Embracing EveryBody
UNH students come in all different sizes, shapes and colors. Learning to love the body you were born with is an important step in taking care of yourself. Wellness educators/counselors and nutrition counselors are available for one-on-one counseling to help you to enhance your body image. Call (603) 862-3823 or visit Health Services, Room 249.
Body Image Is...
- How you see yourself when you look in the mirror or when you picture yourself in your mind.
- What you believe about your own appearance (including memories, assumptions, and generalizations).
- How you feel about your body, including your height, shape and weight.
- How you sense and control your body as you move. How you feel in your body not just about your body.
- How you perceive your body, often distorted and not based on reality.
What is Negative Body Image?
- A distorted perception of your shape– you perceive parts of your body not like they really are.
- A belief that only other people are attractive and that your body size or shape is a sign of personal failure.
- Feeling self-conscious about your body along with shame and anxiety,
- Feeling uncomfortable and awkward in your body.
- A reality for women who may view their bodies as ornamental and for men who struggle with seeing their bodies as physically capable.
People with negative body image have a greater likelihood of developing an eating disorder and are more likely to suffer from feelings of depression, isolation, low self-esteem, and obsessions with weight loss than people with a positive body image.
What is Positive Body Image?
Transforming Body Image
- Appreciate all that your body can do (walk, dance, run)
- Take care of you body, listen to it – eat when hungry
- Keep a top-10 list of things you like about yourself unrelated to your appearance
- Remind yourself that “true beauty” is not simply skin deep
- Look at yourself as a whole person (friend, musician, student, athlete)
- Surround yourself with people who are body positive
- Don’t “Fat Talk” about yourself or to your friends
- Wear clothes that are comfortable and fit your body
- Become a critical viewer of social and media messages
- Do something nice for yourself everyday (take a nap, catch up with a friend)
- Decide how you wish to spend your energy- pursuing the “perfect body image” or enjoying your life and the people in it. Refocus time and energy to do something to help others (volunteer to help those less fortunate)
- Write positive body affirmations
- Engage in mind/body activities (yoga, dancing)
Body Image Check-up Interactive Tools:
Ten Will Powers to Improving Your Body Image
These are some fun and creative and empowering ways to improve your body image. Learn more…
Tips to Enhance Body Satisfaction
Assess how your feel about your own body and then learn about ways to enhance how your feel about yourself. Learn more…
Twenty Ways to Love Your Body
This is a great handout that provides 20 creative ways to feel better about your body. Learn more…
Celebrate Health at Any Size!
Keep this in mind:
1. Good health is a state of physical, mental and social wellbeing.
2. Human beings come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
3. There is no ideal body size, shape, BMI (body mass index) or body composition.
4. Self-esteem and body images are strongly linked.
5. Each person is responsible for taking care of his/her own body.
6. Appearance stereotyping is wrong.
How can you enjoy living actively and well, no matter what your body size is? The trick is learning to love who you are at any size! Learn more…
A common myth is that women are the only ones that struggle with body image. The truth is that body image dissatisfaction affects men as well. Learn more about enhancing male body image...
Recognize that bodies come in all different shapes and sizes. There is no one "right" body size. Your body is not, and should not, be exactly like anyone else's. Try to see your body as a facet of your uniqueness and individuality.
Affirm Yourself!
Writing positive body affirmations is also a great way to feel better about who you are and bring about positive change in your life. Learn more…
Fight Fashism
Start fighting fashism today with these ten quick steps. Learn more…
My Declaration of Self-Esteem
A poem by Virginia Satir. Read…
Phenomenal Woman
A poem by Maya Angelou. Read…
Events at UNH
Fierce and Fabulous Women’s Group
This is a free and confidential group that is offered each semester (fall and spring). It’s goal is to provide an empowering, creative, supportive and inspiring group for college women to gather, learn more about themselves and make connections with other women. Body image is one of the many issues discussed in the group. Registration is available online. Learn More...
Love Everybody Day
UNH celebrates Love Everybody Day in October. This annual event promotes healthy body image and encourages individuals to stand up against the unrealistic body expectations the media portrays. Learn more about this event…
Mind Body Dialogues
Each year student direct and act in the Mind Body Dialogues, a monologue-based play that examines the relationships that people from a wide cross-section of backgrounds have with their bodies. Using the principles of self-exploration, revelation and outspokenness to grapple with issues of body-confidence, self-esteem, compulsive exercising, addiction, and disordered eating. The play is meant to uncover the ways in which we all think about, feel towards, and care for our physical selves. Stay tuned for another production!
Media/Videos on Body Image
Every day we are bombarded with images and messages of what we are “supposed” to look like. Usually these images and messages are very unrealistic. Becoming a critical media viewer is an important step to learning more about and enhancing your self-esteem.
Watch thought provoking films about what is real beauty.
An interactive blog about weight loss, beauty, fashion and pop culture.
Every day millions of women lose time, money, energy, creativity, self-esteem and emotional connectedness to their loved ones. Why? Check out this short but powerful video on “Fat Talk.” Get involved in stopping this harmful behavior. Forward this to your friends and family (men too!).
Additional Resources on Body Image
Individual Counseling
Health Services offers individual counseling for free to students who have paid the Health Fee. All appointments are confidential and with Wellness Educator/Counselors. Topics that can be discussed include, but are not limited to, body image and self-esteem. Make an appointment online (choose nutrition) or call (603) 862-3823.
Resource Library
The Resource Library at Health Services is available to all UNH students, faculty and staff. The library is packed with books, videos, DVDs, audios, brochures and other great materials for your research or personal use. The library is located on the second floor in Health Services. All materials are to be checked out in the Office of Health Education and Promotion, Room 249.
Online Resources
Health Services has compiled a list of reliable online resources for eating concerns. Or you can
download a list of some of our favorite sites!
Wellness
Spin the wellness wheel! Wellness is an active process through which people become aware of, and make choices towards, a more successful existence.
Self-Esteem
What is it and how do you get more?
Non-Diet Approach
The non-diet approach is focused on total health enhancement and well-being, rather than weight loss or achieving a specific ideal weight.
Nutrition
Learn more about nutrition, eating concerns, sport nutrition, mindful eating, exercising and cooking.
