“Because women feel pressured to follow the fat talk norm, they are more likely to engage in fat talk with other females,” Martz [co-author of the study] told LiveScience. “Hence, women normalize their own body dissatisfaction with one another. If there are women out there who feel neutrally or even positively about their bodies, I bet we never hear this from them for fear of social sanction and rejection,” she said.

And the fat talk cycle continues. Surely, these sound familiar: “I won’t wear that until I lose 5 pounds.” “My stomach is so flabby.” “Her legs look huge in those shorts.” “I can’t believe I just ate that entire piece of cake.” “If I have another bite, I’m going to have to be rolled out of here.”

That’s where Fat Talk Free Week, which kicked off this week, comes in. Organized by the Tri Delta sorority, this international campaign aims to raise awareness about the negative effects of the thin ideal and poor body image.

So, what’s the big deal about engaging in fat talk?

According to the website:

We all lose when 50% of our population is distracted from more meaningful and fulfilling pursuits that make life full and worth living. And when 50% of our population is raised to hate their bodies, we all lose because research shows that body dissatisfaction is associated with poor health behaviors.

Boosting Body Image

Here’s how you can improve your body image, according to the Eating Recovery Center in Denver.

• Educate yourself and others. Increased awareness of eating disorders and body image concerns can help people understand why body image discrepancies arise and how to battle them. The models in the magazines weren’t born that way; airbrushing and photo editing programs promote the unattainable.

• Teach children healthy body behaviors. Parents and authority figures are the biggest role models in a child’s developing body image. Offer children constructive verbal messages; this can help build their self-esteem and enhance a positive body image.
• Be aware of your thoughts. Replacing negative thinking patterns with more positive ones can help rectify a poor body image. Think about what your body allows you to do, rather than how it looks. This can help redirect your focus toward appreciation of your body.
• Eliminate self-destructive behaviors. Self-destructive behaviors, such as overly critical comments about weight, can cause individuals to focus solely on their body’s negative aspects. Take a look in the mirror. Affirm positives and practice relaxation activities such as yoga or meditation to fully connect with your body.

See here for top tips from Julie Holland, an eating disorder specialist and the Center’s chief marketing officer.

1. How does fat talk affect one’s self image?

   Fat talk brings a sense of negativity toward how individuals think about themselves and their body. It can also affect how individuals relate to others.

2. What are several things parents can do to improve their child’s body image?
   • Be accepting of all body types rather than labeling one as the “best.” Encourage children to think about people they admire and love who are different body sizes and shapes.
   • Be positive about what our bodies do for us rather than placing so much emphasis on how they look.
   • One of the most important things a parent can do is be a positive role model - be positive about your own shape and size. Do not talk negatively about your own body or constantly complain about needing to change your body to fit a perceived ideal.
   • Think about statements you make and make sure what you are saying is a positive influence. For example, girls who are tall are often told “you are so big!!!” when what individuals really mean are “wow, you are really tall for your age.” Follow it up with a positive statement like “I bet you love being tall!” Otherwise, it can be perceived as negative.
3. At what age should you start talking to your kids about body image?

   From birth on. I remember looking into my daughter’s eyes at a very young age - a few weeks, months - telling her how much I loved her and how much I wanted her in my life. All types of comments shape a child’s body image - not just messages about their bodies.

4. Can you give an example of how to turn a negative thinking pattern into a positive one?
   • Encourage individuals to focus on the wonderful things their bodies do for them. Think of your body as a powerful tool and make a list of all the wonderful things you can do with it. Again, think about those individuals you love and admire who are different shapes and sizes.
   • Encourage children to be inquisitive, critical thinkers and not just accept things at face value. Rather than preventing children looking at magazines, encourage them to look at magazines and ask questions - “Why do they touch up the models’ photos?” “Why do they use young models to wear adult women’s clothing?” “Do I really like the way this model looks or is that what I’m being told I’m supposed to like?”
   • Learn to question messages portrayed in the media - magazines, television.
   • Each time you catch yourself or someone else saying something negative about yours or their body, replace it with three positive comments.
   • Don’t limit what you can do in life by your body size. Let others see you doing things - moving your body - regardless of body size.
   • Exercise and body movement are great ways to counteract negative body talk.
   • Stop using the scale to determine your worth. Don’t emphasize certain numbers on a scale. Your weight doesn’t define who you are as a person.
   • Stop comparing yourself to others. Being unique is what makes our world a wonderful place!
   • Compliment yourself frequently. Make a game of it: e.g. Every time I see a red car today I will say something positive about myself.
5. The holidays are almost upon us, which means that talk of how to avoid gaining weight and New Year’s resolutions will be, too. How do you recommend we deal with all the advice?
   • Stay away from “good food, bad food” talk. Remember it’s all about moderation.
   • Encourage individuals to set resolutions that are non body-size-based. Instead, set goals that are “body movement” based. Make resolutions that are geared toward feeling good about your body now - not when you lose five pounds.
   • Surround yourself with people who have healthy relationships with their bodies, food and weight.
6. Anything I haven’t asked that you’d like our readers to know about having a healthy body image or fat talk free week?

   Everything we do or say can impact another individual. Oftentimes, we think we are only our own worst enemy. However, at any given moment we are saying or doing something that can influence how another individual thinks about him- or herself. Pass good body talk and feelings along. Each of us makes a difference.

How To Get Involved

First, consider signing the pledge to eliminate fat talk. The campaign’s website has more ideas for promoting a positive body image.

How will you spend your Fat Talk Free Week?

Happy Fat Free Talk Week and please help to spread the word!

According to Hamilton, who had worked for the designer since 2002, “they fired me because they said I was overweight and I couldn’t fit in their clothes anymore.”

After initially picking my jaw up off the floor, I wondered, “Should we really be flabbergasted?” Unfortunately, most of us are well aware of the fashion industry’s skewed standards. Just recently fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld had this to say after finding out that the German magazine, Brigitte was going to use “real women” instead of models:

No one wants to see curvy women. You’ve got fat mothers with their bags of chips sitting in front of the television and saying thin models are ugly. Fashion is about dreams and illusions.

Perhaps it was the idea of dreams and illusions that pushed Ralph Lauren to Photoshop Filippa Hamilton into an alien, stirring up a flurry of controversy. Here is the photo in question (originally posted on photoshopdisasters.blogspot.com). The severely altered ad prompted BoingBoing to comment: “Dude, her head’s bigger than her pelvis.”

In response to BoingBoing’s comment, Lauren threatened legal action against the website for copyright infringement (clearly, completely off base). Since then, Lauren has issued an apology for the ad, which, according to the brand, only appeared in one store in Japan:

For over 42 years we have built a brand based on quality and integrity. After further investigation, we have learned that we are responsible for the poor imaging and retouching that resulted in a very distorted image of a woman’s body. We have addressed the problem and going forward will take every precaution to ensure that the caliber of our artwork represents our brand appropriately.

