Read this before you put on a swimming suit in front of your kids
What are you teaching your children about body image when you put on a swimming suit?
By Aimee Heckel
The budding flowers. The sunshine. The warmer weather. What’s not to love about spring?
Plenty. In fact, as the weather warms up and people start shedding layers of clothing, this time of year can provoke image angst for many people.
Three words: swimming suit shopping.
The idea of having to wear a swimming suit can lead many women to embark on the latest diet craze. But the truth is, there is no quick fix to body image issues, says Tabitha Farrar, a Colorado-based Eating Disorder Consultant who runs the website Anorexiaspeaks.com.
The warmer seasons should be full of family fun, not plagued with dread over fears of baring your arms in spaghetti straps or your thighs in a swimsuit, Farrar says. Your body image is learned behavior, she says, and most of us have learned that we’re never good enough.
You can change this — for yourself, and lead as a positive example for your family, Farrar says.
“You can buy that swimsuit and wear it with confidence,” she says. “One of the most attractive things about attractive people is their confident energy.”
Here are some ways to tap into that confidence and self-love, as swimming suit season approaches, according to Farrar:
1. Exercise. Moving your body boosts your self-esteem, so get out in the fresh air. You will find yourself refreshed, invigorated and more confident.
2. Eat healthy fat. Healthy fat contains essential elements to make you healthy and happy, Farrar says.
“Don’t be fooled by the low-fat, belly-busting recommendations,” she says. “You will only end up eating more quantity of food, as your body tries to get the nutrients that it needs.”
Instead, she recommends eating a moderate amount of healthy fats. This will help you feel fuller sooner, while providing your body with important nutrients — and less bloat.
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3. Enjoy yourself. The perfect body does not exist. Everyone is different.
“The thing that you regard as your flaw may actually be your most defining characteristic that makes you — you,” Farrar says. “What you will learn is that the judgement often comes from within, so rather than waste time and effort on the latest faddy diet, smile at yourself in the mirror and then go buy that swimming costume.”
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