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There are several body image myths that seem to be relentless. So let’s set the record straight. Here are three body image myths – debunked!
1. A positive body image means feeling rosy about your body all the time.
I used to think that I was a no-good body image blogger if my body image wasn’t at its positivity peak every day. I felt terrible that I still had bouts of self-doubt and insecurity. I felt like a fake, who was doling out body-positive platitudes while I grumbled about my own body.
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I decided to love myself and my body. It is the only one I have and it has taken me all over….into the army…given me 2 beautiful children, etc….life is too short to worry about that stuff.
I say do what you can to make a change if that is what you want….and then…just
live.
(In other words, stop reading women’s magazines that tell you how to lose 20 pounds in 5 days, how to put on makeup—we should have figured that out by now, and why and HOW you should look/change, fix yourself….) to meet someone you have never met (media) standards?!
Even the most stunning (that is subjective, also) women on the planet, models, stars, blah, blah…..have issues with their bodies….I heard that Kim Kardashian (not sure who she is; never watched her).
She is trying to fit into a size 2 for her wedding.
I would like to tell her how she can do that.
Go live in a 3rd world country where people are dying for lack of food and never heard of sizes for clothes.
@ Alicia, wow, your body sounds amazing! 
Army and kids! Life is definitely too short and it’s empowering to know that we can take certain steps to improve our body image. Thanks for your comment!
Theresa
8:14 pm on
July 8th, 2011THANK YOU so much for this post. It is exactly what I needed to hear and has provided some badly needed motivation to get moving on my own issues AND get to work on the health-at-every-size fitness website that’s been percolating in my brain for a couple years now. Seems obvious but it’s important to be reminded that I don’t have to wait for one “problem” to be “solved” before I start working on the rest of my life!
My God! This is exactly what I needed to hear in all ways. It’s like you plucked from my mind little thoughts and moments that I’ve experienced and explained to me how to deal with these thoughts and feelings and truly care for myself . I’m printing it out because I need the reminder of why I’m taking this “road less traveled” while most of the world (magazines , tv, diet industry, the general public it seems) continues to focus on the diet mentality. I’m still working to break this diet mentality, accept my body, learn how to be more balanced in all things of my life versus obsessed on calories in and out and a number on a scale. Your site is really helping . thank you
I love this post. I feel the first two stems from this pressure to feel like we have to seem perfect. The last one is particularly impervious, and one I work to help bust. It’s part of the reason I wrote a post “the time to love your body is now,” dispelling this myth that we always have to be “just a little” dissatisfied with our bodies because it’s “natural.” I don’t see kittens or dogs hating their own bodies, & they are just as much a part of this world as we are… they just don’t have kitty diet industries. /ramble
Great post! I myth I notice a lot is that a positive body image means that we’re completely satisfied with the state of our body ,that we’re ok with the way we look even if we’re extremely overweight or underweight or have no muscle. It’s ok to want to change your body, but I think the difference is that when one has positive body image, that desire comes from a place of love instead of hate. Instead of looking at your body and saying “I hate my body. I want to lose weight/gain weight/start lifting weights”, someone with good body image says “I love my body and I want to be healthy and feel good. I want to lose weight/gain weight/start lifting weights.” It’s all about the attitude and the self-talk that goes with it.
This is such a great post! I’m so glad you are dispelling the myth that somehow having a positive body image means you’re good with everything about your body and you never have issues with food/weight/body image. It’s great to see that you don’t have to do anything perfectly…even have a positive body image! You just do the best that you can and be okay with that…thanks for writing this!
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