Conveniently, Lauren didn’t take the same precautions with the company’s ad in another country. Here is a window display from Sydney, Australia.

In her blog post on the controversy, Leslie Goldman of Never Say Diet asserts that ads that are subtly Photoshopped are more dangerous than the ones which shout from the rooftops of their alteration. She writes:

So much attention is being paid to this uber-obvious example, when there are a gazillion other equally egregious (but simply not as apparent) airbrushed women floating through our daily media. It’s pictures like this and this, where the “after” picture has been radically altered but in very subtle ways. These are the images that catch people’s eyes without them knowing it. These are the pictures that worm their way into our subconscious and make us feel like something is missing – bigger boobs, fuller hair, fewer wrinkles. That Ralph Lauren pic was so out-of-whack, it was laughable. The other images that make us all feel like garbage are just sad.

I agree that understated images are the ones we should worry about, the ones that push perfection, but in a sneaky, almost natural-looking way. However, these seemingly absurd images can still be used happily by pro-anorexia sites for “thinspiration” (they don’t even have to whittle down the image). And girls and young teens may not be as aware of the extent of the ridiculous revisions and believe they’re seeing a “real” person. Interestingly, the alienesque images also don’t do brands any favors: They’re hideous, do little to lure buyers into getting their clothes, and may even dissuade them. And at least with Lauren’s statement, the company seems to concur.

On Hamilton’s dismissal? It’s natural to be cynical and view this incident as an anomaly attributed to the outrageous world of fashion. Or that being too thin is in a model’s job description and not fulfilling that requirement is grounds for firing. On Shine.com, one reader equated Hamilton’s firing to a pro athlete getting benched for not staying conditioned.

However, skewed standards or not, it seems like the fashion business is living in an alternate reality (perhaps that explains the alien-looking image). Sure, models are held to thinner standards — often so brutally thin that it’s jaw-droppingly shocking — but when a model who’s already underweight gets let go for being “overweight,” we have a serious problem.

Part of that problem is that, as Joanna Douglas writes on Shine, the industry does this all the time. As she notes, models are “fired or overlooked”; “we just rarely see or hear about it.” And in an industry based on looks, can we really get outraged if a company makes the decision to fire a model based on just that?

Ralph Lauren is part of Americana and as such, you’d think the brand would want its models to reflect that image. I can’t imagine how much thinner we have to go for Lauren, and many other designers, to be satisfied. We, the ones these brands are presumably targeting (unless they’d rather ignore the majority of their customer base), aren’t impressed, and oftentimes we’re actually horrified. Why advertisers don’t get this point is beyond me.

So do you think Hamilton’s firing was justified or are you worried that this is just another ominous sign that things have gone too far?

You can view more on the controversy on The Today Show segment here.

Instead, they wear their excess weight as a shield.

How-to Tips Can Miss the Mark

Most of the tips that you’ll find in magazines, websites and books focus on the how of losing weight: How to lose 20 pounds by changing your diet; how to build muscle without bulking up; how to squeeze in a workout when you’re busy; how to learn to love lunges. It’s assumed that people don’t have the tools, the knowledge, the willpower or the motivation to lose weight.

It isn’t that this advice is useless; it’s that this kind of advice misses the point of why. Weight loss, done the healthy way, leads to physical well-being, but it may not do much if there’s trauma brewing inside.

The Why

Why a shield? For individuals who’ve experienced a traumatic event, usually some kind of abuse, their weight helps them create a barrier to the outside.

For some, weight serves to minimize their looks and sexuality. In today’s society, thin is in, and if you don’t fit the mold, in theory, people will pay less attention to you and your body. Some women use their weight as protection against future abuse. According to the Survivors of Incest Anonymous:

If for instance we perceive obesity to be unattractive, and if we believe or were told that we were abused because we were attractive, we may overeat in a misguided yet totally understandable attempt to defend ourselves from further sexual assault.

Michael D. Myers, M.D., an obesity and eating disorder specialist, estimates that 40 percent of his significantly obese patients have experienced sexual abuse. On his website, he writes: “In a sense, obesity protects a person from their sexuality since, in Western culture, obesity is frowned upon.”

On sexual abuse and eating, Mary Anne Cohen, CSW, the director of The New York Center for Eating Disorders, writes:

What is the connection between sexual abuse and developing an eating disorder? The answer is guilt, shame, anesthesia, self-punishment, soothing, comfort, protection and rage.

Sexual abuse can have many different effects on the eating habits and body image of survivors. Sexual abuse violates the boundaries of the self so dramatically that inner sensations of hunger, fatigue, or sexuality become difficult to identify. People who have been sexually abused may turn to food to relieve a wide range of different states of tension that have nothing to do with hunger. It is their confusion and uncertainty about their inner perceptions that leads them to focus on the food.

Many survivors of sexual abuse often work to become very fat or very thin in an attempt to render themselves unattractive. In this way, they try to de-sexualize themselves. Other survivors obsessively diet, starve, or purge to make their bodies ‘perfect.’ A perfect body is their attempt to feel more powerful, invulnerable, and in control, so as not to re-experience the powerlessness they felt as children. Indeed, some large men and women, who are survivors of sexual abuse, are afraid to lose weight because it will render them feeling smaller and childlike. This, in turn, may bring back painful memories that are difficult to cope with.

A patient described how she gained 30 pounds at the age of 8. Her mother accused her of eating too many raviolis at the school cafeteria. She was scared to tell her mother that her uncle was sexually molesting her. Another patient had been abused by her alcoholic father starting at age 7. As a teenager, she binged and made herself throw up before going out with her boyfriend because she felt dirty, anxious, and guilty about her sexual feelings.

Emotional Eating

For some, weight is a consequence of emotional eating. Emotions may become too high-risk. They’ve been through so much already that they’d rather avoid any more hurt. They’d rather push down the depression, anxiety, anger, confusion or pain. They may use food to numb their feelings or soothe their discomfort. Perhaps it started out as a once-in-awhile comforting treat and mushroomed into a full-fledged habit: Heading for the fridge or pantry becomes an automatic reaction to upset and anxiety.

Some Research

Research has yet to show a causal relationship between childhood abuse and adult obesity, but studies have found a link. A 2007 prospective study published in the journal Pediatrics found that sexually abused girls were more likely to be obese than girls who weren’t abused. By 24 years old, the girls who were abused were twice as likely to be obese than girls who weren’t. The authors said, “These results provide some of the first prospective evidence that childhood sexual abuse may place female individuals at inordinately high risk for developing and maintaining obesity,” though one of the researchers noted that there’s no “one-to-one relationship” between the two.

Research has found a link between obesity and physical and sexual child abuse in middle-aged women. Even when taking other variables into account — including education, stress, age and physical inactivity — a large California study of 11,115 women ages 18 and older also found a connection between child abuse and obesity. In another study, as the number and severity of the abuse went up, so did the risk for obesity.

On his website, Arya M. Sharma, M.D., chair of the Cardiovascular Obesity Research and Management at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, writes:

To anyone running a bariatric clinic, stories of sexual abuse linked to obesity should come as no surprise. Previous reports have estimated that as many as 20-40% of patients seeking weight loss, particularly bariatric surgery, may have histories of sexual abuse.

He cites one meta-analysis to the contrary, which didn’t find a significant link between obesity and abuse. However, only two studies were used in the calculations. He writes:

So does the meta-analysis by Maras change my opinion - not in the least.
As someone regularly dealing with bariatric patients, I would need far more robust data to convince me that what I hear reported from my patients is purely anecdotal. I will continue to maintain that no obesity history is complete without explicitly exploring sexual, mental, and physical abuse and their relationship to ingestive behavior.

Childhood abuse may up the risk for eating disorders and disordered eating, too. A 2000 study showed that teens with a history of sexual or physical abuse had an increased risk of disordered eating, including vomiting and laxative use. Other research found that girls who were sexually abused were more likely to have eating disorders as teens.

Abuse may be common among individuals with binge eating disorder (BED). For instance, a 2001 study found that out of 145 individuals with BED, 83 percent reported some kind of abuse:

59 percent reported emotional abuse, 36 percent reported physical abuse, 30 percent reported sexual abuse, 69 percent reported emotional neglect, and 49 percent reported physical neglect. Emotional abuse was associated with depression, body dissatisfaction and low self-esteem.

How To Heal

Whether your weight is an intentional barrier, a consequence of emotional eating, or a bit of both, the following tips may help:

1. See a therapist. To find a therapist in your area, try Psych Central’s therapist finder. Tips on choosing a good therapist can be found here, here and here.
2. Seek out resources and support. The Joshua Children’s Foundation, which helps victims of sexual child abuse, offers a list of resources.
3. Work on curbing emotional eating. While working on the underlying cause of your weight — such as exploring why it’s protective and healing any trauma — is key to emotional health, reducing unhealthy behaviors can contribute to your overall health, too. This is something you can work on with your therapist. In the meantime, here are some sources to get you started: mindful emotional eating; 10 skills for mindful eating; avoiding emotional eating and dealing with it; and an inspiring story.
4. Make strides to overcome the abuse or traumatic event. Life coach Evelyn Lim includes a list of tips for overcoming an abusive relationship, which can be adjusted to any trauma. Examples include distancing yourself from the past, setting boundaries and expectations, and doing what helps you feel good.
5. Learn to express your emotions in a healthy way. About.com has good advice for individuals with PTSD on managing emotions, but it’s a useful list for anyone. It includes: identifying and monitoring your emotions, using writing as a tool, breathing and using relaxation techniques and seeking out social support.
6. For in-the-moment relief, try simple self-soothing strategies. This blog post lists 11 suggestions that the author uses to ease her emotions. Among them you’ll find: reading poetry, talking to a friend who helps “soothe you” and bundling up in comfy layers. Consider what helps you feel better and jot it down. Keep your list handy, so when you’re in the throes of an emotional eruption, you have several ready-made solutions that specifically work for you. These can be everything from writing in your journal to walking around the block to crying to calling a good friend to attending a support group. These may not be magical remedies, but exploring healthy ways to lift your spirits or make sense of the situation can do a world of good.

While reading Purge: Rehab Diaries (stay tuned for the review) by Nicole Johns, about the author’s experiences in an eating disorder center, I came across the following definition of normal eating. It was created by Ellyn Satter, an expert on eating and feeding. Satter writes:

“Normal eating is going to the table hungry and eating until you are satisfied. It is being able to choose food you like and eat it and truly get enough of it—not just stop eating because you think you should. Normal eating is being able to give some thought to your food selection so you get nutritious food, but not being so wary and restrictive that you miss out on enjoyable food. Normal eating is giving yourself permission to eat sometimes because you are happy, sad or bored, or just because it feels good. Normal eating is mostly three meals a day, or four or five, or it can be choosing to munch along the way. It is leaving some cookies on the plate because you know you can have some again tomorrow, or it is eating more now because they taste so wonderful. Normal eating is overeating at times, feeling stuffed and uncomfortable. And it can be undereating at times and wishing you had more. Normal eating is trusting your body to make up for your mistakes in eating. Normal eating takes up some of your time and attention, but keeps its place as only one important area of your life.

In short, normal eating is flexible. It varies in response to your hunger, your schedule, your proximity to food and your feelings.”*

I love this definition. Why can’t eating be flexible and fun? Some days, you eat a heaping pile of veggies for your side; other days, you reach for a big piece of cake for dessert. Normal eating isn’t judgmental, either: You’re not a monster for munching on Mac ‘n’ Cheese (gasp! the regular kind!).

Another description of normal eating I really like is by Karly Randolph Pitman, founder of First Ourselves. She has an excellent article on normal eating on Divine Caroline. Here are some highlights:

I eat foods that make me feel good. I like a steak every now and then. A pizza is a favorite treat. I love colorful salads. Risotto is my idea of heaven. These things make me feel good, so I eat them. Sugar makes me depressed and wacks me out. Fried eggs give me the willies. Too many fake foods—think lots of processing and packaging—make me feel icky. So I usually abstain.

I eat what I really want. What I want to eat today may be different tomorrow. What I want in the winter may be different than what I crave in the summer. How nice that I can choose; that I don’t have to eat the same four things from a “good foods” list over and over again. Right now I’m in a raw fruit and vegetable phase, stemming from the heat wave we’re currently experiencing. But as the weather cools I crave warm, cooked vegetables and hearty soups. A few weeks ago, when my baby was going through a growth spurt (I’m a nursing mother), I had a hankering for nuts and nut butter. I followed my craving, got a spoon, and dove into the almond butter, without any guilt, shame, remorse or thoughts of calories.

I enjoy my food. I love food. I always have. And I’ve come to glory in that, rather than feel ashamed by it. Who started the lie, anyway, that women shouldn’t have an appetite? I’ve always had a hearty appetite, especially when I’m exercising regularly and nursing, as I am now. I have no qualms about getting a second helping, rather than undereating to be socially acceptable.

What’s striking is that our society — particularly mainstream media — promotes habits that reject these healthy principles. Restricting your diet is encouraged and applauded; eating an entire piece of cake because you want to (and because it tastes great!) must arouse guilty feelings and indicates that your willpower is seriously wilting; being a scrupulous detective who trolls for nutritional labels and counts calories means you’re doing everything right and you’re a good person; and finding ways to manipulate yourself into eating less by using microscopic plates or renouncing variety because you’re too volatile to choose your own meals is the key to being thin, beautiful and happy.

