Daily Weight Loss Tips

Body image is a person’s perception of how he or she looks. Common terms associated with “body image” are “positive” and “negative”. People with positive body image accept their body the way it is and like their looks for what they are. People with negative body image are always unhappy about their appearance, no matter what they look like.

In addition to being positive or negative, the body image can also be “realistic” or “skewed”.

Realistic body image means knowing your body, the good points and the imperfections – and being real about it. People with realistic body image see themselves similar to what other people see them.

Skewed body image means looking at your body and seeing something different from what other people see when they look at you.

There are overweight people who keep buying and wearing clothes that are 3 sizes smaller – they just don’t see themselves as fat. There is also another type of overweight people – the ones who buy huge baggy clothes meant for someone twice as large. And there are even more people who are really skinny, but see a fat person when they look in the mirror.

These people are not faking it. Their perception of reality is truly distorted.

I never understood it until I got pregnant with my daughter and for some reason did not realize how big my belly had gotten. I looked in the mirror and did not understand how other people could tell I was pregnant! Even when I was just a few days away from giving birth, I felt like my belly was just “a little bit big”, when in reality it was humongous.

When changes in our body are gradual, we get used to them and not notice them. In my case, this belly grew over 9 months, little by little, and I just kind of got used to it. I’m sure if it grew overnight – if I woke up one morning with a 9-month-pregnant belly that came out of nowhere – I would not think it was small!

People who gain weight over the years often don’t realize how big they’ve really gotten until they look at some recent photo. Photos are a reflection of how other people see you. They are taken from an angle that is different from how you are used to seeing yourself in the mirror. That’s why certain photos can be quite a shock.

Look at your photos carefully and ask yourself: do you really see your body for what it is? Is your body image skewed or realistic?

The first step to a positive body image is being real about your appearance. Then you have two choices:

1) Accept yourself for what you really are and be happy with it
2) If you don’t like what you see, do something about it

For example, if your hair doesn’t look good, it is time for a new hairstyle. If your clothes look odd, get a more flattering wardrobe. If you look constantly tired, time for re-assess your lifestyle or take a vacation. If you look fat on your photos, start a weight loss program.

Sticking your head in the sand is never a good idea. Get real about your looks and make the best out of what you’ve got.

Here’s To Your Success And Good Looks,

Melanie Mendelson

How To Lose Weight Fast