Tag Archives: body image

10 Things You Hate About You

No, we’re not talking a long-awaited sequel to the film that introduced us all to Heath Ledger. Instead, we’re confronting some of the biggest issues we all have with ourselves. Body image is an issue that many people face. “Body image, the way you feel about your personal appearance, is linked to self-esteem,” said Mary Hartley, R.D. “The satisfaction you have with your body is based on the satisfaction you have with yourself.”

We want everyone to feel satisfied with themselves, so it’s time to quit the hate-speech and make peace with our bodies. Sure, you may not love everything about yourself, but that doesn’t have to prevent you from doing something about it. Here are our top ten beefs with our bodies and what we can do about them.

Jiggly Arms – If your arms make you self-conscious, you aren’t alone. To make your arms less jiggly, add triceps dips to your daily routine. By doing a few reps every day, your flapping arms will soon be nothing but a not-so-fond memory.

Lack of Energy – At one time or another, all of us feel completely devoid of energy. Combat this by making sure you are getting enough restful sleep. It may seem impossible to fit sleep into your busy schedule, but doing so impacts your overall energy levels and your ability to accomplish everything in your day.

Dull Skin – Do you feel like your skin is beginning to look a little zombie like? If so, make sure you are drinking enough water throughout the day. Staying hydrated does wonders for the complexion. Add some of the best foods for healthy skin to your diet, too, like fresh fruit, Brazil nuts, tuna, and avocados. (more…)

Posted on November 5, 2023 by Elizabeth

PSPfit Boot Camp Cycle 2 Partners with Lane Bryant in Time for Holiday Fitness Season

CeCe Olisa is at it again. The “Plus Size Princess” from TheBigGirlBlog.com is launching the second round of the popular #PSPfit fitness and nutrition boot camp.

This time it will take place during the 30 days leading up to Thanksgiving, from October 26 to November 27. “The holidays can be brutal! It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of shopping and parties and before you know it you’re not taking care of yourself the way you usually do,” CeCe shared. “This pre-Thanksgiving boot camp will bring us through the holidays more mindful of what we eat and how much activity we get.”

Partnering again with nutritionist Abra Pappa, CeCe is setting out once again to bring #PSPfit to any woman in the world. The boot camp utilizes social media to bring nutrition and fitness coaching to its participants. Women of all sizes are encouraged to take part in the 30-Day Pre-Thanksgiving boot camp. (more…)

Posted on October 25, 2023 by Elizabeth

“I’m Beautiful The Way I Am” – New NYC Campaign Targets Girls and Body Image

Mayor and proud papa of New York, Micheal Bloomberg, is on another mission to make his beloved city a better place. This time, he’s tackling the tough subject of self-esteem and body image issues, particularly with young girls ages 7-12. NYC may be one of the fashion capitals of the world, but Bloomberg, along with other members of the New York City Girl’s Project, want to spread the message, “I’m Beautiful The Way I Am.”

The campaign, conceived in the mayor’s office by deputy press secretary, Samantha Levine, chose to target the 7-12 age bracket citing statistics from several studies on eating disorders. They concluded negative body image was a concern for girls at a very young age. The NYC Girls’ Project website reports “Over 80 percent of 10-year-old girls are afraid of being fat,” and ” by middle school, 40-70 percent of girls are dissatisfied with two or more parts of their body.”

Campaign directors are creating buzz for the movement by using bus and subway ads. Thankfully, the strategy is much different than the hard-edged, in-your-face posters used to push the oversized soda ban a few years ago. Instead of placards declaring, Are You Pouring On The Pounds – Don’t Drink Yourself Fat, ads for the NYC Girls’ Project show pictures of smiling happy girls of all races and sizes declaring, ” I’m a girl. I’m funny, playful, daring, strong, curious, smart, brave, healthy, friendly and caring.”

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Posted on October 11, 2023 by Dani Stone

Bloggers Expose Themselves Revealing the Naked Truth of a Healthy Body Image

Throughout the week of October 7-12 there have been quite a few bloggers exposing themselves online. Before your mind wanders to any dark places, let me clarify exactly what exposing means in this case. I’m talking about the Exposed Movement, which was started by a blogger named Mish back in 2024. Mish got the idea for the Exposed Movement after deciding that she was tired of hating the way she looked and wanted to instead celebrate her body and all that it has done for her. She forced herself to see her own body in a different light and focused on its strengths rather than scrutinizing every little imperfection.

What happened next was a revolution of sorts. Men and women started coming out of the woodwork to take part in the Exposed Movement. One by one bloggers began posting photos of themselves at their most vulnerable (which was often in a bikini or underwear) in order to put it all out there. Rather than focusing on their flaws, each blogger wrote about what they love and appreciate about their own body. Here’s a few of the bloggers that took part in the movement in 2024, 2024 and again in 2024.

