Positive Image Independent of Media

    Controversy exists about the way Media portrays how women might appear in a perfect world, compared to the way women appear in reality. A woman's height versus her weight is one of this controversy's main elements.     The Media illustrates a trend toward being as thin as a person 'should' get, despite height. One wonders how the shocking, ultra-thin women, shown in Media, keep up their strength, since,

Some have even been known to faint on the set from lack of food. 1

    Reality, though, demonstrates that women are all sizes, within all heights.     Much of the online contention points to dieting as a consequence of perceived body image. Suggestions, such as,

Stop dieting; avoid participating in the diet culture. This does not preclude striving to eat healthy foods, but dieting solely to lose weight can be very unhealthy and, for many, is futile. Healthy eating and dieting are definitely not the same. 2

    ...do help to improve body image, yet are a reaction to the Media's underweight portrait; a focus that becomes a sort of 'brainwash'.     I'm not so concerned with controverial body image, only with what thoughts, or adaptations, that women have developed to defend against fantasy perceptions advanced by the Media.     Questions such as these,

How often is the woman's appearance a reason that you admire her? What do you think are the most important attributes a woman can have? What would you like a young woman to most admire in you? In herself? Does our culture seem to admire the same things in women that you do? 3

    ...reveal practical steps toward positive esteem for real life women.     Interestingly, when the Media subtly attempts to influence women's psychology with programmed images, they expose their agenda to brainwash the public, for (probably) monetary desires.     In contrast to this psychology, according to a study with two groups of female smokers, one group in an exercise program, and one group in body image group counseling:

After eight weeks, the body image counseling group showed a rate of smoking cessation that was more than double that of the exercise group (18 percent vs. 8 percent). In addition, the body image group lost more than three times the weight of their exercise counterparts (3.3 pounds vs. less than a pound). These findings were presented this week at the Society for Behavioral Medicine's annual meeting. 4

    Apparently, from the study's data, concentrating in a positive manner on appearance has surprising benefit, regarding not only image perception, but also image reality. That's a better outcome than the result of a focus on Media image fantasy.     Some great tips to start a personal image transformation are at http://www.healthybodyimage.com/
Here's an excerpt from that site's 'Utilize 11 ways to learn to love your body to transform your body image:'

3. Learn to Take a Compliment. Many of us dream of the perfect look. We want to be beautiful, to have others stop and notice us. Yet, when someone gives us a compliment such as, "You look great in that dress," we say something like, "This old thing!" The very thing we are looking for -- recognition -- we brush off. Practice saying "thank you" when someone gives you a compliment. Don't over analyze it, or judge the giver, or make light of it; instead let it soak in and allow yourself to feel really good. 5

    Share here accomplishments, attitudes, and techniques for a positive personal image, by commenting! References 1. Beauty and Body Image in the Media (Media Awareness Network)
http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/stereotyping/women_an d_girls/women_beauty.cfm 2. Love Your Body: More Ideas for Promoting Positive Body Image (NOW Foundation's Love Your Body Campaign)
http://loveyourbody.nowfoundation.org/moreideas.html 3. 10 things you can do (About-Face)
http://www.about-face.org/mc/empower/ 4. Positive Body Image More Effective Than Exercise In Helping Young Women Lose Weight, Quit Smoking (ScienceDaily (Apr. 25, 2009))
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090424122623.htm 5. Learning to Love Your Body: Utilize 11 ways to learn to love your body to transform your body image: (Healthy Body Image)
http://www.healthybodyimage.com/