Some examples from Fitness magazine:

Make a plan and stick to it. Consuming the same simple, locally grown or organic foods week to week will help prevent you from resorting to last-minute fast-food (and unhealthy) meals. Avoid using treats, such as ice cream or other sweets, as a reward for a hard day.

Nutrition researcher David Katz, MD, won’t overexcite his taste buds while trying to lose weight. ‘The more variety of foods and flavors you introduce, the more appetite is stimulated,’ Dr. Katz explains. ‘If your diet resembles an all-you-can-eat buffet, you’re going to eat a lot.’ Dr. Katz also says that restricting meal options will help eliminate temptation. Redundancy is the safest bet.

Downsize your dishes. Unless our plates are full, we tend to feel cheated, like we haven’t eaten enough. So use a dessert dish for your entree.

Shape suggests another sneaky strategy:

Can’t help but splurge? Use the three-bite rule: Allow yourself to have just three bites of whatever you’re craving on special occasions. You can’t possible blow your diet big-time on three bites of anything. Be sure to get in a workout too – either in the morning or before you head out for the evening. You’ll be less likely to want to stray away from your diet after having put all that effort into it.

Even experts tend to vilify certain types of foods and categorize them as “bad,” “sinful” or “problem foods” that must be avoided at all costs. Some may tell you to ignore your snacking signals altogether.

Psychologist Judith Beck, Ph.D, tells Fitness:

I accept the fact that I may feel hungry an hour and a half before dinner,” Beck explains. “But I don’t have to satisfy my appetite by eating at that moment. I make the decision to wait.” If the yen won’t quit, she can break out that bite-size candy bar. Her other tactics:

Negotiate with temptations. Cravings can be harder to resist than hunger, because they attack at will and tug at your tongue. “I remind myself that the feeling is temporary and it’s not nearly as uncomfortable as when I broke my arm or pulled a muscle,” says Beck. “If I can tolerate that pain, I can resist the snacking impulse.” Besides, at least one chocolate indulgence has already been planned for.

As Pitman notes, you’ll find many experts with contradictory theories and you’ll stumble over a slew of diet tips and tricks. My version of normal eating is similar to Satter and Pitman’s. I enjoy eating and try to eat healthfully, but I refuse to feel guilty after devouring my daily piece of dark chocolate (or another dessert) or after eating fettuccine alfredo from my favorite restaurant.

What’s your version of normal eating? Do you agree with Satter and Pitman’s definition?

*Copyright © 2009 by Ellyn Satter. Published at www.EllynSatter.com. For more eating competently (and for research backing up this advice), see Ellyn Satter’s Secrets of Feeding a Healthy Family: How to Eat, How to Raise Good Eaters, How to Cook, Kelcy Press, 2008. Also see www.EllynSatter.com/shopping to purchase books and to review other resources.

“Girls as young as 7 are now treated for anorexia, more than 40 percent of girls in first, second and third grade wish they were thinner, and the number of reported cases of anorexia and bulimia is rising, according to the Seattle-based National Association of Eating Disorders.”

Like Nyhan — who’s “worried because in a few years this toddler will stand at the edge of the nation’s body-image vortex, swirling with size 00 jeans, underfed celebrities glorified in gossip magazines, the latest “America’s Next Top Model” and an unrelenting marketing drumbeat that skinnier is better” — many dads aren’t sure how to approach their daughters. They’re typically more comfortable coaching their sons on their baseball game and catching up with their boys on the latest sports stats.

That might be because dads don’t see themselves as that important to their daughters, writes father-daughter relationship expert Linda Nielsen in College Student Journal. However, a good relationship between dads and daughters can have many benefits for daughters, Nielsen said: Research has found that daughters who have healthy relationships with their dads tend to be more self-reliant, self-confident and successful and less likely to develop eating disorders.

What You Can Do

Building a better body image is just as critical as building a healthy self-image. Here are ways to help your daughter build both:

1. Remember you’re a role model.

The experts in Nyhan’s article note that “both mom and dad set examples when they talk about their own bodies, eat and watch movies and television.” So be aware of the messages you convey to your daughter.

2. Call out bad messages and help your child analyze advertising.

We’re surrounded by self-objectifying ads and a pop culture that promotes sexy, skinny images, even to young girls. Just recently, Calvin Klein — a fashion design company swimming in controversy because of its highly sexualized images — unveiled a shocking image in New York City’s Soho neighborhood. Conveniently (for Calvin Klein), you can’t just turn off the TV to avoid the ad; kids and parents have to endure it every time they walk by.

Sexualized images in advertising and in the media can lead to shame and anxiety and are associated with low self-esteem, eating disorders and depression, according to a report from the American Psychological Association.

You can counteract these consequences by talking about negative advertising and teaching your daughter to think critically about what she sees. Some questions you can start with: What do you think about this ad? How does it make you feel? What do you think are the company’s motives? What is it trying to sell?

Jean Kilbourne, an international expert on advertising and co-author of So Sexy So Soon: The New Sexualized Childhood and What Parents Can Do to Protect Their Kids, offers an extensive list of resources here. In this excellent article, Diane E. Levin, the book’s other co-author, discusses practical tips, including talking to your daughter about revealing clothing and sexualized advertising.
Canada’s Media Awareness Network also has advice on talking to your kids about advertising in general.

3. Check out expert resources.

The Dad Man is an excellent website that offers dads tons of tips on raising their daughters. Joe Kelly, who founded and maintains The Dad Man, on his blog lists 16 tips for dads to help their daughters foster a healthy self-image. Kelly adapted his tips from Margo D. Maine’s book, Father Hunger: Fathers, Daughters and the Pursuit of Thinness. You can find tips 1-6 here and 7-16 here. Here’s a snippet of the valuable advice:

Know what you don’t know. Learn about your daughter’s life. Don’t believe that your experience and hers are similar; in fact, you are years and cultures apart. Respect the differences.

Encourage her to identify and discuss her emotions and opinions. Let her disagree with you without withdrawing your affection. Show respect for the differences between you.

Teach her to say no and set limits. This will prepare her for situations that might compromise or even endanger her.

Help your daughter develop values other than consumerism. Share some of yours and create opportunities to enjoy nature, reading, the arts, sports, music, cultivation of friendships, volunteerism, or other activities.

Maintain a diet-free home. Encourage enjoyment of food, moderate exercise, and a healthy, balanced lifestyle. Rules about food only backfire and contribute to eating and weight problems.

4. Engage your daughter in “life.” Jezebel blogger Jennifer suggests going beyond body image. She writes:

“When I was growing up, my dad never told me what I could and couldn’t do, but he did let me know that he thought that, in his opinion, YM magazine portrayed women as stupid. (Not to mention trashy.) My dad’s opinions meant something to me. I never read YM.

