What is body image?
Body image is a part of one's self-esteem and can effect how you live your life. It is the way you perceive yourself as well as the way you believe others perceive you. Body image is learned and is always changing. It can be affected by things such as real and perceived pressures from friends, family, ourselves and the media to look a certain way.
What does it have to do with sports?
Researchers say that one of the best ways to improve body image is to participate in sports. In fact, any aerobic activity boosts self-esteem in turn promoting a better image of one's body.
Body Types
What we have to understand is that our size, shape, and looks are largely determined by genetics. This does not mean that eating right and exercising can't improve the way we look and feel about ourselves, actually the opposite is true. Being in a healthy mindset can improve your self esteem and body image as well as having a more physically fit body.
What can having a negative body image do to you?
Teenage girls that are of average weight are very likely to believe that they are overweight. When a person feels this way about themselves a lot of the times they act out by having problems controlling what they should or shouldn't eat. In turn this can cause many different types of eating disorders, such as anorexia or bulimia. For others, the pressure to be thin can actually lead to binge eating disorder: overeating that is followed by extreme guilt. These different types of eating disorders not only affect the body but can also have an affect on school and learning.
Don't forget everyone's body is different.
Love your body.
Love yourself.
