Accept Your Body and Learn to Have a Positive Self Image
By Chad Tackett, president of GHF
Because thin females and muscular males are seen as the
ideal in our society and because we have come to believe that body size
and shape are totally under a person's control, most people enter diet
and exercise programs with unrealistic goals and expectations. If you
continually strive to achieve a socially imposed ideal, you will never
be free of your insecurities or your self-consciousness. You must truly
realize and then learn to accept that we are not all meant to be fashion-model
size.
Our body size and structure reflects not only our eating
and exercise habits but also our genetics. The role this latter factor
plays in determining weight seems to vary greatly between individuals.
We are all born with a certain body type inherited from our parents.
Although hardly anyone is a pure body type, there are three different
applicable categories: ectomorphs, mesomorphs, and endomorphs.
Characteristically, ectomorphs have a light build with
slight muscular development. They are usually tall and thin with small
frames and narrow hips and shoulders.
Mesomorphs have a husky, muscular build. They often have
broad shoulders, and their weight is concentrated in the upper body,
making them look compact or stocky.
Endomorphs are characterized by a heavy, rounded build
with shoulders usually narrower than their hips. They have a round,
soft appearance and are more often overweight or obese.
When we understand and appreciate our bodies, we are able
to work with them, not against them. Although many of us are a combination
of two body types, we cannot become what we are not. However, everyone
can improve their appearance and their health and performance levels
by implementing the principles of a safe and effective eating and exercise
program.
Even if you have a genetic predisposition to being overweight,
the way you live is what ultimately determines whether you become fat.
Genes clearly play a role, but they certainly don't determine what you're
going to have for dinner or how often you exercise. Chances are if you're
living an unhealthy lifestyle, you'll become fat and unhealthy.
All of us can't be thin. But every single one of us can
be healthy. By focusing on what you're eating and how much you're exercising,
you'll be able to achieve optimum health and fitness, even though you
may not achieve society's ideal of thinness. Accepting yourself does
not mean that you're hopeless and that it's okay to do nothing. It means
that you feel good and care about yourself, and that you want to be
the very best you can be, regardless of your genetics, regardless of
society's standards.
To achieve this level of optimum wellness, you must have
a positive self image. This means that your feelings about your body
are not influenced by events in your daily life. For many people, life's
problems are projected onto their body. "If only I were thinner--or
more muscular, I would have made the team, gotten the job, been chosen.
. . . If only I were thinner--or more muscular, I could meet more people,
find the right guy/girl, be happy." This self-defeating habit is
reinforced by the images we see in advertising; your body becomes an
easy target for everything wrong in your life.
When you have a positive self-image, you value and respect
your body; you are also more likely to feel good about living a healthy
lifestyle.
No matter how much genetics predetermines how you
store and lose fat, the body you've been given will still respond positively
to being appreciated and treated well. Focusing on fun physical activity
and eating healthy foods will help you feel good whatever your size.
Developing a healthy, positive image of yourself is the first critical
factor in your fitness success. Having a strong sense of self-worth
provides the basis for making rational and affirming decisions about
your health. Good luck, stay positive, and enjoy all the wonderful benefits
of a healthy, active lifestyle!
This article was provided by Chad
Tackett, president of GHF.
Click
here to visit their site for customized exercise and nutrition programs,
hundreds of exercise instructions and video demo's, a free fitness analysis,
and much more. Members now receive FREE fitness tracking software and
unlimited fitness consulting from 34 fitness, medical, and nutrition
experts!
