Our perception of ourselves can be grossly inaccurate and our observation of our body image changes as our feelings about ourselves change. Women tend to have a more distorted body image than men, but men also have distorted body images.
Distorted body images usually start during the early teenage years. Our society promotes the idea that one’s body must be perfect or you are not valued. This is a tragic view with tragic outcomes.
Women report that they feel confused and lonely as they go through life changes. As young girls, we are obsessed with how our bodies are changing compared to our friends. If the girl is an “early bloomer” she is self conscious and thinks something is wrong with her. If she is a “late bloomer”, then she sees herself as being unattractive and that she will always be less desirable than her peers. If she thinks she is too thin her self-image takes a plunge and if she thinks she is to fat, then her self-esteem takes a nose dive.
Boys on the other hand have problems with self image as well. If they are a “late bloomer”, they are often ridiculed and made to feel that they are worthless. If they are over weight they are made to feel like they are lazy and slobs. The athletes are the guys that everyone wants to be around. They are the ones who are sought after not only in school, but later in life in the work force especially in areas of public relations such as sales.
I will not go into the psychological aspect in this article, but I will focus on developing a healthy attitude towards food.
The best way to help our children develop healthy attitudes about eating is to be a good example. When shopping for food, have a conversation with your children about food choices and why some foods are better choices than others. As an example, a banana has vitamins and minerals to help the body grow and be strong verses banana ice-cream loaded with sugar.
Encourage your children to eat the “rainbow”. The more colors of food on a plate , the more appealing the meal is. The more colorful the food, the higher the vitamin and mineral content, therefore, building healthier bodies.
Be mindful when eating. Turn off the TV, put away the cell phones, and eat at the table as a family. This in itself is a positive step in building good family relationships. Eat mindful. Eat when you are hungry, not because society stipulates a certain time to eat, and once you notice that your feeling of hunger is gone, stop eating. It takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to catch up with the sensation of being full. If you eat until you are full, then you have eaten to much and you will then feel “stuffed”.
Don’t nag your children about eating. During growth spurts, a child will eat you out of house and home. But when they are not in a growth spurt, they may not want to eat. Just make sure that what they are eating is healthy. Be mindful of eating disorders, but don’t pressure children to eat more food or to eat less food. Take a sensible approach to eating.
Teach children skills in communication, critical thinking, help your child have a good self-image of their body, help them build self-esteem and a solid value system, and give your children the tools to deal with difficulties when they arise. These skills will help your child in developing good nutritional habits.
Most of all, make food and meals a time of enjoyment and a time for building strong family ties.
Fun snack: Ants on a log
Wash and clean 1 celery stick, apply peanut butter in the indention in the celery stick, place raisins on top of the peanut butter.