Body Image

Body image is best described as your reaction to what you see in the mirror. Some days you will like what you see and other days you might not like it so much.

Feeling happy with how you look is important: it affects your mood, your relationships with others and how you treat your body.

In a world where we see so many ads with perfect, smiling people we can start to think that they are the norm and there is something wrong with us that we are not like them.

We feel pressure to look like people in ads, in magazines and on television.

This pressure to look perfect means that we sometimes ignore our inner feelings and concentrate only on our outward appearance.

Tips to improve your body image:

• Understand your body fluctuations and be aware that your body can vary in shape or weight even over the course of a day.
• Wear clothes you feel good in, that emphasise what you like about yourself.
• Walk tall and straight and smile whenever you can.
• Exercise whenever you can and make sure it’s fun. Try walking or playing a team sport.
• Eat a variety of healthy foods at regular intervals and stay away from diets altogether.

Remember, feeling good about yourself is not just about how you look. See the Feeling Good page to get more tips on making yourself feel good.

Bodywhys have given input into this content. Bodywhys provides a range of support services for people affected by eating disorders, including specific services for families and friends. If you want to talk to someone, you can make contact with Bodywhys via the helpline 1890 200 444.