Body Image and Weight

All too often, our body image depends on our satisfaction or dissatisfaction with our weight. Weight loss and dieting are big businesses in the United States. It has been estimated that Americans spend 33 billion each year on weight loss products including powders, pills, and supplements. Tens of millions of people use these products without long-term success.

Standard Advice

Those who have tried a variety of products without success are often told that the real answer to their troubles is a combination of diet and exercise. As logical as that may sound, this advice is based on pure logic and does not factor in the many emotions that affect our eating habits and food choices.

A second way in which so many of us get misguided (even by well-meaning physicians and therapists) is by being told to work toward our recommended body mass index (BMI). However, BMI does not take many critical factors into account: muscle mass, bone density, overall body composition, and racial and sex differences. Many medical experts agree that BMI is a highly flawed measure of healthy weight for most people. In fact, focusing on BMI, weight, and numbers can actually intensify any underlying emotional issues, according to specialists in eating disorders.

Complex Causes

Weight and body image issues are complex due to both individual differences in biology and emotional drivers of eating behavior. Sometimes there are deeper issues resulting in eating disorders. Eating disorders specialist Alli Spotts-De Lazzer states that “No-one knows for sure why one person develops an eating disorder and another does not.” It’s not as simple as parental influence, so the parents who insisted that you clean your plate are not completely to blame. It’s also not as simple as having bad habits or a lack of knowledge of nutrition. Biology plays a profound role in our body shapes and sizes. Personal life experiences also undoubtedly play a role.

A Different MIndset

Perhaps it’s time to reconsider what the actual priority is. Experts suggest that the priority might be shifted away from “being a certain weight” and toward “emotional and physical well-being.” Along with this shift in focus away from numbers on a scale, the mindset about lifestyle choices changes. It becomes about doing what brings emotional and physical well-being to the individual. Of course, that’s not always the most enjoyable action in the moment, but it’s the action that you know will bring you a greater sense of well-being tomorrow, and the day after, and sometimes immediately.

Tips for a Change in Focus Toward Well-Being

If you are interested in trying a change of mindset about your weight, it’s critical to find the strategies that work for you as an individual. Following are some of the methods that have worked for others.

1. Reach out for support. Family and friends do notice that you’re struggling to make changes and they do care. It's possible that they just don’t know how to help or be supportive. You might let them know what you need from them.
2. Use mindfulness practices to connect with your own internal guides for hunger, fullness, need for rest, need for emotional support, etc.
3. Get qualified professional help. There are plenty of misguided health professionals who are not knowledgeable about eating disorders and body image. You may need to seek out a certified eating disorders specialist or a therapist who follows the principles of Health at Every Size (HAES).
4. Read MeaningFull: 23 Life-Changing Stories of Conquering Dieting, Weight, and Body Image Issues by Alli Spotts-De Lazzer. It’s an inspiring and heartwarming guide to thinking in new ways about your body image struggles, with many examples of what has worked for others.
5. Find your own formula for what works for you. Maybe it’s a combination of activities you enjoy, mindfulness practices, and/or supportive relationships. Sometimes, gaining one new insight can make the difference in one's daily choices.

Well-being in terms of self-appreciation and fulfillment is a realistic goal for each of us. Focusing on weight does not typically bring about the results that improve your overall well-being. But prioritizing your overall well-being might bring you to a greater appreciation of yourself, whatever weight you carry.