When I was growing up, my dad talked to me non-stop about his love of the music of Diana Ross, Laura Nyro, Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell, and Carole King. My dad’s opinions meant something to me. That was the music I listened (and still listen) to, and those were the women I thought were really cool. But most importantly, both of my parents didn’t sit down and drill me about my “body image” — they were too busy asking me my opinions on what was going on in the news, what I was learning in school and nurturing everything from my interest in politics to my love of musicals. And guess what? I was too interested in life to be interested in what I weighed.”

5. Spend quality time.

Pick an activity that you both enjoy that doesn’t involve mom. Let this be your special time. As a little girl, my close friend used to tag along with her father, a biologist, in the field, helping him find specimens and collect data. He’d also regularly read science books to her (before she even knew what “science” meant) and ask her thoughts on various subjects. To this day, she talks about how influential these father-daughter experiences were and how they’ve shaped her interests and goals — she completed her master’s degree in evolutionary biology and is now an instructor at a state university. Oh, and she still tags along with her dad to do field work. Check out Time for some great stories about dads and daughters.

Boys and Body Image

Don’t forget that boys struggle with body image, too. They might not be as vocal about it, but unrealistic, unhealthy standards for boys proliferate. Big biceps, toned bodies and six-pack abs are today’s ideal, and can have various negative consequences.

Common Sense Media, an independent, nonprofit organization that helps parents review and find positive media experiences for their kids, includes on their site some useful tips—and some startling statistics:

• Nearly a third of teen boys try to control their weight through unhealthy methods, like taking laxatives or smoking.
• In a 2005 study, 1 in 8 boys ages 12 to 18 reported using hormones or supplements to change their appearance, improve muscle mass, or gain more strength.
• 1 in 20 teen boys said they used products, including growth hormones or steroids, at least once a week.

Remember that you play an integral and influential role in helping your kids build a positive self-image. Hope you had a great Father’s Day!

In particular, in May’s issue of Women’s Health, editor-in-chief Michele Promaulayko aptly summarized our appearance woes, and, sadly but not at all surprisingly, amplified these worries in her Letter from the Editor entitled “Crunch Time”:

You’d think that as an editor I’d have deadlines mastered, but there is one that sneaks up on me every year: the countdown to bikini season. Right about now, the nerve-wracking Jeopardy! theme song is playing full-blast in my head.

I know I’m not alone in my pre-summer panic. Stressing about peeling off the winter layers—in public, no less!—is practically encoded in the female DNA. But here’s the miraculous part: Even if you’ve slacked off since the holidays, there’s still time to get into amazing shape. In fact, having a rapidly approaching cutoff date—whether it’s Memorial Day weekend or your girls-only getaway to Miami for the Fourth of July—can actually be a huge advantage, because it spurs you into action. And telling your friends that you’re embarking on a mission to melt the extra pounds you let creep on will help even more. Though it may spoil your “big reveal” come beach day, making a commitment out loud pushes you even harder to meet your goal.

And of course you have WH to give you a friendly kick in the butt, too. We came up with a plan to help you look great naked—or in a barely there swimsuit (page 130). It features the most effective ab exercise on the planet (that are shockingly easy to do!) and tips to tone up your jiggly bits, smooth your cellulite, and flawlessly fake a tan.

Once you’re ready to proudly strut down the beach sans sarong, go to page 52 to find a hot new suit. We’ve got tons of options, and best of all, we’ve broken them down by body type, so you can find the perfect one for your specific proportions.

So what are you waiting for? The race against the clock has officially begun. See you at the finish line.

The problems with this letter abound. Here’s a selection of five:

1. For starters, there’s absolutely no mention of health. Considering this is a women’s health magazine, this seems oddly out of character. The editor says nothing about how exercising will help your heart, stamina and energy in the warmer weather and how fretting about your bikini bod can foster negative body image and unhealthy behaviors. Yes, exercise is great for losing weight and toning your muscles, but why focus entirely on looks? Women’s magazines are notorious for their outrageous standards; however, if your magazine is called Women’s Health, is it that outrageous for us to expect the editor-in-chief to highlight health in her own letter?
2. Worrying about our bodies isn’t “practically encoded in the female DNA.” It’s partly thanks to so-called health magazines like these. Their articles often further the assumption that women should dwell in a constant state of body dissatisfaction. For example, in “The 5 Rules of Flat Abs,” (p.136), we’re practically scared —and shamed—straight into exercising:
   

   “Most of us don’t stress about a bit of belly fat hanging over our waistbands during the winter—after all, damage control is just a body-shaping undergarment away. But now you’re headed to a place where not even Spanx will save you: the beach.”

   Another article focuses on flexing “your willpower muscle” (p. 102), discussing how to “whip your willpower into shape,” so “that cheesy Sicilian slice or glazed doughnut will be no match for your mental strength.” It’s not much time before we become brainwashed into bashing our bodies and thinking we are not OK as we truly are (until we participate in grueling workouts). Instead of an exposé on resisting temptation, how about an article on equating self-worth with one’s waistline?

3. It’s a common misconception that if you work out hard enough—and watch what you eat enough—you can whittle yourself down to a size 2 or a flat stomach. In fact, the article on those shockingly easy, yet effective ab exercises (p.134) states that we’re at fault for our “flab:”
   

   “If you’ve been doing crunches religiously for years and still have belly flab, it’s not your genes that are to blame—it’s your approach.”

   First off, it’s very rare for women not to have some “flab” on our stomachs. This is natural. Secondly, this sets up the false belief that everyone can—and should attain—a “perfectly toned tummy.” For many of us, unless we take drastic, unhealthy measures, we’ll never have flat stomachs. That is encoded in our DNA. However, this doesn’t mean we can’t have a strong, healthy core, nonetheless.

   Dieting also rarely works. One longitudinal study found that although women who dieted lost weight faster, after two years, they gained most of the weight back, had a drop in self-esteem and lost the health improvements they’d made. However, the other participants—who were in the “Health At Every Size” condition, which doesn’t focus on weight and teaches women to enjoy eating a variety of foods, listen to hunger and full cues and participate in pleasurable physical activity—showed physical and psychological improvements at followup.

4. Having a goal is great. Having a short-term weight-loss goal can be unhealthy. It’s no secret that contestants on The Biggest Loser go to extremes before the final episode. By putting so much emphasis on the “big reveal” and “the race against the clock,” it puts more pressure on the external goal of looking slim and trim—not on having healthier habits in general.

   In an article on how to “Get a Strong and Sexy Beach Body—Now!” (p. 68), we’re told, “with so little time to get in shape, you need to hit everything—hard.” Instead of emphasizing a healthy lifestyle, this creates an end goal, after which you can stop your exercise and eating regimen, finally exhale and overeat. Interestingly, there’s no mention of how to maintain your weight loss. Perhaps that’s addressed in the June issue.

5. You’d think that the last thing a magazine would want to do is to promote panic, especially when it comes to weight loss. It’s tough to think health and moderation, whether it’s for eating or exercising, when you’re freaking out about losing weight. What do I do if I’m not “ready to proudly strut down the beach sans sarong”? Do I take drastic measures or just throw in the towel (or better yet, wear it the entire time I’m at the beach)?

