Building a positive relationship with food and your body
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Parents and Carers – Body Image and Healthy Eating
Introduction to body image
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WELCOME
TO Body Image & Healthy Eating - Parents and Carers
Welcome! For any parents and carers looking to support young people who may be struggling with negative body image, pressure to look a certain way, and food or eating. Start your journey towards modelling body positivity by learning that your value as a person is more than appearance, weight, or calories. Learn how to develop young people’s self-esteem, question beauty standards and diet culture, and learn more about the body’s energy and nourishment needs.
Feeling comfortable in your body.
Understanding hunger.
Breaking free from diet culture.
You can download sessions once complete.
Brought to you by
East London
NHS Foundation
Trust
NELFT NHS Foundation Trust
- NELFT NHS Foundation Trust
https://www.nelft.nhs.uk/- East London
NHS Foundation
Trust
https://www.elft.nhs.uk/
Body image is not a 'vanity thing'
How we think of our bodies inside our minds
What is body image?
Changing your body does not necessarily
change your body image!
Body image is the way we think and feel about the way our body looks and functions, and the way we behave and treat our bodies. Its about how we evaluate our appearance, and how we relate to our bodies more broadly.
We can’t always see the extent of somebody’s body image struggles. It can be linked to so many aspects of oneself, as the body image iceberg shows!
01
Evaluate your appearance.
02
Think and feel about the way
your body looks and functions.
03
Behave, treat and
relate to your body.
What does negative body image mean to young people?
Thinking that how I look matters more than my health
Worrying that my friends are negatively judging my appearance
Feeling like my worth is based on how others see me
Feeling uncomfortable in my own skin
Feeling like there is something wrong with my body
Being constantly aware of what might be wrong with my appearance
Being very critical towards my body
What does positive body image mean to young people?
Being happy with how your
body actually is
Not letting your appearance rule your life
Recognising that who you are as a person is more important than how you look
Believing how healthy your body is to be more important than how it looks
Feeling comfortable with your body
Realising that the perfect body does not exist
Accepting your body for how it is
Positive body image vs Poor body image
- Their appearance does not define their value as a person.
- Accepting their body regardless of whether it meets societal beauty standards.
- Feeling connected to their body and being able to listen to it more.
- Feelings of gratitude towards their body.
- Does not mean being vain/showing off. Vain = happy if meeting ideals of beauty.
- Dissatisfied with appearance.
- Being obsessive and preoccupied with their appearance.
- Worrying about how they look and are perceived.
- Having low self-esteem.
Negative
Positive
Building a positive body image
isn’t about changing how you look.
It’s about changing how you think about how you look and your behaviours as a result.
You can encourage your child to make a choice to start thinking in a more accepting way towards their body.
Support them to adopt behaviours that foster positive body image.
Myths and misconceptions
There are many myths about body image; these can be triggering and maintain your young person's negative body image thoughts. Let's review some common misconceptions...
Body image is a 'vanity thing'
Having positive body image is showing off
Body image changes if your body does
Negative body image can be 'fixed' by 'being positive'
Instead, positive body image is accepting your body
Explore body positive literature
...and encourage your young person to do the same.
Pretty is a Lie – Nikita Gill
What if I told you the word pretty is a skin deep, 6 letter prison they put you in.
They say if you lost some weight you’d be so pretty.
If your skin was clearer, you’d be so pretty.
But what they really mean is, if only you looked like our mass produced ideal, you’d be so pretty.
Let me tell you a secret, they do not want you to know.
Nothing about you is pretty, nor will it ever be so. You see pretty is too small, and simply a word to capture the exquisitely complex human phenomenon that you are.
Every atom of you was plucked between the quiet between supernovas and stars. A carefully chosen palette of your skin, your eyes, your muscles and bones from sunsets and skies.
(Blackwells)
(Blackwells)
Clean the social media lens...
1. Remind your young person to see their body as an instrument, not an ornament.
2. Consider a media cleanse.
3. Encourage them to take responsibility for their own thoughts
and actions.
4. Join forces to see more and be more! Choose to reject objectifying posts, unhelpful accounts and toxic conversations.
Good accounts to follow
- @the.wellness.psychologist
- @danaemercer
- @antidietriotclub
- @bodyimage_therapist
- @laurathomasnutrition
- @bodiposipoet
- @pixienutrition
- @drcolleenreichmann
- @thebodylovesociety
- @beauty_redefined
- @nudenutritionrd
- @tallyrye
- @meganjaynecrabbe
- @foodandfearless
Reflections
Well Done!
- Completed
You have
My Notes
Supporting Videos
The Fight, Flight, Freeze Response
If you could change one thing about your body, what would it be?
Mindful Eating
