Diet Information |
|
Women, Weight & Size Acceptance: Accept Your Wonderful SelfMarsha J. Hudnall, MS, RD, CD Size and Self-Acceptance for Achieving Healthy Weight If we let ourselves, we may start to believe that magazine cover girls whose photos are air-brushed and trimmed in, mind you! are the norm and that the rest of us are somehow deeply flawed. What we get then is the soundtrack "I hate myself" or "I hate what I see in the mirror" playing over and over again in our heads, fueling our endless dieting cycles and painful frustration. "If you are caught up in not liking yourself because of your size, it quickly starts whittling away at your motivation," says Marsha Hudnall, MS, RD, Green Mountains program director. "That inner voice makes you feel helpless and hopeless." Self-Acceptance: The Key to Achieving a Healthy Weight If we are to have any measure of success, it is crucial that we permanently press stop on that soundtrack and work to genuinely accept our sizes and, by extension, ourselves. Hudnall, who has more than 20 years experience in the weight management field, knows this can be a tough sell for women with lifetime struggles with weight. But shes not suggesting that size acceptance means denying the importance of healthy weights. Denial is not acceptance. Rather, self-acceptance means adopting a non-judgmental attitude toward yourself. Its the ability to see things as they are in the moment without harmful, self-critical voices interrupting your view of yourself. Hudnall has seen it again and again in women who come to Green Mountain: Self-acceptance is instrumental to reaching your healthy, natural weight. "Size-acceptance means focusing on the things you like about yourself while working to modify what you dont like," she says. For women who have been listening to the self-disgust soundtrack forever, size acceptance is also pretty scary. Does accepting yourself the way you are imply that change may be impossible Mimi Francis, the behavioral health therapist at Green Mountain, has a simple response to those doubts. It should resonate even with the most diet-savvy cynics. "How well has not liking yourself worked so far" she asks. The truth is, it hasnt. In fact, if you dislike your body, its that much easier to abuse it. So the aim then is to get your attitude to work for you, not against you. Self-acceptance means acknowledging where you are now, and not repeating the mantra "Ill like my body when…" or "If only I looked like...." One helpful definition comes from Annette Colby, RD, author of Eating Peacefully, an online newsletter. She suggests that self-acceptance means unconditional appreciation and support for who you are now, including all the elements that you want to change. Silencing Your Inner Critic This view of self-acceptance respects the diversity of healthy, beautiful bodies, rather than the pursuit of an idealized weight that may come at dangerously high physical and emotional costs. The pursuit of the impossible, all the while disparaging the actual, is one of the most formidable stumbling blocks we put in our way. The self-critical reflex is a difficult one to subdue. But silencing it is a crucial component to living a healthy, fulfilling life, and attaining healthy weight and fitness goals. Here are a few questions — some from Colbys newsletter, some from behavioral classes here at Green Mountain — to really think about on your way to increasing your own self and size acceptance. What are some of the feel-good things you can do now for your body Make a list of what you enjoy. Walking, swimming, taking your kids to the park, getting a massage or manicure are all possibilities. By nurturing your body as it is now, you can begin to feel comfortable with yourself. What is the most positive reason for accepting your body What is scariest Where is your idea of the "perfect body" coming from What does perfect mean to you How would accepting your body right now affect your life Really imagine how your daily life would be different. Try to make a list of all the things youre going to do when you lose weight. You know you have that list — hiking, going out with friends dancing, meeting someone new, buying a fabulous outfit, really treating yourself well. What does it mean to you to put all this on hold What would it mean to do these things now If you accepted your eating style and body, what could you learn about yourself Go to a local mall or park and indulge in a little people watching. Find people who dont have cover girl looks but who you find attractive. What makes them look good Is it their clothes, their attitude, smile or posture Where does it seem like their beauty and confidence are coming from Start loving yourself today!