Instead of fostering fear, Ms. Promaulayko, why not spread the message that panic is unnecessary and unhealthy? Tips for healthy eating and exercise are great. We love those, but don’t do it in a way that makes us feel bad about ourselves. Ultimately, this letter nurtures negative body image in the guise of health.

How could we not feel painstaking pressure to prepare for bikini season when we’re reminded about our “jiggly bits,” wilting willpower and the (risky) race we’re running for “barely there swimsuit” perfection? There’s already an excess of weight-loss misinformation and dangerous products. Women’s health magazines should be a rational, supportive, helpful voice, guiding women in the right direction toward health and body acceptance—not chastising our choice to enjoy cookies or playing the Jeopardy! song as we punish ourselves toward a false finish line.

Further Reading

Interview with eating disorder specialist Sari Fine Shepphird on body image and the media

Articles on gurze.com on giving yourself permission to eat anything and focusing on hunger, instead of controlling biology

Recently, two books have been published on how mothers can influence their daughters’ body image (see here) along with practical advice on helping daughters foster a healthy body image.

In You’d Be So Pretty If…, Dara Chadwick discusses how her mother’s weight struggles shaped her own image. Seemingly harmless statements have affected the author into adulthood. Barbara Kantrowitz and Pat Wingert paraphrase one of Chadwick’s experiences in Newsweek:

She [Chadwick] was trying on clothes to wear to an upcoming business meeting and had her 11-year-old daughter, Faith, along for a second opinion. As Faith watched (and tried unsuccessfully to encourage her), Chadwick rejected far too many skirts, blouses and pants. She blamed the 20 pounds or so she’d accumulated in the years since her last pregnancy.
Finally, she found a black pantsuit that looked good enough. Not great, in her opinion, but good enough. Faith urged her to buy it. But Chadwick couldn’t pull out her credit card, she writes in “You’d Be So Pretty If …” (DaCapo Press, 2009). There was a voice in her head, the voice of her own mother, and the memory of another dressing-room confrontation years earlier.

Chadwick, then in her 20s, had been trying to persuade her mother to buy an outfit for a wedding. Her mother was as unhappy as Chadwick would be years later with the image she saw in the mirror. When Chadwick told her mother she looked good, her mother replied simply, “If you think you are fat, you are.”

Self-criticism and constant dieting are habits that can get passed on to your daughter. In one study, mom’s negative feedback, disapproval of her daughter’s body and eating attitudes and behaviors — from her daughter’s perspective — influenced her daughter’s body image. Other research found a link between frequent dieting in moms and daughters. Also, moms who were concerned about their weight were more likely to have daughters who were concerned about their bodies. Another study found that 5-year-old girls whose moms dieted were twice as likely to know about dieting and other weight-loss methods than kids whose moms didn’t diet.

But it doesn’t have to be all bad news. These studies highlight that moms have a say in their daughter’s body image, which means they can play a pivotal role in helping their daughters build better, healthier images.

To honor Mother’s Day, we’ve come up with several simple ideas on how moms and daughters can weather the self-critical storms and celebrate this special day:

• Examine your body image. We know that how parents view their own bodies can affect how children think about their appearance. Your own body image also might make you more concerned about your child’s weight (see here).
• If you’re a parent, try asking yourself a series of questions to evaluate your own body image. Check out more suggestions on helping your child build a healthy body image here.
• Focus on inner qualities — the ones that truly matter. Amid the countless workout tips for your best bikini bod (ever!) and the array of dopey diet ads — since when is hunger an orange gremlin who looks like he’s about to eat you? — it’s tough to focus on the inside. When you or your mom starts to self-criticize, terminate the terrible talk and instead say what you respect about each other. For instance, I’d tell my mom how much I admire her for being an ER nurse for over 25 years and how much I appreciate her strength and sacrifice. It’s OK to get sentimental!
• Focus on your relationship. Moms and daughters have a complicated, beautiful relationship. Stop for a minute and think about what you’re thankful for in your relationship. I’m thankful that my mom is my best friend. She’s my shopping buddy, the person I call when I need help making a decision and someone who’s never criticized or scrutinized my appearance — unless it was to check if my clothes were fingertip-length.
• Watch “What Not to Wear” (or similarly positive shows). Though the fashion industry holds up ridiculous standards — which I try my best to ignore — I’m still a girly girl who loves clothes and can’t get enough of shopping. If you, too, have a love for fashion, try to block out the bad stuff and embrace shows that promote healthy messages and a range of beautiful bodies. For several years now, my mom and I have watched What Not to Wear every Friday. It’s a fantastic show that emphasizes looking your best whatever your body shape. Hosts Stacy London and Clinton Kelly advise women to dress their current size and to be confident. This is in stark contrast to other shows and women’s magazines, where we’re told to lose weight or tone up.
• Toss the tabloids and other magazines that promote unrealistic priorities. It’s bad — and traumatizing — enough having to walk through a fog of People, US Weekly and women’s glossies just to buy groceries. Actually picking up one of these can be disastrous. Truth be told, resisting the lure of losing five pounds in four weeks, finding clothing for your shape and investing in a $500 suit isn’t easy (except for the latter, which, for me, is quite effortless). These magazines and their messages cultivate a mindless mindset, where thin and rich reign supreme. The tips and tricks are often contradictory to good health advice — even in women’s health magazines.
• Take the time to talk. Talk about the things your mom has taught you throughout the years and ask what you’ve taught her. Talk about your history, about when you were born, your childhood experiences and your mom’s personal memories. Talk to your mom about the generation of women who’ve come before you. What impact have they had on her life, or yours? What were they like? You can find great information about interviewing mom and grandma about their lives and your history here.
• Consider the history of Mother’s Day. This day has a fascinating history. Long before we crafted homemade cards and made mom iffy-tasting breakfast, the day represented advocacy, peace and justice along with one woman’s unwavering dedication to honoring her mom. One organization is even campaigning to return the day to its original meaning.
• “Will” yourselves to a better body image. Eating disorder experts Michael Levine, Ph.D, and Linda Smolak, Ph.D, have created a valuable list of “Will-Powers” for improving your body image. Some examples: “I will practice taking people seriously for what they say, feel, and do. Not for how slender, or ‘well put together’ they appear” and “I will treat my body with respect and kindness. I will feed it, keep it active, and listen to its needs. I will remember that my body is the vehicle that will carry me to my dreams!” Download the entire list here and print two out, one for mom, and one for yourself.

And celebrate! Celebrate your mother and the other special women in your life. And celebrate your own wonderful qualities, some of which you probably have mom to thank for.

Happy Mother’s Day!

