9 TIPS FOR LIVING HEALTHY

#1 Variety is the spice of life

If we all looked exactly the same life would be boring. Get into the uniqueness of you.


#2 Appreciate your body

Reestablish a positive relationship with your body. Your body is the most valuable asset you will ever own. All of Bill Gates money could not recreate you. Begin viewing your body as an instrument and not an ornament. Learn to appreciate your body for what it can do, not for what it looks like. Make a list of those things you like about your body.


#3 Pamper your body

Take a long hot bath and sooth yourself. Spoil yourself by getting a massage.


#4 Exercise

Studies have shown that when people participate in even moderate exercise, such as walking, they feel more connected and better about their bodies.


#5 You can’t judge a book by its cover

There is a lot more to you than what you look like. Your appearance is not your identity. Make a list of your traits that you really like. Think about the people you admire and look up to. You admire these individuals because of who they are, not because of what they look like.


#6 Surround yourself with support

Seek out others in your life who value you for who you are and not for what you look like. Find people who exhibit a healthy relationship with their body. Avoid those who tease or are constantly focusing on their weight.


#7 Throw away the scale

For many individuals, the number the scale reads in the morning determines what kind of day they are going to have. If the scale number is higher than they had hoped for they feel depressed and if they met their weight goal they feel elated. Constant weighing usually turns into a negative experience that leads to dissatisfaction and obsession. Many individuals have chosen to smash their scales and in the process have freed themselves from having their emotions tied to a number that has nothing at all to do with who they really are.


#8 Mealtime equals family time

Studies have shown that families that eat meals together have a lower occurrence of eating disorders. Making time to eat together as a complete family can be difficult with all the family’s divergent responsibilities and activities but mealtimes may be one of the most important events of the day. Mealtimes together allow family members to check-in with each other, model appropriate eating behaviors, and provides a forum to resolve conflict both within and outside the family.


#9 Be a good role model

Your children will have enough pressure from the media and peers. Try not to express dissatisfaction with your body in front of your children. Seventy-seven percent of children first learn about dieting from a family member, usually a parent. Studies have shown that parents who displayed dissatisfaction with their body were more likely to have children with body image disturbances when they became adults. Families of eating disordered individuals also tend to be overly concerned with physical attractiveness and social appearance. Discuss with your children the ridiculous nature of the media’s portrayal of body image and encourage them not to buy into it


LOVE MY BODY!