All Entries For body image

My Fat Doesn't Have Feelings; Does Yours?

We have all said the magic phrase, "I feel fat" at one time or another. While it may be a common saying, does it accurately describe what we are feeling? What exactly does fat feel like? If fat doesn't have a feeling, what exactly are we feeling? Looking deeper at this question might help you decide the best course of action to take to feel something different.

Posted 8/2/2010  1:16:32 PM By: Tanya Jolliffe : 81 comments

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Poll: Do People Really Understand the Mental Hardships of Being Overweight?

For the past year I have had the pleasure of reconnecting with some of my former classmates of 1980. Once a month we come together to sit down and catch up. We talk about old times, our families, jobs and everything in between. We can literally spend hours lost in conversation, laughter and sometimes tears. These great women, many of whom I knew in name only back in the day, have become such a wonderful network of support and encouragement for me.

Having spent most of my life, age 12 to 43, struggling with my weight, I never felt at peace with my body until the past 4 years. High school was a rough time for me. I was always heavier than many of the girls in my class and because of that I never felt like I fit in. I felt like a misfit. Much of that had to do with a lack of self-esteem on my part. I started my first diet when I was 12 and continued off and on until age 43. It’s a legacy I am not proud of, but one that has allowed me to get me to where I am today.

Posted 5/15/2010  12:36:02 PM By: Nancy Howard : 235 comments

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Obese Children are More Likely to be Bullied

I don't have fond memories of grade school. I was a quiet kid who didn't get in trouble and got good grades. That meant I was picked on by some of the "cool" kids, which wasn't easy. It made me insecure about myself, and I still carry some of that with me today. But the bullying I experienced was really nothing compared to what you see in the news today. I worry that my children will see even a small portion of what some kids have to go through on a daily basis.

There are lots of reasons kids get bullied. They don't wear the right clothes, they don't act the right way, or they don't look like everyone else. A new study of third through sixth graders shows that obese children are more likely to be bullied, regardless of things like class, race or academic achievement.

Posted 5/11/2010  6:51:06 AM By: Jen Mueller : 111 comments

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Body Bliss: Dress for the Body You Have Today

In college, when I was about 30 pounds heavier and several pant sizes larger than I am today, I hated myself. All I wanted was to be cute and tiny, but no matter how much I wanted it, I couldn't make it happen. Diet after diet ended in failure. Workout plans came and went. I never lost weight—only motivation. I was close to accepting my fate as an overweight person, bound to struggle forever.

Eventually, I learned that getting healthy—both physically and mentally—had to start with love. Self love. I may have wished my body was different, but if I had any hopes of changing it, I had to learn to accept my body in its current state. That meant caring for it and treating it with respect.

During my journey to self-love, one of the best bits of advice I ever received was to dress the body you currently have. This single, somewhat simple, piece of advice helped me on my way to loving myself and eventually led me to weight loss.

Posted 4/28/2010  8:15:31 AM By: Nicole Nichols : 232 comments

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Is A Thin Body Celebrated More Than A Fit One?

I'll admit it. I'm an Olympics junkie. I love watching almost any event- luge, snowboarding, aerials- even if I don't understand what's happening. I just enjoy the spirit of the Games and how young men and women are celebrated for their athletic accomplishments. I also admire the bodies of the athletes, so fit and strong. But I notice that many of them (especially women) do not have a body type that would typically be celebrated in the media. Most female Olympic athletes wouldn't grace the cover of a women's magazine or walk the runway at a fashion show. Why? Because even though they have the talent to win a gold medal, they aren't skinny.

Posted 2/23/2010  2:17:39 PM By: Jen Mueller : 256 comments

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When Does Plastic Surgery Go Too Far?

Heidi Montag is an MTV reality star who has been in the news recently. She's on the cover of People magazine, discussing the 10 plastic surgery procedures she had (all in one day) a few months ago. She's been flooded with negative feedback from people who think it's excessive, unnecessary and even potentially dangerous. My opinion has always been that people should do what makes them happy. But is there a point where it becomes too much?

In the People issue, Montag defends her decision, saying "I just want to be as beautiful as I can be, inside and out." She feels she basically looks the same, but is just an improved version of herself. Montag doesn't think this should set an example for other young people to follow, since they aren't in the entertainment industry where appearance is such a big part of success.

