How are we to get a break from advertising?
Body Image. Sexuality. Self-esteem. Advertising and the destruction of femininity. And... romantic relationships with food? That's very strange, but it's out there, and it is working very hard to get into our minds to influence our decisions and views of ourselves. The majority of advertising messages are sent through unconscious thinking-- so you may think it does not have an effect on you, but it really does.
The "ideal" body proposed by current media is a disillusioned ideal. Many men will agree with me and say that a woman with curves is more attractive than a woman who looks like she is starving herself. As I watched a video in a social psych class-- I was shocked at how influential the media has become. The video is called, "Killing Us Softly 4" (and it is the most recent edition). I've seen an earlier speech, and I was surprised at how much worse the advertising has become since then.
(Watch with caution-- some images may be disturbing, and some sexual images are displayed to show the themes of current ads. You may choose to just listen to it and still get the big message.)
REAL people are beautiful- and many images we see are not real people. Those images are more like objects than anything. Real people have feelings, and curves, and smiles, and wrinkles, scars, and imperfections.
People. Please. Just try to eat more healthily. Live better. Exercise sometimes. Love more. Take care of your mind, body, and your soul. Do yoga. Forgive more. Meditate and relax. Give real compliments. Enjoy some ice cream once in a while. Hug someone. Eat fruit for dessert. Go dancing. Listen to one of the MormonMessages. Hike a mountain (and take a break from technology). Read a good book.
Body types come in all sizes and they are genetically made that way. Do your best to eat healthy and live an active life- and all will be well. Make a healthy relationship with food. I can share from experience that when I eat well, and am active, I feel well. I feel strong when I eat well. There is a lot of science that goes into MyPlate. If you don't believe me, try it for yourself. Try harder to follow the tips on choosemyplate.gov and then see how you feel. If you feel you need extra help, talk to a dietitian or another health professional for ideas on how to be a healthier you. I'm sure they will be completely willing to help! If you wish, please share you experiences in a comment below.
---thought of the day---
It is SO NICE TO HEAR things like this in a crazy world that's screaming the opposite. Just driving from Provo to Salt Lake makes me want to cry because of all the plastic surgery billboards. It's almost socially unacceptable to be okay with how you look or to eat a plate full of food. As someone who's had a few scary brushes with eating disorder junk, I second every word of this post. Doing good feels good. Once I let go of an "ideal weight" and decided to set realistic fitness-related goals instead, my life changed completely. And the awesome thing about my current goal—running my first half marathon next month—is that it's forced me to eat the right foods in the right amounts because it's impossible to run your best when you aren't filling up on the right fuel. :)
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