Does your body image tend to shift a little (or a lot) during these festive times that are filled with gatherings and foods? For some, body image is a constant thing year around, and rightly so - bodies are one of the most tangible things people have to control. But specifically during the holidays you receive the wrong messages from the media, family, friends, or even yourself. You're not alone if this is a topic that relates to you, as you live in a very unyielding diet culture world which promotes your “worth” and “identity” based on how you look. For many, the holidays bring a stress level and pressure especially when it comes to new year resolutions. Most of the time your body isn't the issue but in fact it is your perspective/ exterior experiences. Why do people tend to be so deeply affected by body image at this time of year?
Holidays are a time in which bodies may shift and the only down side of that is the wrongful comments people receive based on their bodies. Have you ever gotten a comment from a family member where they say “wow you seem to have gained weight” or “wow you’ve lost so much weight, congrats” Believe it or not, both of these comments can affect someone deeply. These comments can evoke dissatisfaction with your body, insecurities, and even in some cases, feed into eating disorders. We may think that saying that someone has gained weight is okay, but actually it is so detrimental towards the perception of oneself. Think about it, your body is something everyone sees and if someone is insinuating that they think your body is unsatisfactory then that will only lead you to believe or think similarly. When there is a comment saying you’ve lost weight, yes many may believe there is nothing wrong with that, it will only make someone feel better, but that's the problem, how our bodies look is the least interesting thing about you. Your body does so much for you, the inside of your body is what keeps you alive, what gives you the ability to be who you are, and do all the amazing & fun activities you do. Whether you’ve gained or lost weight it shouldn’t be anyone's place to let you know there is a problem, bodies change all the time! And that's OKAY!
Think about all the commercials and advertisements in the media you see about “how to control your eating” “how to shed off those extra pounds” “new year new body” “fast to make space for the holiday feast.” These advertisements are so distorted and companies are aware of that but they want to target the vulnerable to these topics to make profit. It's your job to become aware of these lies and be able to avoid engaging with these topics in order to make healthy decisions for you. Inorder to partake in debunking these diet culture lies it will take practice, but the first step is to want to learn and adapt to a healthy mindset - it only takes will power. You need to accept the fact that our society is obsessed with thin ideals and “skinny=happiness” and then make sure you acknowledge how this impacts you and why you want to strive for these unrealistic standards. The hardest part is to challenge yourself with these thoughts and ideals. If an article told you to fast before christmas dinner and you believe you need to do that, challenge it and honor your body's needs throughout the day. Do your research. If the media is telling you that you should set the New Year's Resolution to lose weight, ask yourself if this is something that will benefit you or affect you and then research the author, what kind of articles they post. Then search up alternatives like why diet related resolutions are detrimental to your well being. When engaging with these advertisements about diet culture this holiday season we need to put on our critical thinking glasses.
Body image affects many around the world, and the reality of body image is that a lot of the time is a reflection of exterior experiences. Studies demonstrate that how people view their bodies is rarely related to your body, but in fact it is experience such as your family dynamic, bullying, puberty, abuse/trauma, self esteem, social media, etc. According to an article on Eating Disorder Hope: ”Body image is complex. Some things that can impact body image include: Media, Early childhood experiences, Trauma or abuse, and comments made from other people”. Much of the time the perception of yourself is a flag of things you may need to process. Your body is one of the most tangible things there is to control, when something in your life is occurring that may feel out of your control your body becomes an option because it is something you can control and change.
Some people may argue and say that I'm promoting people to be overweight, but that is not all of it. I'm advocating that it's okay to be overweight as long as you feel good and satisfied with yourself. Yes obesity comes with a factor of illnesses, but the approach that is taken is to shame someone about their body in which they probably already feel insecure about. Much of the approach taken is to restrict and to over exercise and that's where the problem is because you don't need to punish your body, you may work on your body and lose weight if needed and if you want to but only if it will be with a good intention. Many people go on diets and exercise because they hate their body and think if they lose a certain amount of weight you will magically love yourself but no exercise because it makes you feel good and releases stress. Then find someone such as a dietician or therapist who can help you work on your body image and what is causing that in your life. Everything needs its moderation!
In conclusion, body image is difficult and especially during the holidays because there is so much food and family/friends gatherings. My purpose with this article is to let you know you're not alone and your body is not the issue, because every BODY is a BEAUTIFUL body that deserves respect and love. If you want to make a new body new years resolution reconsider it and try thinking about why and if you think it’s okay then make sure it's going to be while you also learn to respect your body. Losing and gaining weight is okay, but it doesn't demonstrate who you are as a person. Restricting yourself from these delicious foods these holidays is sad because you deserve to eat anything you want because there is no such thing as a “good” or “bad” food. All foods fit. Lastly remember to enjoy yourself this holiday season, don’t worry about what you ate your body knows what to do, don’t blame your body because your body is beautiful, don’t fall for those dumb advertisements because YOU’RE BEAUTIFUL JUST LIKE YOU ARE, and if you’re struggling alone reach out for help because that is brave.
THINGS TO DO IF YOUR STRUGGLING WITH YOUR BODY
Body scan: Lay down and close your eyes. Imagine you're in your safe place and relax and acknowledge each part of your body starting from your toes
Meditation: Search up on youtube or spotify meditations and just relax and stay mindful
Opposite action: Do the opposite of what your emotions are telling you
Wise mind: think about what your emotional and reasonable mind is telling you and combine them both and make a goal- it makes sense I feel___, because___, and yet ___
Focus on all that your body does for you beyond the physical aspect.
Do a distracting activity
Talk to someone