|
RELATED ARTICLES
A Healthy Life, the 4 Basics of a Healthy Life and the 3 Important Habits that Create Good Health Good health is easy but being sick is hard. The truth is, maintaining good health is pretty simple although reclaiming it takes patience, consistent actions and smart choices. Your body heals at its own pace. Your job is to help that process along. There are four important components that determine a persons level of health. Be Aware Of Your Reasons You have decided that you want to lose weight and improve your health. What is the first step Start by asking yourself what your reasonsis for wanting to make this change. Are You Controlling or Loving Yourself How often do you hear a parental voice in your head that says things like, “You’ve got to lose weight,” or “You should get up earlier every morning and exercise,” or “Today I should get caught up on the bills,” or “I’ve got to get rid of this clutter.” Let’s explore what happens in response to this voice. Body Fat Distribution Factors Most men and women put on weight differently. But on what makes fat settle in a preferential way, there is little evidence. Safely Transitioning Off Meal Replacement Plans Meal replacements have been part of the diet landscape for decades. They have helped numerous people lose weight, and more importantly, they have helped people learn the difference between healthy and unhealthy eating choices. Both quantity and quality of life improvements can be credited to the concept of meal replacement solutions. Not All Protein is Created Equally America’s focus on nutritious eating began to receive national attention in the 1940s when President Roosevelt introduced the RDA, or Recommended Daily Allowance RDA model. This model, which took on the shape of a pyramid in the 1980s and hence now goes by the term “food pyramid”, has gone through a number of iterations since its inception more than 60 years ago[i]. Hypnosis Cures For Nail Biting One little-thought-of application for hypnosis is to help people stop their nail biting habit. While this may not be on par with splitting the atom, it is a serious problem for people who always seem to find themselves gnawing their nails. If Youd Like to Know Why Reading Matters HERE ARE SOME OF THE REASONS WHY READING IS SO IMPORTANT FOR CHILDREN. Benefits of Garlic The extracts of Allium sativum bulb and compound preparation possess pharmacodynamic properties. The extract of garlic was found to have a significant protective action against a fat induced increase in serum cholesterol and plasma fibrinogen and in fibrinolytic activity. Is An All Inclusive Resort Right For You All-inclusive resorts can really help vacationers get the most out of their travel dollars. Today, over 400 hotels in the Caribbean and Mexico are either all-inclusive resorts or offer all inclusive packages. Supplements and Drugs: A Hazardous Combination As I have become more involved in using functional nutritional therapy in my practice, I have come to realize that many people are still confused about the safety and effectiveness of various dietary supplements. Because these products are “natural”, many feel they are always safe to use. Although supplements and herbs can be safer than pharmaceutical drugs, they can still function as drugs in the body and should be used with caution and respect. Is Zone Diet a Fad Health Castle offers "Ten signs of a fad diet": Functional Foods Are Becoming More Popular Established in 1989 by Stephen DeFelice, "Foundation for Innovation in Medicine" defined "Nutraceutical", as a food, dietary suppplement, or medical food that has a medical or health benefit, including the prevention and treatment of disease. Today, it is hard to separate the definition of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods. In 2002, the Nutraceutical or Functional Food industry had evolved into a lucrative 20.2 billion dollar a year market, and is here to stay. Exercise and the Time Clock I have to admit that I sometimes find it amusing when someone knows I am a trainer and proceeds to elaborate on the hours that they spend in the gym. One example was a few years back when I was introduced to a nice young women, who proceeded to tell me that she went to the gym twice a day, an hour each time. Unless this second hour was spent in the jacuzzi or making up for lost time due to chatting with fellow gym-goers during the earlier timeslot, I would be leary. Instead of being impressed by her exuberant enthusiasm for working out, my thoughts were that one of those hours might be better spent in a counseling office. Excessive exercising is unsafe and a sign of other deep-rooted problems. So, the question remains how many ticks on the clock should pass before you head for the locker room And what compels a person to go way overboard in their exercise routine The Role of Obesity You would have to be a hermit not to know about the dramatic rise of obesity levels in North America. Health issues have been plastered around the media non stop for the better part of the last five years. The problem is that for the most part the message has been falling short of its mark. There are more obese people in 2004 then there were in 2003. The number of diet related health complications is growing and children are ballooning at a rate comparable to their adult counterparts. On the flip side, the health industry has been showing strong signs of growth, with one in four women and one in five men on a diet at any given time. While times have been tight financially, people have been opening up their wallets in record numbers to by fitness products and gym memberships. Current Dietary Recommendations in Strength Training Efforts to expand the limits of human strength and endurance have kept the scientist and the athlete occupied for centuries. The quest for another pound of muscle, or to lift next couple of kilos has been relentlessly pursued in the gym and the laboratory alike. As the questions and conquests became more challenging, the answers have become more elusive and complicated. Few concepts and conclusions have withstood the test of time in exercise physiology. Even as we tackle the metabolic and genetic basis of skeletal muscle response to strength training, there are only some things that we know for sure. Finding the Elusive "Complete" Protein Source Images of “protein powder” containers with accomplished bodybuilders on their labels help inform consumers that protein is a critical macronutrient in strength training success. Yet what is sometimes lost in this protein-bodybuilding link is that protein is an essential component for everyone, regardless of physical activity. Even those who live sedentary lives must ensure that their protein intake is complete and balanced. When Stars Collide During the silent era it was thought a waste of money to make a movie with more than one star. Personalities like Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton were considered potent enough box office on their own. But with dwindling attendance during the great depression MGM decided to feature Hollywoods first all star ensemble cast in Grand Hotel 1932 starring the mammoth egos of Joan Crawford, Wallace Beery, John Barrymore and Greta Garbo. The director Edmund Goulding was unable to let Joan Crawford and Garbo have any scenes together for fear they might try to upstage each other. Although she complimented her Swedish co-stars beauty, Crawford hated Garbos demands for top billing. Knowing that Greta hated tardiness and Marlene Dietrich, Crawford was constantly late and played Dietrichs records loudly on the set. Pulling The Roots Of Disease "Anybody who tells you that disease has only one cause, and that drugs and surgery are the solution, is DEAD WRONG." Dr. Ward Coleman, N.D. Atkins Diet in UK The most recent shocking news related to Atkins diet UK is while dieting Atkins, people dont feel the drive to eat more. |
home | site map |
© 2005 |