Body Image & Intuitive Eating Lindsay Corbin BSc PDt Public Health Nutritionist

Is it our BODIES that need changing…….. or our MINDS? or our MINDS?

Body Image What is Body Image? Who tells us what we should look like? What can we do about it?

Body Image Body image is the mental picture of one’s body and all the related: Feelings Thoughts Judgments Behaviors

Body Image- Good or Poor Good Body Image is Realistic Accepting Healthy Behaviors Self-confidence Poor Body Image is Critical Hopeless Unrealistic Unhealthy Behaviors

Body Image Continuum From Positive to Negative Body/Self acceptance Body Image dissatisfaction Weight preoccupation/yo-yo dieting Compulsive/Emotional eating Anorexia/Bulimia

Why is a positive body image important? Better Self Esteem Less dieting and other risky behavior

Who tells us what we should look like?

Media Diet Industry Family Friends

Media How are women portrayed in the media? How are men portrayed in the media? How have trends changed?

Changing Trends DatesHeightWeight 50s & 60s5 ft 8132 lbs 70s & 80s5 ft 8117 lbs Early 90s5 ft lbs (very skinny) Early 2000’s5 ft lbs (narrow hips, large breasts, large gluteus maximus)

Why do models look so good? Air brushing/computer touch ups Professional make-up Expensive hair color/styles Expensive clothes Diet and exercise (not always in a healthy way) Personal chef & trainer Surgery Genetics

Why do models look so good? p?id= p?id=7134

Diet Industry Americans spend $35 BILLION dollars a year on DIETS! Why are diets a bad idea? What is the best way to control your weight?

Family & Friends Can play a supportive or damaging role in shaping your body image Can be either accepting or disapproving of how you look

What makes us look the way we do? Genetics Age Gender Income Health Activity Eating habits Cultural values

What can we do about negative body image?

Body Image Checklist Focus on the total picture- not one aspect of your looks/body Focus on your skills and abilities vs. your body/looks Complement others on talent vs. looks Don’t diet or talk about diets or weight Look after yourself- eat healthy, exercise and do things that make you feel good. Look after yourself- eat healthy, exercise and do things that make you feel good.

Intuitive Eating Also can be called Mindful Eating Not about ‘weight loss/control’, however this may occur Depends on your current eating style and body image

10 Principles of Intuitive Eating Reject the Diet Mentality #1: Reject the Diet Mentality Get rid of (or don’t bother with) books/articles about dieting Get angry at the lies that have made you feel like you are not good enough the way you are If you allow even one small hope to linger that a new and better diet might be just around the corner, it will prevent you from being free to discover Intuitive Eating.

10 Principles of Intuitive Eating Honor Your Hunger #2: Honor Your Hunger Learn to recognize your biological hunger cues & feed your body with adequate energy Once you reach the point of feeling ‘starving’, all intentions of moderate, conscious eating are thrown out the window! So don’t let it get to this point!

10 Principles of Intuitive Eating Make Peace With Food #3: Make Peace With Food Give yourself permission to eat If you tell yourself you can’t have something, it leads to feelings of deprivation, which then leads to cravings & sometimes bingeing Can lead to the ‘Last Supper’ effect (often experienced before ‘going back on a diet’)

10 Principles of Intuitive Eating Challenge the Food Police #4: Challenge the Food Police The ‘Food Police’ monitor the unreasonable rules that dieting has created The ‘Food Police’ monitor the unreasonable rules that dieting has created The ‘Station’ is in your mind! The ‘Station’ is in your mind! Challenge thoughts that you are ‘good’ for restricting your eating or ‘bad’ for eating a ‘forbidden food’ like chocolate. Challenge thoughts that you are ‘good’ for restricting your eating or ‘bad’ for eating a ‘forbidden food’ like chocolate.

10 Principles of Intuitive Eating Feel Your Fullness #5 Feel Your Fullness It takes about 20 minutes for the ‘fullness’ message to get from your stomach to your brain! Listen for your body signals that tell you that you’ve moved from hungry→ no longer hungry →comfortably full Pause in the middle of eating to ask yourself how to food tastes & how full you are feeling

10 Principles of Intuitive Eating : Discover the Satisfaction Factor # 6: Discover the Satisfaction Factor In our crazy frenzy to be thin, we often overlook the pleasure and satisfaction that can come from the eating experience In our crazy frenzy to be thin, we often overlook the pleasure and satisfaction that can come from the eating experience Take the time to enjoy food in an inviting environment & observe your feelings of satisfaction and contentment Take the time to enjoy food in an inviting environment & observe your feelings of satisfaction and contentment

10 Principles of Intuitive Eating Cope with Emotions without using Food #7: Cope with Emotions without using Food Find ways to comfort yourself & resolve issues without food Food may comfort you initially, but it won’t solve the problem and will likely make you feel worse in the long run If you are not feeling ‘real’ biological hunger, food is not the answer!

10 Principles of Intuitive Eating Respect Your Body #8: Respect Your Body Accept your genetic blueprint Respect your body so you can feel better about who you are

10 Principles of Intuitive Eating #9: Exercise! Get active & feel the difference Focus on how good it feels to move your body vs. ‘how many calories am I burning?” This shift will help you be more motivated to exercise because it is a gift rather than a punishment

10 Principles of Intuitive Eating Honor Your Health #10: Honor Your Health Make food choices that honor your health and taste buds while making you feel good Remember that you don’t need to eat a ‘perfect’ diet to be healthy Progress, not perfection is what counts