Posted 1/26/2010  5:07:48 PM By: Jen Mueller : 273 comments

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How 'Precious' Star Learned to Love Herself

You've probably seen the previews for Precious, the Oprah-endorsed film that stars newcomer Gabourey ("Gabby") Sidibe as the title character. Some of you may have even seen the film already.

Last week, Gabby sat down with Oprah to promote the film, and the discussion turned to Gabby's weight and body image. Oprah, who mentioned lamenting over her own weight for years, asked where Gabby got such confidence. "You walk into a room, obviously not a size 2 or a 12, but have such great confidence about it that it doesn't seem to bother you at all."

Posted 11/27/2009  12:26:38 PM By: Nicole Nichols : 108 comments

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Giving Thanks For My Body

I have so many things in my life to be thankful for. I have great kids, a supportive husband, good friends, a job I love- the list could go on and on. But I don't always take the time to think about those things because it's easy to get caught up in the negatives. I didn't get enough sleep last night, the kids were cranky today or my pre-pregnancy pants don't fit. Those are a few of the most recent "complaints". That's why I was glad to have the opportunity to do this blog, because it made me stop and think about some of the things I should be thankful for that I often overlook.

Posted 11/24/2009  12:19:50 PM By: Jen Mueller : 69 comments

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Mom's Dieting Leads to Daughters' Eating Disorders

Growing up, my mom was always on (or off) of a diet. I always knew she was "back on the wagon" when the grocery bags were filled with frozen diet meals, meal replacement bars and diet "cookies". Notice I did not say the bags were filled with lots of fresh fruits and veggies, but that's another story. Although she never commented about my weight and always encouraged me to be happy with my body, I can't say that her behaviors didn't influence me. I saw the struggles she went through- losing weight, trying to keep it off, and eventually gaining it back. I swore I would never go through the same thing, and although I haven't had to, I've always been very conscious of my weight because of it.

Posted 11/10/2009  5:43:27 AM By: Jen Mueller : 157 comments

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This Week, Ban the 'Fat Talk'

Think back to the last time someone paid you a compliment.

How did you respond?

"Thanks, but I've still got a long way to go."

"Thanks, but my butt is gigantic."

"Thanks!"

When you look in the mirror, do you zero in on the flaw or focus on the positives?

Do you lament your hips or admire your strong legs?

Do you curse your flat chest or notice your slim wrists?

Do you fret over a few fine lines or appreciate your bright smile?

Most of us have trouble accepting compliments and silencing the nagging voices inside our heads. How often do you respond with a self-deprecating or humble comment when someone says something flattering to you?

While those comments might seem innocuous, they're not. (Keep reading for some ALARMING statistics!) I'm guilty of it, and just about everyone I know is, too, from time to time.

And this week, we're all going to do something about it.

Today marks the beginning of Fat Talk Free Week, an international, five-day body activism campaign that draws attention to body image issues and the damaging impact of the thin ideal on women in society. This annual public awareness campaign is organized by Delta Delta Delta fraternity. I read about this motivating effort on a few healthy living blogs, and I knew I wanted to share this challenge with you.

Posted 10/19/2009  5:14:35 PM By: Stepfanie Romine : 132 comments

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Confession: I Obsessively Dieted Down to an Unhealthy Weight

Beginning in high school, many of my girlfriends began to call themselves "fat." They started to watch what they ate, drank diet soda, and would sometimes skip lunch (or eat very little). Now, not one of these girls was actually fat—or even slightly overweight for that matter. I didn't get it! To me, it was a bunch of drama and I paid little attention to it. I didn't think of myself as fat and I wasn't about to go on a diet. Many days, I would eat TWO school lunches (especially on pizza day!) because I was young, growing, and very active in sports, practicing for 2+ hours after school each day and lifting weights five times a week. I ate what I wanted—no matter what it was. Fast food value meals (I was the "Burger Queen"), french fries, candy, pasta—you name it. A fruit or vegetable scarcely crossed my lips, but I managed to stay fit and healthy (at least on the outside) because of my active lifestyle.

These girls probably had an effect on me whether I realized it or not. If they call their tiny size-4 bodies fat—what did that mean for me at a size 8? I always did feel "bigger" than my friends. I didn't understand why my thighs were larger than theirs were or why I weighed so much more than they did. (It wasn't until many years later that I realized my height—several inches taller than most of them—and muscle mass had so much to do with it.)

