Nutrition and Body
Image:
The Truth vs The Media
Tammy Beasley, RD, CSSD, CEDRD
Rev It Up Fitness, LLC
What do these have in
common?
Movies like The Matrix
and Inception
Magazines like Glamour
and Vogue
Startling Statistics
1 out of 4 girls in 4th5th grade afraid to be
fat, already dieting
Twice as likely to
develop eating
disorder if diet before
age 12
1 in 8 high school
girls, 1 in 5 college,
use vomiting to ‘diet’
1 out of 3 adolescent
boys unhappy w/
body
Men’s dissatisfaction
w/ appearance has
tripled in past 30 yrs
10-22% of people w/
diagnosed ED will die
as direct result
More Startling Statistics
Fiji Study: Prior to ‘95,
‘going thin’ was sign
of social problem, big
was beautiful
– TV entered scene ‘95
(Bev Hills 90210, etc)
– Eating disorders
doubled to 30% in 3yrs
– 74% said felt too fat
– 62% dieting
Fashion models are
thinner than 98% of
all American women
Barbie stats: 6’, 101#
and size 4
GI Joe stats: 12.2”
biceps in 1964 to
26.8” biceps in 1998
That’s Not ALL!
100% of all magazine photos and videos
are AIRBRUSHED to perfection – 100%!!!
Americans spend $40+ billion on dieting
and beauty-related products every year
WHO is manipulating WHO?????
Do you struggle with
disordered eating?
Do you avoid eating
around people?
Do you constantly
count calories, fat
grams?
Are you afraid of
gaining weight?
Do you weigh often
and obsess over #?
Do you ever feel out
of control when eating
Is weight loss, dieting
or controlling food a
major concern?
Do you feel shame,
disgust or guilt after
eating?
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It’s a new year, so let’s throw
out the old and bring in the
NEW…
a NEW way of thinking about
why you do what you do for
your body and health
A new way of thinking
leads to a new
way of doing!
Same health goals but new ways
to reach them…
and renewed confidence in you
and your body again.
The Starting Place for Change
Believe that you, and your body, are CAPABLE
of change
Believe that change occurs one small step at a
time, and one person at a time
Believe that your body image is NOT limited to
changes in weight or appearance only
Believe that a number on a scale or a reflection
in a mirror CANNOT determine WHO you are
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What is a POSTIVE body image?
What it does NOT
mean
– You love everything
about yourself
– You have no need to
make any changes
– You have to wait to
enjoy certain things in
life until you look
better
What it DOES mean
– You can appreciate
the positive things that
your body can do
– You can enjoy life for
the moment even if
you haven’t reached
all of your health goals
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“To be nobody – but oneself – in
a world which is doing its best,
night and day, to make you
everybody else means to fight
the hardest battle which any
human being can fight, and
never stop fighting.”
e.e. cummings
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Throw out the dieting, throw
out the “good/bad” food list,
and begin simple small
changes that make a lifetime
difference!
Let’s Look at WHAT We Put
in Our Bodies First…
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Where do you START?
The first KEY is meal
timing!
– Breakfast turns the
key to your
metabolism ‘ignition’
– eat within 1 hour of
getting up
– Don’t go longer than
four hours before
eating again, either
meal or snack if not
mealtime
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How to Fuel Your Tank
Build a meal from 3
to 4 fuel groups
Build a snack from 1
to 2 fuel groups
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Pick from the
Five Fuel Groups
Whole grains (the more fiber, the better)
Fruits (the fresher, the better)
Vegetables (the brighter, the better)
Lean Meats, Nuts and Seeds (the more
variety, the better)
Low-fat Dairy (the more calcium, the
stronger the bones)
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Rev It Up Fuel Tips:
Choose more “brown” (high fiber)
carbohydrates than “white”
For every brown carbohydrate you
choose, try to eat an equal amount of
“color”
Better yet, eat COLOR at every meal and
snack
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Rev It Up Fuel Tips:
Check out your palm size, and use that as
a guide for the amount of protein you eat
at each meal
Always plan an afternoon snack to boost
your metabolism, making sure you include
protein fuel with carbohydrate energy.
Drink water to “open” and “close” the door
to your meals and snacks, every day
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What About those other Fuel Favorites:
Fried Foods…?
Use as compliments, not building blocks!
Follow the “more often than not” rule, choose to
eat lower fat choices more often than not (fried
or creamy no more than 3x week is good
guideline to follow)
Play Ping Pong with your added fats, like salad
dressings, mayonnaise and butter: about 3 to 4
ping pong balls in play per day!
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What About those other Fuel Favorites:
…and Sweets?
If you want something sweet, share it with
friends or family, and eat it within 30
minutes of your meal to take advantage of
hunger and fullness cues. And actually,
the first and last bites are the best!
Remember, it is what you do MORE OFTEN
THAN NOT that matters!
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Now..
Let’s Look at What We Put in
Our MINDS Next!
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A New Way of Thinking
Think about someone you admire, respect
– Describe characteristics you look up to
– How many had to do with physical looks?
Stop the “fat talk”! Change the subject if
you or your friends talk only about body,
weight, dieting, food, exercise, etc.
Be a smart consumer of body images in
the media – perfection is NOT REAL!
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A New Way of Thinking
Make a list of positive statements that
emphasize the way you want to THINK
about yourself.
Don’t allow yourself to criticize your own
shape or size. If you catch yourself being
critical, follow with a positive statement.
“Your body is where you will live the rest of
your life, so isn’t it time you made it your
home?”
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“Be the most you can be, so
that life will be more because
you were.”
Susan Glaspell
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