Skip to main content

Body image-How do you promote positive body image ?

Activities for Promoting Positive Body Image in Girls

Many teen and young girls suffer from poor body image, which can contribute to low self-esteem.

Girls are constantly comparing their bodies to others, and poor body image is often the result. Use these activities to help girls begin to view their bodies more realistically, and start to feel better about how they look.

Developing a RealisticHow do you promote positive body image?

Compare the body types of two sets of women. First, page through a fashion magazine and keep track of how many overweight, normal weight, and underweight women who appear there. Find the percentages for each. Next, sit on a bench at a busy park or mall for about an hour and do the same regarding the women who walk by. Again, find the percentages. Compare the results for the two groups and consider the following questions. Even better; do the activity with a friend and discuss the questions together.

Discussion Questions:

  • What did you notice about the distribution of different body sizes among both the models in the magazines and the women in real life?
  • How might this discrepancy impact body image?
  • Did you feel better or worse about your own body after viewing the magazine?
  • Did you feel better or worse about your own body after viewing the real women?
  • Why do you think the women in magazines are not representative of women in real life?
  • How do you think this representation impacts how women and girls feel about how they look?
  • Do you think it would be better to include a wider variety of body types in magazines and other forms of advertising? Why or why not?

Focusing on the Positive

Have a conversation that helps her refocus her attention on the positive aspects of her body. Here is a sample conversation with suggestions:Make a list of all of the positive things about your body. Include the physical features that you like, (I have pretty eyes, my hair is shiny, etc.) but stay away from commenting on those parts of the body you perceive as flaws. Concentrate just on what you like. Next, think about the great things your body can do, and list all of those, too. Include things like sports and activities you can do, but don’t forget simple things, like hugging your parents, applauding for a friend’s success, or participating in a walkathon to raise money for your favorite charity.

Next, think of things your body doesn’t do right now, but you would like it to do in the future. Maybe you want to learn how to dance. Or perhaps you want to take karate. Add these goals to your list and start thinking about how you want to achieve them. Tape this list somewhere you’ll see it everyday, like on your mirror or on the wall next to your bed. Read the list several times a day to remind yourself how terrific your body really is.

Poor body image is a problem for many young girls. However, learning how to develop a more realistic view of one’s body, and focusing on positive aspects of the body can help improve body image and self-esteem.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tarsus - Ancient Tarsus in Asia Minor -Tarsus, Mersin, Turkey

Tarsus-Ancient Tarsus in Asia Minor Site of one of the oldest Middle East settlements, Tarsus played a prominent role in the histories of competing Near East and Mediterranean empires. Often overlooked in ancient history, the strategic city Tarsus, located in southern Asia Minor, may have been one of the first great “university towns.” Often associated with its “favorite son” Paul, the city was associated with a fair crop of ancient world notables. According the legend, Adam’s son, Seth, died in the region when it was a fourth millennium BC settlement. Fertile lands, a good port, and proximity to the roads connecting Asia Minor with Syria and Mesopotamia enabled Tarsus to prosper while escaping the fate of other great ancient cities during periods of competing conquests. From the Assyrians to the Romans Although it is agreed that Tarsus, as a city, was first established by the Assyrians in the 9th century BC, scholars conflict over which king was responsible. King Assurbanipal is given
Post a Comment
Read more

American Comics Strips of the 1950s

american comic strips of the 1950s Mid-century and the rise of television saw the story strip give way to the humor feature in U.S. newspapers. Television had a greater influence on the newspaper comics business than any other development of the fifties.  At the decade’s start, 3.1 million American homes had a TV set.  This led to a newspaper-TV battle, which Editor & Publisher in 1951 called “a contest for the readers’ time in which no holds are barred.” Sudsy Solutions Also Read Were comic books popular in the 1950s? Some strips based on TV shows such as “Howdy Doody” and “I Love Lucy” were developed, but most of these were short-lived.  Publishers and editors instead focused on creating “alternatives” to broadcast entertainment.  The radio soap opera was replaced by realistically drawn comic strips about conventional people like doctors, lawyers, and judges.  This wave was led by Elliot Caplin and Stan Drake’s “The Heart of Juliet Jones” and Leonard Starr’s “On Stage.” Some of t
Post a Comment
Read more

Aries and cancer compatibility - Aries woman and Cancer man

Aries and cancer compatibility When it comes to  Aries woman and Cancer man , it is balancing between the outgoing and extrovert nature of the former with the comfort loving and introvert characteristics of the latter. Both Aries and Cancer have great attraction for each other but to ensure the relation works perfectly for long time they have to work hard. Otherwise, the attraction would wane too soon leaving them poles apart from each other.  Aries woman  may find  Cancer man  a bit possessive and restraining and difficult to understand due to frequent mood swings. Problem point in the relationship is that while great understanding and adjustments are required, both of these partners are stubborn as well as inflexible in nature. If each of the two partners bends a little, the relationship could flourish into one of the best possible while if the two do not relinquish their stubborn obstinacy, the relationship could be damaged beyond repair. Success and failure of the relationshi p
Post a Comment
Read more