personal failure.
- You feel ashamed, self-conscious, and anxious about your body.
- You feel uncomfortable and awkward in your body.
SUGGESTIONS FOR LOVING YOUR BODY
- Realize that you cannot change your body type. Learn to love and respect your body and to work with what you have.
- Invest time and money in yourself, rather than the diet and supplement industry. Spend your extra money on flattering clothes, fitness equipment, haircuts, massages, and other personal indulgences-not on diets.
- Stop weighing yourself. Focus on how your clothes fit and how you feel. If you keep trying to achieve an unrealistically low body weight, you're setting yourself up for failure, depression, disordered eating, and a poor quality of life.
- Stop comparing yourself to others. Celebrate your body and the marvelous things it can do when you are fit and well-nourished. So often, we take these things for granted.
- Move and enjoy your body. Go walking, swimming, biking, and dancing. Do yoga, aerobics, and weight training…. not because you have to, but because it makes you feel strong and energized.
- Surround yourself with people who have a healthy relationship with food, weight, and their bodies. It will make a difference in how you feel about yourself. Also, remember to set a good example for others by refraining from "fat talk" when you're with friends and family.
- Stop your negative thoughts and statements about yourself. Focus on what you love about yourself. Compliment yourself. Talk to your body the way you would talk to a good friend.
- Reclaim your own inner strength. Focus on the unique qualities and personality traits that make you a special and successful person.
- Nurture your inner self. Enjoy things you find relaxing (e.g. music, bubble baths, fragrances, candles, massages, reading, writing, napping), be close to nature (e.g. garden, sunsets, beach, stars), and/or seek spiritual connection (e.g. prayer, meditation, inspirational reading, reflection). Feeling good on the inside is key to feeling good on the outside.
- Examine the degree to which your self-esteem depends upon your appearance. Although it may seem natural to wish you looked like a fashion model or a body builder, basing your happiness on this desire may lead to failure. Unrealistic goals can prevent you from exploring ways to enhance your life.
- Broaden your perspective. Talk to people you trust, read books about body image, or write in a journal. These activities may help you to recognize emotionally destructive thoughts and put body image into perspective.
- Recognize that "fat-ism" is a form of discrimination similar to sexism, racism, and classism. Assumptions that body shape determines attractiveness, personality, and success are incorrect and unjust. Combat discrimination when possible. Question assumptions and generalizations which promote the belief that one "type" of person is better than another.
EATING DISORDERS
"Eating Disorders are complex illnesses that usually develop from several interconnected factors. Long-standing behavioral, psychological, interpersonal, biological and social conditions all play a role in eating disorders.” Scientists and researchers are still learning about the underlying causes of these emotionally and physically damaging conditions.
Eating disorders may start as a preoccupation with food and weight however; they are most often about much more than food.
UNDERSTANDING DISORDERED EATING
On the surface, it seems like eating disorders are about just that – eating, food, body image, and weight – but really they are about so much more. If you struggle with eating issues, you may feel that there's more to your struggle than food but may be unable to identify or communicate what is happening for you. Eating disorders develop due to a variety of complex, interconnected biological, psychological, interpersonal, and behavioral factors.
People with eating disorders may have difficulty identifying and/or expressing their feelings. They may have been given strong messages growing up that their feelings are unimportant or wrong and therefore they try to distance themselves from their emotions. Others feel that food and weight can give them a sense of control that they don't otherwise feel in their life. Sometimes restricting, binge eating, or purging becomes a coping mechanism when there are problems in friendships or family relationships. This may or may not sound familiar to you-everyone is unique and has had a different set of life experiences that contribute to who they are today. The important thing is to be open to exploring who you are and the various factors that may contribute to why your thoughts or behaviors about food, body, and weight feel distressing or out of control. Below are descriptions of different types of eating behaviors and disorders as well as information about how to get help for eating concerns.
Disordered Eating
At any given time, ten percent or more of late adolescent and adult women report eating disordered symptoms. Disordered eating refers to a range of irregular eating behaviors that are milder in severity than symptoms associated with an eating disorder. These behaviors may include ritualistic eating habits, restrictive dieting, bingeing, or purging but they do not warrant a diagnosis. Although these symptoms do not satisfy full diagnostic criteria, they do cause distress and impairment. Interventions with these individuals may be helpful to prevent the onset of a more fully developed eating disorder.
Anorexia
Anorexia Nervosa is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by self-starvation that occurs in both men and women. People with this disorder refuse to maintain a healthy body weight and have an intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat. They often have an inaccurate perception of their own weight and shape and deny the seriousness of their low body weight. Women may miss their menstrual cycles.
Bulimia
Bulimia Nervosa is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by a cycle of bingeing followed by compensatory behaviors designed to undo or compensate for the effects of binge eating. This disorder occurs in both men and women.
Binge eating involves eating large amounts of food—more than most people would eat in one meal—in short amounts of time. People feel out of control as they binge and they consume food until they're uncomfortably full. Compensatory behaviors typically follow a binge and may include self-induced vomiting; misuse of laxatives, diuretics, enemas, or other medications; fasting; or excessive exercise.
Binge Eating Disorder
Binge Eating Disorder is a type of eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS) and is characterized by recurrent binge eating without compensation for the behavior.
WORRIED ABOUT A FRIEND OR LOVED ONE?
Check out these tips on how to start a conversation:
https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/help/caregivers
GETTING SUPPORT ON CAMPUS
If a student needs assistance with eating or body image concerns while at Skidmore, feel free to contact the Counseling Center (518-580-5555) or Health Services (518-580-5550) to learn about resources and to explore treatment options and supports on- and off-campus. Students are welcome to make an appointment at any point during the year by stopping by either office, both of which are located on the 1st floor of Jonsson Tower.
In addition, the Health Promotion office works closely with the Skidmore Nutrition Action Council (SNAC) to bring Eating Disorder Awareness Week and National Nutrition Month to campus annually. These events feature speakers and guest lecturers, panel discussions, awareness events, and the dissemination of Skidmore-specific data.
For more information and resources, please visit:
- NEDA – National Eating Disorders Association, has programs and services designed to help those who have been personally affected by an eating disorder or care about someone who has (NEDA). They provide various resources and information, some of which include: