{
    "id": 2328,
    "date": "2021-05-18T11:24:48",
    "date_gmt": "2021-05-18T05:54:48",
    "guid": {
        "rendered": "http:\/\/emindit.com\/?page_id=2328"
    },
    "modified": "2023-11-04T17:43:45",
    "modified_gmt": "2023-11-04T12:13:45",
    "slug": "body-image-concerns",
    "status": "publish",
    "type": "post",
    "link": "https:\/\/myemotionalfirstaid.org\/en\/body-image-concerns\/",
    "title": {
        "rendered": "Body image concerns"
    },
    "content": {
        "rendered": "<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"2328\" class=\"elementor elementor-2328\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8237dd9 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"8237dd9\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-989ef6c\" data-id=\"989ef6c\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e310ce4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e310ce4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.21.0 - 15-04-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Body image is just the way you think about your physical self. Healthy body image is when you feel relaxed about your body, whereas unhealthy body image is when you think about your body in a negative way. If you have\u00a0 unhealthy body image, that&#8217;s okay. There are ways to help; the first step is just to figure out what&#8217;s causing it in the first place.<\/span><\/p><h4><b>What do \u2018healthy\u2019 and \u2018unhealthy\u2019 body image mean?<\/b><\/h4><p><b>Healthy body image is about feeling comfortable in your own skin<\/b><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feeling happy most of the time with the way you look.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feeling good about yourself.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Valuing yourself by who you are, not by what you look like.<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><b style=\"font-style: inherit;\">Unhealthy or negative body image is believing your body isn\u2019t good enough<\/b><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thinking that you look too fat.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feeling like you\u2019re not pretty enough or muscular enough.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Believing that your looks determine your value as a person.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fixating on trying to change your body shape.<\/span><\/li><\/ul><h4><strong>What is body image?<\/strong><\/h4><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your body image is how and what you think and feel about your body. It includes the picture of your body that you have in your mind, which might or might not match your body\u2019s actual shape and size.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A positive or healthy body image is feeling happy and satisfied with your body, as well as being comfortable with and accepting the way you look.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A negative or unhealthy body image is feeling unhappy with the way you look. People who feel like this often want to change their body size or shape.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Body image can change through your lifetime.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A healthy body image is important. When you feel good about your body, you\u2019re more likely to have good self-esteem and mental health as well as a balanced attitude to eating and physical activity.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Teenage body image concerns: signs to watch out for\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s normal for you to\u00a0 be\u00a0 conscious of your body and want to lead a healthy lifestyle. But there are some signs if you\u00a0 are focusing too much on your body. You\u00a0 might seem to have <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">anxiety<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">stress<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> about how you look.This might show as:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">criticising your body \u2013 for example, you\u00a0 might think or say that you are ugly<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">continually comparing your body with others<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">not wanting to leave the house because of the way you look<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">not doing activities or trying new things because of the way you feels about your body<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">obsessing about losing weight, or about specific parts of his body, like face or legs<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">spending lots of time looking in the mirror or taking photos and looking for changes or imperfections<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">linking food with feelings of guilt, shame or blame.<\/span><\/p><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Effects of unhealthy teenage body image<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unhealthy teenage body image is directly related to low self-esteem, which can lead to negative moods and mood swings.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Young people who are feeling down are more likely to focus on the negative messages around them and make negative comparisons between their bodies and what they see as \u2018ideal\u2019 bodies. Low self-esteem and poor body image are risk factors for the development of risky weight loss strategies, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">eating disorders<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and mental health disorders like <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">depression<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Boys, girls, men and women can all be affected by body image issues, but in different ways. For example, teenage girls who don\u2019t like their bodies often want to lose weight and be thinner. Teenage boys want to lose weight, be taller or have more muscles.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Negative teenage body image: risk factors<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some children are more likely than others to feel unhappy about their bodies. Children might be more at risk of developing an unhealthy body image if they:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">feel pressure from family, peers or media to fit into a narrow idea of beauty<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">have a different body shape or weight from their peers or from \u2018ideal\u2019 shapes in the media<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">are perfectionists<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">look at themselves from the \u2018outside\u2019 and worry about how others see them<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">compare themselves to others<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">have low self-esteem or experience symptoms of depression<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">belong to a friendship, sport or dance group that emphasises a certain body type<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">have physical disabilities.<\/span><\/p><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Teenage children in general, teenage girls in particular and young people who are overweight are also more likely to feel negative about their bodies or have an unhealthy body image.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Teen girls report that <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">social media has the biggest impact<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on how they feel about their bodies, rather than looking in the mirror, their health, or how their clothes fit. Social expectations override their confidence and intuition. Their friends have less input than influencers that they follow who dictate what their body should look like and how they should treat it. Research suggests that time spent on social networking sites is associated with body image issues and disordered eating in teen girls. 88% of girls say <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">they compare themselves to images in the media and half claim that they feel negatively affected by this.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Origins of<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Low Self-Esteem<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Teen girls are the biggest users of social media platforms as a way to communicate with others and cultivate an online identity. Whether they directly see comments about their appearance, they form ideas about their ideal body and feel pressure to eat healthier. While a healthy diet is associated with better physical health, many teen girls take nutrition guidelines to the extreme, which assigns shame and guilt to certain foods that can be enjoyed in moderation. Studies show that girls who share more photos online and use photoshop to edit their pictures feel worse about their appearance and exhibit greater eating concerns, which can include restricting their intake, removing certain food groups, or overeating to cope with negative body image and low self esteem. The relationship between body image in teen girls and self esteem suggests that building confidence leads to reduced anxiety and depression, rather than changing what you eat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><h4><b>Why do I feel negative about my body, and what can I do about it?<\/b><\/h4><p><b>Question what you see in the media<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the media today, you might find an image of \u2018attractiveness\u2019 which doesn\u2019t sit right with you. It might not reflect how you or your friends actually look, it might put too much pressure on you to change your size or shape, or it might even be \u2018airbrushed\u2019 digitally, meaning that it is impossible to achieve anyway! Instead<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Look for similarities in body shape that you share with family members.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Focus on your positive qualities, skills and talents.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Appreciate all the physical things your body can do!<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><b>Create helpful media habits<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Subtle media messages about body \u2018perfection\u2019 have a sneaky way of working into your mind. Try to:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choose media that don\u2019t make you feel bad about yourself.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avoid accounts, channels, sites and shows that make you feel the need to change your appearance.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ignore media that suggest the \u2018ideal body\u2019 exists. It doesn\u2019t!<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><b>Find a style which makes you feel comfortable<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fashion can make you feel like you\u2019ve got to dress a certain way to be attractive. In reality, people find others more attractive when they are their authentic, unique selves. A few tips:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wear what makes you feel comfortable.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Decide for yourself what looks good on you.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re into women\u2019s fashion, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here are some Instagram accounts<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which you might find helpful.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alternatively, if menswear is more your thing, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here are a few accounts which might be up your alley<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><b>Find foods which work for you<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead of obsessing about calories, start noticing what makes you feel healthy and gives you energy:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Try to eat moderate-sized servings of healthy foods.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cut down on foods that make you feel tired or bloated.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avoid \u2018trendy\u2019 diets. They backfire in the end!<\/span><\/li><\/ul><h4><b>Remember that love is about acceptance too<\/b><\/h4><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Relationships can take up a huge amount of our lives and our thoughts. But it\u2019s important to know that there are more important priorities for your life, especially when they\u2019re a source of negativity and a drain on your wellbeing.<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remember that finding that meaningful relationship is something that takes time.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Physical attraction can play a pretty big role in romantic relationships, but if you\u2019re\u00a0 in a relationship and your partner is pressuring you to look a certain way, their priorities are all wrong.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether you\u2019re in a relationship or not, remember that your health and wellbeing comes first.<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><b>Friends and family can be helpful, but also hurtful<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Friends or family might say things about your body and how it looks. It can be really tricky to ignore people you hold dear. Remember:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019re not defined by the way you look.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0Having a healthy body is more important than your shape.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Try and give your time to the people in your life who inspire you to feel confident.<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e1a4251 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e1a4251\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Teenagers often face significant pressure to meet strict, unrealistic and harmful ideals around beauty and body build, weight, and shape. The quest for a &#8220;perfect&#8221; body or appearance can take a heavy toll on a teenager&#8217;s confidence and physical and mental health. Find out what you can do to help your child develop and maintain a healthy body image and self-esteem.<\/span><\/p><h4><b>Causes of a negative body image<\/b><\/h4><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Body image is how you think or feel about your appearance, your body and how you feel in your own skin. Maintaining a normal and healthy body image during adolescence, a period of major physical and emotional changes, can be difficult. Factors that might harm a teenager&#8217;s body image include:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Natural or expected weight gain and other changes caused by puberty<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Peer pressure to look a certain way<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social media and other media images that promote the ideal body as fit, thin or muscular and encourage users to aspire to unrealistic or unattainable body ideals<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having a parent who&#8217;s overly concerned about his or her own weight or his or her child&#8217;s weight or appearance<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Seeing material in which a teen is seen as a thing for others&#8217; sexual use, rather than an independent, thinking person (sexual objectification)<\/span><\/p><\/li><\/ul><h4><b>Consequences of a negative body image<\/b><\/h4><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Teenagers who have negative thoughts about their bodies are at increased risk of:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Low self-esteem<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Depression<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nutrition and growth issues<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eating disorders<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having a body mass index of 30 or higher (obesity)<\/span><\/p><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition, some teenagers might try to control their weight by smoking, taking nutritional supplements to &#8220;bulk up,&#8221; or change their appearance by buying beauty products or getting cosmetic surgery.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spending time worrying about their bodies and how they measure up can also take away from teenagers&#8217; ability to concentrate on other pursuits.<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check out what your child is reading, scrolling through or watching and discuss it. Encourage your child to question what he or she sees and hears.<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><b>Monitor social media use.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Teens use social media and services to share pictures and get feedback. Awareness of others&#8217; judgments can make teens feel self-conscious about their looks. Research also suggests that frequent social media use by teens might be linked with poor mental health and well-being. Set rules for your teen&#8217;s social media use and talk about what he or she is posting and viewing.<\/span><\/p><\/li><\/ul><h4><b>Boys and Body image<\/b><\/h4><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s a kind of myth that boys are not\u00a0 supposed to worry about how they look, but growing up and feeling your body change is a tough time for everyone. Some guys hit puberty early. Others are late bloomers, and might not fill out, or grow body hair until well after school.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Either way, body image and self-esteem issues are becoming increasingly common amongst guys. And with a culture that pushes constant comparisons, it\u2019s easy to feel you haven\u2019t got the \u2018right\u2019 body.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This can help if:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You worry about how you look<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019re concerned about delayed development<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You feel pressure to get bigger<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You compare yourself to other guys<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You want some tips to improve your body image<\/span><\/p><\/li><\/ul><h4><strong>The pressure<\/strong><\/h4><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Body image is a leading cause of stress for young men, so chances are most of your friends are also worried about how they look, where they\u2019re at physically or why they\u2019re not big enough. Here are some factors to consider if you\u2019re already stressing.<\/span><\/p><h4><b>Getting muscular\u2019 is a socially driven idea<\/b><\/h4><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You will\u00a0 notice that the \u2018ideal\u2019 body size depends on where you are. It may be different in a town and in a city.Being muscular\u2019 isn\u2019t necessarily the standard everywhere.<\/span><\/p><p><b>Different rates of growth<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No two people develop in the same way, especially when it comes to your physical features. Some of your friends might be hairless, while you\u2019re already rocking a beard or vice versa. In six months your best friend might be six foot, while you\u2019re still waiting to shoot up. We\u2019re all different, but if you\u2019re slow to start, while the rest are racing ahead, it can feel like a big deal. Remember that we all develop at our own pace.<\/span><\/p><p><b>Natural progress is the way to go<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exercising is a smart way to boost endorphins and feel better about yourself, but skip the protein supplements, especially while you\u2019re still going through puberty. These products can have long-term effects on your height, muscles and skin\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><b>Is negative body image a problem for you?<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eating well and staying fit are important parts of a healthy lifestyle, but feeling self-conscious about your body can quickly become a problem if it starts to take over your life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You might be experiencing body image problems if you:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feel that your body isn\u2019t good enough.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avoid certain things \u2013 swimming, getting your shirt off \u2013 because you\u2019re not keen on how you look.<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Obsess over certain physical characteristics (e.g. facial hair, muscles).<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Look in the mirror and criticise yourself.<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feel self-conscious about having your photo taken.<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Talk yourself down, or make a joke out of your appearance.<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Blame yourself when you forget to exercise or you eat junk food.<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use food or exercise for comfort.<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take supplements such as steroids and hormones to get bigger muscles.<\/span><\/p><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to improve your body image<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While you might not be able to improve negative feelings about your body overnight, improving your body image <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> possible.<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Find a healthy balance between worshipping and ignoring your body<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Adopt a healthy lifestyle. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/au.reachout.com\/mental-wellbeing\/exercise-and-eating-well\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eat well and stay fit<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, but don\u2019t let either behaviour rule your life. If you\u2019re playing a sport, or regularly hitting the gym, listen to your body and react accordingly. If fatigue is kicking in or you need a break, allow yourself time to rest and recover.<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Develop a personal identity that isn\u2019t based on your physical traits<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being a good person isn\u2019t just about rocking a six-pack, having the deepest voice or the biggest shoulders. Learn to appreciate your other strengths; a sense of humour, kindness and compassion. A man is the sum of many parts, but how you look will never be as important as the kind of person you are.<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Appreciate how awesome your body is<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/au.reachout.com\/articles\/the-how-and-why-of-practising-gratitude\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Be grateful<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for what your body can do, as opposed to what it looks like.<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Understand the basics of nutrition<\/span><\/p><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/au.reachout.com\/articles\/how-to-make-healthy-food-choices\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">informed choices about your food<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> intake (including supplements) by reading up on scientific and medical-based information. Consult your doctor \u00a0 before taking supplements.<\/span><\/p><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Getting help<\/span><\/p><h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re feeling inadequate about your body or about yourself in general, it may be worth talking to someone, such as a family member, friend, teacher or counsellors. <\/span><\/h4><h4><b>Remember that you\u2019re not alone: lots of boys struggle with their body image.<\/b><\/h4><p><b>If you still need help\u00a0<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re struggling to come to terms with your physical appearance and it\u2019s making you feel bad, have a chat with a counsellor who can help you to manage your feelings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>",
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        "rendered": "<p>Body image is just the way you think about your physical self. Healthy body image is when you feel relaxed about your body, whereas unhealthy body image is when you think about your body in a negative way. If you have\u00a0 unhealthy body image, that&#8217;s okay. There are ways to help; the first step is [&hellip;]<\/p>",
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