Body Image | Health & Wellness

New York Fashion Week Gets Curvy

Crystal Renn 300x210 New York Fashion Week Gets Curvy Stick-thin sample size models won’t be the only ones gracing the runways at New York Fashion Week. Thanks to OneStopPlus.com, Mercedes Benz Fashion Week will host its first ever plus-size only runway show.

America’s Next Top Model alumni Toccara Jones will be one of the models as will Lizzie Miller who famously showed off her beautiful and very real body in Glamour.

Though the OneStopPlus.com show will be the first to feature all plus-sized models, other designers have welcomed fuller figures into their shows. Marc Jacobs, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Jean-Paul Gaultier and Chanel have all welcomed more realistically sized models into their shows.

It’s a thrilling change as most plus-sized models are actually healthy, average sizes. Gorgeous stunner, Crystal Renn, is a size 10. Whether you actually covet the high-end designs that are stomped down the runways or not, you have to admit that fashion has a big impact on our society. And repeated images of super-thin models can create an unrealistic weight goal for many girls and women.

Health doesn’t come in a size two. We should all strive for a physically active lifestyle and incorporate good, balanced nutrition into our lives. When we live healthfully, our bodies will be healthy in return.

Tyra Banks Speaks Out About Waspish Waist Controversy

Americas Next Top Model 2 300x242 Tyra Banks Speaks Out About Waspish Waist Controversy America’s Next Top Model has had a wide range of contestants — from petite (5’7″ and under) to plus-sized (which is pretty much average sized, of course) … even a transgendered contestant. If you’ve ever watched the show, you know that they make at least an effort to promote healthy body image (within the boundaries of the “thin is in” modeling industry). But ANTM made a body image boo boo in their recent promo that featured a girl with an impossibly thin waist.

The 20-second promo showed an ANTM judge spanning a 6’2″ girl’s waspish waist with his hands. Banks commented on the girl’s tiny waist and also said “There’s something about her that I like.” The promo created a bit of an uproar. So Banks wrote about the controversy on her blog and apologized … kind of.

“To the people who see me as a representation of upholding the fact that beauty comes in all sizes, I personally apologize. The jokes of my fellow judges connected with my edited sound bite sounded like I was supporting unhealthy eating habits,” wrote Banks. “This has never and will never be the case — I am and will always be committed to promoting healthy body image.” Banks explained that she did not see the promo before it aired and it has now been removed from the air.

I have a teenage boy. I’m constantly telling him that sincere apologies require that you admit responsibility. So while poor editing was clearly involved and Banks didn’t review it before airing, like it or not she is the face of the show. And since the show is wildly popular with young women, that’s a big responsibility. Body image is a fragile thing and it’s well known that media images can damage a girl’s sense of pride in herself. Real beauty is so much more than any one thing. Tall and thin may carry designer clothes well on the runway, but real beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. We all need to learn to embrace what is healthy and strong even if it doesn’t fit in a sample size.

Niecy Nash Loves Her Jiggly Parts

neicynash 300x261 Niecy Nash Loves Her Jiggly Parts Whether you know Niecy Nash from Reno 911, Clean House or Dancing With the Stars you know there’s one thing this woman doesn’t lack … confidence. While she’s far from the size 2 Hollywood would have you believe is an ideal, Nash carries herself with style and sexiness.

Fitzness.com recently interviewed Niecy Nash. Here are my favorite bits of Nash wisdom:

- Eating habits boost performance. Nash readily admits that she loves to eat. But when she was on Dancing With the Stars, her favorite cheeseburgers left her feeling weighted down. Nash switched to healthier fare such as salads, lean protein and water in order to boost her energy and be at the top of her dancing game for practices and performances. The same holds true for all of us — and we don’t need to be on Dancing With the Stars to see it. When you eat healthfully, your energy will spike and you’ll be ready to tackle your day. Heavy, greasy foods not only add unwanted calories and fat — they also leave you feeling sluggish.