After high school, I developed a greater interest in nutrition and fitness. I had never paid attention to my diet before, but as I learned more about the importance of making healthy food choices, I started bypassing the junk food and fast food and chose whole grains, fruits and vegetables instead. High school sports were long over, but I continued with an exercise program five days a week with an hour of cardio (like running) and 30 minutes of weight training. It was a fun hobby—reading about healthy living, learning to eat better, and hitting the gym. Then I began to track my food on an excel spreadsheet, and because of the advice I read in magazines, I aimed for 1,200 calories per day. For the first time in my life, I started to lose weight. But more importantly—people started to notice. My life would never be the same again.

Posted 10/9/2009  10:35:37 AM By: Nicole Nichols : 206 comments

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Confession: Getting Older Really Stinks, but I Guess it Beats the Alternative


Last week I celebrated my 48th birthday. While for many of you that may seem quite young, for others, that means I am old enough to be your mom. Either way, I do not like the transformation my body is undergoing! I wish I could say I am embracing this aging process with grace, but in all honesty, I hate IT!

I do not like the way everything is beginning to dry out and sag just a little more with each passing year. It's hard not to notice the fine lines every morning and the gray hairs that seems to be multiplying by the hour. Thankfully, I have a good colorist! My skin is not so moist, my hair is even thinner than it was before, and yes, sometimes I awaken with a few more aches and pains than I remember just a few short months ago.

Posted 9/23/2009  4:05:45 PM By: Nancy Howard : 354 comments

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The Pressure To Be Thin Is Starting Sooner

Growing up, I remember seeing girls at the local swimming club and wondering why I didn't look like them. I never had a big weight problem (just a stubborn belly that has carried through to my adulthood), but my mom was a constant dieter and there were others around me who worried about what they were eating and how much they weighed. That was at a time when "normal" did not mean you had to be stick-thin, and there wasn't the airbrushing and Photoshopping of magazine covers like you see today. Some of those feelings about my body have continued through my life, so I can't imagine what that pressure is like for young girls these days. New research comparing then and now provides some interesting insights.

Posted 9/18/2009  2:08:54 PM By: Jen Mueller : 86 comments

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Poll: Are Women More Critical of Other Women's Bodies than Men?

My boyfriend thinks I have the perfect body. He even loves the parts that I consider my "problem areas." He tries to tell me that my own insecurities are meritless and that I have no reason to feel bad about the way I look. Not only that, but he says he has never noticed my cellulite (but trust me, it does exist).

Sometimes I think that men are more likely to see the bigger picture when it comes to a woman's body. In my experience, they're less likely to notice the "details" (like a few dimples or stretch marks) and more likely to appreciate a woman's body for its overall shape or size—how it looks as a total package, not piece by piece (the way we often scrutinize ourselves).

But women? We notice. We zero-in on the imperfections. We notice the extra layer of fat on the stomach or that lower belly pooch. We compare our bodies to other women's, whether we think theirs are better, worse or the same as ours.

Lately, I've been thinking that some of my own body-image insecurities come not from what other men might think of me—but from what women think. All those details that we see. All the mental comparisons we make, sizing each other up. This led me to wonder: Do you think women are more critical of other women's bodies than men are?

Posted 9/18/2009  6:18:16 AM By: Nicole Nichols : 205 comments

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Poll: Would You Consider Cosmetic Surgery?

A couple weeks back I saw a commercial from a local cosmetic surgery company that caught my attention and surprisingly I am still thinking about it. It was not a new company being advertised but the commercial content was new information and the approach must have contained the right sixty seconds of information.

After hearing the advertisement for a non-surgical procedure that could help me "lose weight from those problem areas for good," I went to check out the company website to learn more.

I have never given serious thought to cosmetic surgery. For people that have lost a great deal of weight leaving excess skin, it makes sense. Since I do not fit into that category, I have never really given it much thought and certainly not as a weight loss method. I have my problem areas like most people. At my thinnest and most fit as a college volleyball player, I had a small lower abdominal "pooch." After having children, it remains my biggest problem area. Additionally, I have a body type where I gain weight first in the mid-section and lose it last from that region. I have really been working on my core this year and have lost a few inches, which is rewarding. However, my six-pack remains hidden in a soft-sided cooler and probably always will.

Posted 9/10/2009  6:03:41 AM By: Tanya Jolliffe : 622 comments

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