Carla, Miz Fit Online

Prior to taking part in the Exposed Movement in 2024, Carla had a little hesitation about how others would view her body. She feared that many would view her as “already fit” and it may lessen the impact of her appreciation for what her body can do. By exposing herself Carla focused on what she is most thankful for in regards to her body, which includes her eyes, brain, legs and overall health. She learned that if she gives her body the nourishment it wants, it will be good to her in return.

Four years later, Carla is very much the same person but admits that she is older and wiser. By revisiting the movement four years later she was reminded that yes, she wants to be an active mom who stays fit and healthy – but her most important and exposing traits are in her words. (more…)

Posted on October 10, 2023 by Lauren Martin

Hiking Everest and 450 Miles Across Spain Helps Kay Cherryholmes Find Her Way to Health

By Kay Cherryholmes

One day I googled myself and I was caught off guard by a blog link that had me tagged as one of his Top 10 Most Inspiring Athletes of 2024! I had met the guy while hiking and considered him a dear friend. At first I smiled; feeling like I had somehow been a positive in his eyes, then almost immediately it read that he met me while hiking in Nepal to base camp of Mt. Everest and that my BMI was that of a mack truck!

Instantly real tears fell. Not tears of his writing, but tears of truth about my struggle to achieve fitness. Who was I kidding? Mostly myself it seems. I grew up a competitive gymnast. I was always on a scale and measured my success based on a number that ranged between 114 and 119.

Fast forward from age 14 to age 44 and I had been married, divorced, raised two children as a single mom, and was completely disconnected from the fitness I knew as a young adult. My mind, however, continued to crave challenges, even in a 230-pound body. For all the struggle that it took to walk up into the Himalayan mountains 80 pounds overweight,it never began to stop me. He wrote that it was my perseverance that got me on his Top 10 Athlete list.

I always describe myself from the shoulders up as a ‘Michael Phelps type‘ and from my shoulders down more of a ‘John Belushi type’. I am part extreme athlete, part party girl. Too much brie and wine and not enough cardio.

After more than a decade of athletic events where I have fought with the struggle of weight in competition I decided that my next adventure would be a 450-mile walk across Northern Spain; the Camino de Santiago. It is a spiritual pilgrimage that took me through the heart of many regions in Spain. Once again I would carry the extra weight on my body and an additional 30-pound backpack with all the necessary gear I would need in my 40 days of hiking.

I wanted to remove myself from all of the excuses at home that get between me and a stronger, more fit body. I left behind the wine, cheese, friends, family, dishes, laundry, job, dog, television and my comfy new couch. They’d all become specks of home reality in my rear view mirror as I landed on Spanish soil. I would be forced in to my own mind and body for hundreds of miles and countless days. I wanted answers and to be accountable to myself. I would have no other choice but to face the dragons in my head, that for decades have defined my mindset and impacted my choices. (more…)

Posted on September 26, 2023 by GuestBlogger

Miss Kansas is Anything but the Beauty Pageant Norm, and We Love It

“I try to be like my dad, he’s where I get my characteristics and strength,” said Miss Kansas Theresa Vail. She went on to call her father her role model, but she hopes other young women find inspiration in strong females. Based on how people are responding to her participation in the Miss America pageant, it’s almost guaranteed that many will be looking up to Theresa Vail.

Raised as a self-described “military brat,” Vail moved around a lot. She was bullied as a child, and nearly ended her own life at the age of ten. Seven years later she joined the Army. Now she is a sergeant and has recently signed on for six more years of service. Only the second representative of the military to compete in Miss America, Vail has broken quite a few barriers. She was America’s Choice in last weekend’s pageant, which earned her a place in the Top 15 and placed her just outside of the Top 5 overall.

It makes sense that her platform is “Empowering Women: Overcoming Stereotypes and Breaking Barriers.” One of the biggest stereotypes Vail overcame was the thought that Miss America contestants shouldn’t have visible tattoos. Instead of hiding her large tattoos, Vail proudly displayed them.

