How do you recognize signs of negative Body Image in yourself or others? How do you support someone displaying those signs?

Let’s remember that we all have an element of a distorted view of our bodies as well as complicated relationships with food.

All of the following are “normal” to a certain degree:

-Experiencing body dissatisfaction, being preoccupied with body weight, shape or appearance

-Struggling with feelings of depression, isolation, low self-esteem and/or disordered eating due to body dissatisfaction

-Having shame, anxiety, and self-consciousness about your body

-Frequently comparing your body to others and feeling that your body is flawed

RED FLAGS are:

-Obsession with body size and shape

-Extreme weight loss

-Refusal to eat, denial of hunger even when starving

-Labeling foods as good or bad. 

-Fixate on eating foods that give a feeling of being healthy

-Obsessively going to the gym

How to support:

-The most important thing is to Notice changes in behaviour

-Begin conversations if you see someone is not him/herself 

-Build self-esteem and confidence; there is more to being a human than what you look like

-Celebrate diverse shapes and individuality

-Praise the actions of the body not the appearance, function OVER form

-Take the focus off numbers on a scale - encourage balance between healthy eating and exercise

-Talk about Appetite awareness

• Practice intuitive eating: I like to call it appetite awareness, being mindful and listening to hunger cues letting us know to eat when we are hungry and stop when we are full

• Notice emotional eating which happens when we are not able to confront certain feelings so we eat instead: am I hungry for food or do I need something else?

• Watch your language - avoid labeling foods as “good vs. naughty”  and talking about “what to avoid”. Aim for balance and moderation.

Who is most at risk of suffering from Body Image Issues? What impact does this have on people?

Everyone is affected by Body Image - having a body means you have body image. In the same way, we all have mental health. The degree to which we are impacted depends on how much influence the feelings of falls somewhere on the spectrum and the impact body image has on people varies depending on where they fall.

The specific populations such as cancer patients, burn victims, people with dermatological issues, disabled individuals, and anyone in the spotlight (ex athletes, dancers, models) etc. People going through developmental changes are also at a higher risk of developing body image issues, such as transitioning from adolescence to adulthood, getting pregnant, ageing. 

Bodies are always changing, and how we adjust to those changes has everything to do with how we feel and how we look, this is particularly strong in adolescence. Body image cannot be escaped - having a body means we all have a body image. How we feel about our bodies is what differs from person to person.

What is Body Image and why is it so important?

Body image is defined as how we see our physical selves and how that impacts us emotionally. Simply put: body image is how we think and feel about our bodies.

This can include a person’s thoughts and feelings about their weight, shape, skin colour, size, height, and their overall appearance. What WE see may be very well different from how others see us. BODY IMAGE is a very subjective experience. Amazingly, two people could look identical (twins) but have a very different body image.

Body image is so important because it impacts your self-esteem and ultimately how you come to know and accept yourself. This directly impacts our mental health. The body and mind here are totally interlinked. 

However, I believe body image needs to be understood on a spectrum - With mild and normative issues around the body on one side and increasing severity leading to Body dysmorphic disorders and eating disorders on the other side.

Having a positive body image ensures you have a healthy relationship with food and exercise and the reverse is true too. When you have a healthy relationship with food and exercise, this enables you to feel more positive about your body. These elements feed into each other and help you to feel better both inside and out. It gives you the confidence to be your authentic self.