People
with an unhealthy body image are never satisfied. Improving their
looks by having cosmetic surgery or getting lean and defined through
exercise does nothing to improve the way they feel about themselves
or their looks.
Rita Freedman, author of “Body Love: Feeling Good About Your Looks and
Yourself”, writes, “There’s hardly any connection between a woman’s
actual physical attractiveness (as rated by others) and her satisfaction
with her body”. She says studies show that pretty women are as likely
to be unhappy with their looks as plain ones. She further states,
“There’s very little connection between physical attractiveness and
feelings of self-worth”.
However, there is a strong relationship, Freedman says, between body image
and self-esteem. Therefore, regardless of appearance, people who view
their bodies favorably tend to have higher self-esteem than those
who view their bodies unfavorably.
The relationship between your body image and self-esteem has little to
do with how you really look. It has more to do with what you believe
and what you think other people believe about your looks.
Rate your body image
“The Eating Issues and Body Image Continuum” was developed by nutritionists
at the University of Arizona to help people determine if they have
dysfunctional eating patterns and/or a dysfunctional body image. This
version was adapted from the original by registered dietician Sheri
Barke. Although you may have body image attitudes that are spread
out over the continuum, Barke says the goal is to be mostly in the
“body is not an issue” and “body acceptance” categories.
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