Category Archives: Body Image
9 Tips for Coping with Family Visits and Holidays
Note: If you are going to be in an environment with abusive people, some things on this list may help you but others will not. In such a case, focus on safety planning for yourself. Get a therapist, a friend, or an advocate at a domestic violence program to help you make a plan. Enjoying…
Diet Talk: How to Respond
You are in line at a buffet and the person next to you says, “Oh my God, I’m going to regret this tomorrow!” Or you are at dinner with friends and someone says, “I wish I could have that but I’m being good today!” Or you are talking with a relative you haven’t seen in…
Top Ten Advantages of Liking Your Body As It Is
You have a lot of mental energy freed up to focus on other things and you can do what you want to do now without waiting until you look better. You can buy clothing because you like it and not because it hides what you dislike about your body. You can exercise for enjoyment. You…
Negative Body Image is Bad for Your Health
Lots of people have negative feelings about their bodies. It’s hard to find people (at least in the US) who are happy with their bodies the way they are. Specifically, many people are worried about being too fat and dislike their bodies because they are not thin enough. Aside from the obvious consequence of not…
Dieting and Control
When people suddenly start to talk about wanting to lose weight when they haven’t been talking about it before, I wonder what is going on for them. Frequently, what I find out is they are feeling powerless. It seems to me that dieting1 is often a way for people who feel powerless to assert some…
Are You “Too Fat”?
Do you think you are too fat? Really? Too fat for what? People of all sizes are happy. People of all sizes are depressed. People of all sizes feel good about their bodies. People of all sizes feel bad about their bodies. You are not too fat to love or be loved. You are not…