When the news media tries to tackle mental illness, it’s typically after a horrific tragedy has occurred. A writer for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Daily Cardinal explains:

“The script usually goes as follows: tragic event occurs, media pounces, the feeding frenzy begins, the public is inundated with endless graphic and heart-wrenching details, pundits and analysts play the blame game until the next media firestorm occurs.”

Stigma in mainstream media is nothing new, and has a long, insidious history (see here for examples). So when a TV show aims to address mental illness, you hold your breath and hope for the best — especially if it’s a drama like “90210,” whose primary audience is teens. For many of them, this is their first look at bipolar disorder.

The Portrayal

Erin Silver (played by Jessica Stroup), one of the main characters, displays a variety of classic bipolar symptoms, including erratic, reckless behavior, racing speech, grandiose ideas, hypersexuality, lack of sleep, euphoria and confusion (see here for an excerpt on YouTube). As often happens during manic phases, Silver ends up making destructive decisions, which end with her at the train station, rambling and bewildered, running toward a speeding train. (Ultimately, she’s OK.)

In the episode that aired the week of April 13, Silver was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and received treatment. She voiced her frustration at having to maintain a strict regimen that includes a regular schedule for meals and sleep, taking her medication, seeing her therapist, journaling and avoiding anything “stimulating” — including not reading a “stimulating” book. Her sister, Kelly (played by Jennie Garth), is supportive, but stifling, as she tries to create a highly regimented environment for Erin.

Overall, “90210″ does a decent job of portraying bipolar disorder. The show focuses on a severe case, known as bipolar disorder I. However, many viewers might miss the fact that there’s a spectrum with shades of severity. Some people experience mild manic episodes — known as “hypomania” — and deeper depressions. Others can cycle through depression and mania within a month, whereas some patients experience depression for a year. Simply put, everyone experiences bipolar disorder differently, so viewers shouldn’t assume that all individuals who have bipolar disorder act like Erin Silver.

It is commendable that “90210″ chose to portray mental illness in the first place, because, unfortunately, shows rarely do — and I’m not sure why that is. Its portrayal provides an opportunity to talk about mental illness and reach many teens. “90210″ also aired a public service announcement about bipolar disorder, prompting viewers to visit a website for more information.

Key Points

Though it’s uncertain if “90210″ will go beyond a narrow portrayal of bipolar disorder, the episodes do underscore several important points:

1. There is not just one treatment. Silver talks about taking medication and seeing her therapist, and medication and psychotherapy both are important components of bipolar disorder treatment. However, the episode doesn’t talk about her treatment any further. We also see Kelly going through a mood chart with Erin, though Erin seems less than thrilled about it.

   It’ll be interesting to see how much of a role her treatment will play in the show. Will “90210″ show a typical therapy session? Will the writers address effective treatments for bipolar disorder? It’s doubtful they’ll go into much detail, but it’s certainly something that’s needed.

2. Routine is important. Structure is key in successfully managing bipolar disorder. “90210″ hammers in this point, with Kelly’s insistence on Erin’s maintaining a rigorous routine. It’s true that any slight changes in one’s routine, such as skipping several hours of sleep, can trigger a manic episode. But loved ones might push too hard in trying to help. Managing bipolar disorder is far from simple, but leading a fulfilling, productive life is very possible. Hopefully, “90210″ will show this.
3. It’s not a matter of “fault.” When referring to bipolar disorder, many of the characters describe it as a disease, which is a step in the right direction. For instance, when talking about his biological mom — who has bipolar disorder — Dixon, Erin’s boyfriend, explains that it wasn’t his mom’s fault that she has bipolar and that she just needed help (see here). This touches on one of the biggest misconceptions of mental illness: that somehow a person has brought it on him- or herself.

   I wonder if “90210″ will take this further and explore the contributing causes of bipolar disorder, showing viewers the complex interplay of biological, psychological and genetic components — but it, too, seems doubtful.

4. Individuals can lead productive lives. Dixon’s mom seemed put-together and professional in last week’s episode. She talked about doing better, having a job and her own apartment. Though it’s a short scene, viewers do get to see that although it’s a chronic disorder, bipolar individuals can lead healthy lives with continuing treatment. This is a far cry from the prevalent disparaging stereotypes of the mentally ill.

“90210″ is in the business of garnering viewers and being provocative and “good TV.” But let’s hope it will spark honest dialogue about mental illness and do a responsible job in its portrayal.

Do you think “90210″ is providing an accurate, realistic portrayal of bipolar disorder? Were you satisfied or offended by the portrayal?

“ER” and Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar television characters have been rare. One of the most famous is Sally Field’s character in “ER”. Marcia Purse, About.com’s guide to bipolar disorder, has several good posts that point out the accuracies and inaccuracies in those episodes (see here, here, here, and here).

Bipolar Disorder Resources

Check out these resources for accurate information on bipolar disorder:

Psych Central’s excellent blog, Bipolar Beat

Bipolar Fact Sheet

Living with Bipolar Disorder

Guide to Bipolar Disorder

NAMI StigmaBusters

Once a month, a plethora of patrons gathers at the restaurant to hear clinical psychologist Julie Helmrich, Ph.D, answer anonymous questions on everything from hormonal swings and chronic lateness to competition and complainers. Helmrich, who has 29 years of experience, provides straightforward, short answers to the crowd, such as:

What is up with female hormonal swings? someone, presumably a man, had written on a card.

Hormones can be like gasoline on a fire, Helmrich calmly explained.

“I know you think they’re bad on the outside,” she said into her wireless microphone. “You should feel what it’s like on the inside.”

“This is going to sound like a joke, but I think it’s wise for you to monitor your wife’s periods,” she said. “You talk about stuff later.”

My husband has a fantasy of going to a bar in his pajamas and robe. What does this mean? Should I be concerned?

“This is not the kind of fantasy that I’d be worried about.”

Though her responses are infused with humor, Helmrich has an important goal with these “Shrink ‘n’ Drink” sessions, beyond comedy and cocktails:

“People really deserve high-quality, scientific psychology that they can use right away,” she said. “My profession should be doing this all over the place. We should be giving away what we know. What good does it do living in my head?”

Helmrich’s aim certainly is an important one. People typically have tons of misconceptions about therapy, likely shaped by the pervasive stigma surrounding mental illness or by the media’s sensational —and often inaccurate—portrayal. Also, therapy can get expensive, although insurance—if you’re fortunate enough to have it—does cover some or all of the cost. So Helmrich’s offer of free advice and a glimpse into mental health and psychology is key in dispelling myths and saving you a few bucks (though you might spend them on the beer).

On the other hand, some of Helmrich’s answers do seem watered down and simplistic, though we’re only judging by a select few and this might be a product of time constraint. Here are several other questions and answers:

I’m habitually and chronically late. What is wrong with me and how do I fix it?

“You can go down the psychiatry route,” Helmrich answered, noting some therapists connect tardiness with passive-aggressive behavior. “Or you can set the alarm.”

