Self-esteem & Body Image

Did you know…  If shop mannequins were real women, THEY’D BE TOO THIN TO MENSTRATE

 Marilyn Monroe wore a size 12

 If Barbie were a real woman, she’d have to walk on all fours due to her proportions.

 The average American woman weights 144 lbs. and wears between a size 12 and 14.

 One out of every 4 college aged women has an eating disorder.

 A psychological study in 1995 found that 3 minutes spent looking at models in a fashion magazine caused 70% of women to feel depressed, guilty and shameful.

 Models who twenty years ago weighted 8% less than the average woman, today weigh 23% less.

Why are self-esteem & body image important?  Self-esteem: how much people value themselves.  A person with high self-esteem will make friends easily, is more in control of his or her behavior, and will enjoy life more.  Body Image: how a person feels about his or her own physical appearance.  These two are linked together b/c most people care about how others see them.

Influences of Self-esteem  Puberty: Bodily changes and the desire to be accepted.  Some may feel uncomfortable or embarrassed about their maturing bodies.

 Outside Influences:  Media: images of skinny girls and bulked up guys can affect a person’s body image.  Family life: parents criticizing their children about the way they look  Teasing: from classmates and peers  Can be racial or ethnic

Healthy Self-esteem  If you have a positive body image, you probably like and accept yourself the way you are. Therefore you can begin to:  Develop good friendships  Grow more independent from your parents  Challenge yourself physically and mentally  These in turn help boost your self-esteem.

 Don’t be so hard on yourself when you make a mistake.  Don’t blame others when things don’t go as expected.

 Know what makes you happy and how to meet your goals.  A positive attitude and a healthy lifestyle are a great combination for building good self-esteem.

Improving your body image  Don’t try to change yourself to feel good, change the way you see your body and how you think of yourself.  Identify which aspects of your appearance you can realistically change and which you can’t.  Make goals, and keep track of your progress towards that goal.

Improving your body image cont…  Give yourself three compliments a day.  Make a list of three things that went well throughout the day