“I told everyone before I left for Miss America that whether I win the crown or not, if I can change people’s opinion, then I’ve done my job,” she said. Many people’s opinions of Miss America and the women who compete for the title are based on how the contestants look. The focus on body image and self-confidence is something Vail has already encountered while she has been serving as Miss Kansas. (more…)

Posted on September 20, 2023 by Elizabeth

Special K Rethinks Jeans Shopping With a Smart and Inspirational Marketing Campaign

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQOpjnEG4GY

Recently, a new (to me) commercial for Special K caught my eye. The commercial shows a number of different women entering a department store called “Rethink Your Jeans.” As they browse the racks looking for jeans to try on, they notice that there aren’t any sizes marked on the labels. A woman who works at the store emerges asking if she can measure a female shopper. As she wraps the measuring tape around the shopper’s waist she remarks “you are radiant.” There’s a shot of women’s feet under the doors in the dressing room exclaiming things like “I’m size strong” and “I like that size!”. Another woman adds, “Not seeing the number is so freeing!”

Simple text is shown on a white background reading “Let’s rethink what defines us” while a woman’s voice says, “To feel amazing, I think that’s what makes a woman beautiful.”

I’ll be honest here. I’m not really a fan of Special K’s products and haven’t purchased any in recent memory. However, I really dig this commercial and its message. It might come off as a little cliche and cheesy but it resonates with me. Apparently the sizes written on clothing labels in certain stores are proportionately smaller than they really are in order to “flatter” the buyers. As someone who will avoid buying jeans one size larger because I don’t want to have to buy that next size up (even if they would be much more comfortable!) I know just how much power that number can hold over our minds. I know that clothes shopping would definitely be a more positive experience if the sizes on the labels were replaced with words like “inspiring” and “strong.” (more…)

Posted on September 17, 2023 by Lauren Martin

Debenhams Department Store Commits to No-Airbrush Policy for Models

The airbrushing of fashion models has been a contentious issue for several years, and a U.K. department store has sparked renewed interest in the topic. British department store Debenhams made a splash this week when they posted a picture of a model before and after airbrushing. The photo depicts a beautiful model in lingerie, and points out all of the flaws that will need to be corrected in Photoshop. From skimming down arm and leg size to enhancing cleavage, 16 changes were deemed necessary before publishing the photo. Merely adhering to the editing standards of the industry, Debenhams has committed to changing this practice.

“We’re showing our commitment to encouraging positive body image by using un-airbrushed lingerie photography,” read a statement on the official Debenhams Facebook page. Debenhams is one of many fashion brands to recently amend their practices in an attempt to set a better example for girls with body image issues. Last summer, Vogue and Seventeen Magazine announced it would no longer feature “too thin” models, with Vogue going even further by banning the hiring of underage models. Fashion houses in Spain and Italy now have a standard BMI of which models cannot fall under; Israel passed legislation prohibiting models to fall below a BMI limit of 18.5.

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Posted on June 18, 2023 by Patrick

Giuliana Rancic Says Miss USA “Absolutely” Promotes a Healthy Body Image

On Sunday, June 16th, Fifty one women will compete for the big sparkly crown and the title of Miss USA at the 62nd Annual Miss USA Competition. Giuliana Rancic, E! News anchor and co-host of the pageant, says she’s ready to roll with the “anything-can-happen” moments and she’s excited for the world to meet all the fabulously fit contestants.

Joining veteran Giuliana (who is hosting for the third year in a row) will be first-timer, Nick Jonas. In addition to emcee duties he’ll also be performing with his band, the Jonas Brothers. Before they take off for final auditions and prep work for the live show in Las Vegas this weekend, Giuliana and Nick took some time this afternoon to talk about the women, the pageant and answer a few questions from the press. We wanted to know if the hosts felt the contest conveyed a positive body image. The answer was a resounding, “absolutely.”

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Posted on June 11, 2023 by Dani Stone

Obesity Makes Career Success Difficult, Particularly for Women

When New Jersey Governor Chris Christie revealed he underwent Lap-Band surgery last month, it instantly fueled speculation that it was at least in part about his 2024 presidential aspirations. True or not, there are valid reasons to consider that weight loss as a powerful tool in helping him to the highest office in the land.

All you have to do is look at the people who hold the highest positions in private companies. According to a 2024 study, just five percent of CEOs in the U.S. were obese (with a BMI over 30).

If you drop down to the overweight classification (a BMI between 25 and 29), there is a dramatic difference, but only for male CEOs. The 2024 study estimated between 45 and 61 percent of top male CEOs are overweight. Only five percent of overweight CEOs are women.

What would account for such a major gender gap? Women already fight an unfair uphill battle for wage equality, so one can probably safely assume a significant double standard in how men and women with weight issues are perceived.

“It appears that the glass ceiling effect on women’s advancement may reflect not only general negative stereotypes about the competencies of women, but also weight bias that results in the application of stricter appearance standards to women,” said study co-author Mark Roehling, Michigan State University associate professor of human resource management. (more…)

Posted on June 4, 2023 by Jason

Tag Archives: body image

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