- “When you’re the only naked woman in the room, you look good!” Nash has admirable body confidence. She said “you may not be exactly where you want to be physically, but you should love yourself today.” What great advice! We should all strive to be a healthy version of ourselves, but that doesn’t mean we have to disparage or be down on the way we look right now. Your body — even if it has love handles and cellulite — is an amazing thing that you should be proud of.

Weight Memories Show One Girl’s Struggle With Body Image

bodyimage Weight Memories Show One Girls Struggle With Body Image So often health magazines and websites focus on weight loss … as if thin somehow is the ultimate goal. That elusive blue ribbon that’s suddenly going to make our lives perfect and happy. But happiness doesn’t come in a pant size. Jezebel recently ran a powerful article that chronicles one girl’s journey with weight. The author tells her story in bite-sized memories:

From an overweight child — “I remember how my teachers would pass out school pictures to the class when they came back from the photographer. I knew I was about to get mine when they tightened their lips and dropped their eyes. Then they’d hand my pictures to me with the clear cellophane window face-down. They were that bad.”
To the overweight, self-conscious teen — “I remember for the rest of my high school career I walked through the halls with head down, fearing everyone’s reproach. Whenever I heard any snickering whatsoever, my heart went into spasms.”
To the college student who had dieted herself down to an unhealthy weight — “I remember trying on my first pair of size 1 jeans in front of the mirror. I still thought my arms were too big and my hips were too wide.”
To the woman who learned to embrace health over being skinny — “I remember when I realized I was beautiful, and even if I didn’t have a flawless body, I had a totally functional one. I liked that better.”

We all need to accept and love our bodies for what they are whether we’re wearing size 2 or size 22. We’re each beautiful and unique and have wonderful qualities to offer. Achieving an appropriate weight is important for health, but it can’t be viewed as the goal that’s going to give us confidence, security and happiness.

Hourglass In, Airbrushing Out

ralphlauren Hourglass In, Airbrushing Out Lynne Featherstone, the new British Equalities Minister is taking a stand against unrealistic images of women. Featherstone thinks we should aspire for hourglass figures instead of the rail-thin, heavily airbrushed images we’re often presented with in magazines. Featherstone points to Mad Men’s ridiculously sexy Christina Hendricks as a role model for the hourglass-figure-inclined.

Featherstone told the Daily Mail that images of overly thin women and airbrushed celebrities pose a “significant risk to the physical and mental health of young people.” She plans to encourage magazine editors not to use excessively skinny models and to label airbrushed images with a health warning.

What do you think? Personally, I don’t think we should emulate super-skinny models or Christina Hendricks. I think we should each aim for a healthy weight and frame that’s appropriate for our body type. But, for many women, it’s not that easy. Sometimes what we see in the mirror isn’t really the truth. We have a tendency to zero in on our self-perceived flaws and ignore all of our beautiful qualities. Developing a positive body image takes practice. Womenshealth.gov has some great tips for learning to love yourself… just as you are.

Boost Your Body Image

SCLY 2 Boost Your Body Image There are days when I feel all-around good about my body and in my clothes — and don’t even mind being in a bikini. Then there are the days – the dreaded days – where I look in the mirror and can’t stand what I see. Nothing I try on looks good and I make myself feel so horrible that I end up being in a bad mood for the rest of the day. It’s amazing what your body image can do to your mood.

When it comes to body image, it doesn’t matter what others see or what kind of compliments you receive from outsiders, the only eyes that truly matter are yours and that voice inside your head is the only one that counts. Therefore, it’s important to be able to boost your own body image so you can feel confident and look at yourself the way others see you.

Besides changing your attitude, start doing yoga. In a study published in the Psychology of Women Quarterly, researchers found that women who did yoga were more satisfied with their appearance than those who only did aerobic exercises or didn’t work out at all. Yoga helps to tone and lengthen the muscles so this isn’t surprising. The study also found that most of these women participated in other forms of exercise throughout the week and were body confident.

Since yoga connects the mind, body and spirit, you leave a class feel physically and mentally conditioned. Next time you’re feeling a little less than body confident, hit the mat. Feeling good about yourself pays off — and it shows on the outside!