What should I say to my friend who wants to complain to me about a crummy sales job when there’s 8% unemployment in Wisconsin?

“Usually what complainers need is somebody to say ‘Aww.’

Though these sessions aren’t meant to replace therapy, the page that advertises the event on Cranky Al’s Web site seems more pop psychology than scientific psychology. It notes that you’ll enjoy a fun night of “raucous psychological chatter” and to “bring a friend and whatever is on your mind. Julie will have an answer…even if she has to make it up!”

Approaching any serious subject with a hint of humor is a great way to make it engaging and perhaps less intimidating. However, with such commonly misunderstood topics as psychology and psychotherapy, there’s a fine line between presenting information in a user-friendly fashion and diluting data.

These monthly gatherings do seem like a step in the right direction—and a clever idea—and underscore the importance of disseminating accurate information and, hopefully, good advice. Psychologists absolutely need to do a better job of demystifying the profession, because so many people are out there mystifying it!

Not many people know how psychotherapy actually works and which treatments are best. Part of the problem is that clinical psychologists in academic positions are pressured to publish their research in peer-reviewed journals if they expect tenure. That rarely leaves time to write for mainstream publications. Even though psychologists are continuously conducting valuable research, we rarely hear about it. So it’s not surprising then that misconceptions and fallacies thrive.

The Facts

Fortunately, there are many helpful resources on the Web that cut through psychology- and therapy-related myths. Here are the facts on mental health, mental illness and psychotherapy:

• Top 10 Myths about Mental Health
• Top 10 Myths about Mental Illness
• Psychotherapy
• Getting the Most Out of Psychotherapy

Patients, Not Patrons: Appropriate Settings for Therapy

We can’t mention therapy in a restaurant without talking about the proper setting for actual sessions, which you’ve probably guessed doesn’t include a cup of coffee or a pitcher of beer at the local diner. The majority of psychotherapy is conducted at a professional office, though some sessions can occur at school.

As Thomas G. Plante, Ph.D, points out, clinicians should have a “compelling reason” to go outside of the office. Treating anxiety disorders with exposure therapy is one such reason. Plante gives the example of a therapist helping a patient work through an airplane phobia. The therapist might conduct a session at the airport, which would be appropriate. In fact, it’s quite common for patients to create a list of anxiety-provoking things, beginning with the least anxiety-provoking event to the most. Together, therapist and patient confront each item on the hierarchy, starting with the least frightening one. A person with a snake phobia might start out looking at a picture of the animal and work his or her way up to seeing a snake in person at the zoo.

One of Psych Central’s experts, Marie Hartwell Walker, Ed.D, a licensed psychologist and marriage and family therapist, includes an excellent example of an anxiety hierarchy in “Helping Children Who Fear School”.

So what do you think? Is “Shrink ‘n’ Drink” a valuable vehicle for disseminating advice or another type of pop psychology?

Recently, though, an article in The Telegraph announced another potential trend, one that might have greater longevity: “recession curves.”

It appears that the state of the economy may shape the current physical ideal. And in today’s cool economic climate, a curvier ideal might help cushion the blow, explains the article’s writer, Celia Walden. Historically, in times of trouble, we tend to prefer more curvaceous, womanly shapes. In times of abundance, however, we favor thin physiques.

One designer quoted in Walden’s article calls this “contrarian chic”:

“In times of plenty there’s a contrarian chic to having an austere shape,” says design guru Stephen Bayley, author of the forthcoming Woman as Design. “Equally, in times of want, there is an opposing taste for a voluptuous one. What the female body illuminates is that ever-present conflict between acceptance of the real and pursuit of the ideal.”

Walden adds:

“Throughout the centuries, however, Bayley’s ‘contrarian chic’ has remained in evidence: women tended to be skinny during booms and fuller-figured in hard times, something Susie Orbach, author of Fat is a Feminist Issue and the new Bodies, predicts is starting to happen now.”

The need for fuller figures might be twofold: Curves bring comfort and our priorities naturally change. And, as they do, we’re less concerned about restricting our food intake and more worried about actually having the funds to afford that food.

“Paradoxically, lean times allow a lessening of the strictures with which women have so corseted their eating and their bodies,” Orbach says. “With the fear of what might be happening in the economy there is a new mood of concern and care and, in the personal realm, a permission to be less controlled and more forgiving. Curves also soften blows or perhaps give people a sense that they don’t need to be so angular and cut and thrust.”

During the Great Depression, the angular, gaunt ideal gave way to a shapelier, stronger woman. “The nation seemed to need strong women, and that is how the movies depicted them,” writes Lois W. Banner in her book, The History of Women and Beauty. In the 1930s, these “moderately curved” women replaced the lean flapper, which was the body-type ideal just several years before that.

Banner writes:

“The glamour and maturity [Greta] Garbo personified indicated a new standard of beauty and behavior for American women — a standard that became predominant in the 1930s, a time of economic distress in which Americans seemed to desire a more mature model of behavior and appearance. In 1929, hemlines came down, and waists and bosoms reappeared. Joan Crawford, the only 1920s screen flapper to make a successful transition to sound movies, completely changed her appearance from one decade to the next. During the 1920s she was a flapper with a flat body and round face, a small mouth, and the obligatory short, waved hairdo. By the 1930s, her shoulders and face were square, her figure buxom, her eyes and lips large, her hair shoulder-length and smoothly coiffed.”

In other words, curvier shapes symbolize health, satiety and vitality—things that many of us don’t have during tougher times—while slim silhouettes indicate frailty and famine.

But in a society where thinness is so entrenched, one wonders whether a curvier shape will truly make a comeback. And, if it does, will it usher in an acceptance for a range of fuller figures or merely glorify smaller sizes with hips, as we’ve already seen — when the media labels size 2 celebs as curvy?

It’s unlikely we’ll see a repeat of the larger ladies of the Victorian era or the infamous curves of Marilyn Monroe. Either way, as we focus on trying to survive and thrive during today’s economy, it’d be refreshing (and comforting) to see an emphasis on positive messages and an elimination of body bashing, criticism and unrealistic ideals.

But what does this uproar over weight really tell us?

1. Weight always incites an investigative witch hunt. Whether it’s excruciatingly emaciated stars or frighteningly “fat” celebs, the discussion of weight is always top priority for the entertainment media. In fact, such colossal concerns make it on a magazine cover over the president of the United States of America. Talk about priorities.

   Once a famous person’s weight gain is broadcast to the world, it’s time to figure out how and why said celebrity has packed on the pounds. So “reporters” scramble, with all their investigative might, to discover how on earth this could’ve happened. How could Simpson deviate from Hollywood’s slim standards?

   Some blame it on Simpson’s unflattering outfit for accentuating the negative; others report that junk food and alcohol are culprits (even listing what Simpson ordered from hotel room service and providing the calories); still others point the finger at boyfriend troubles (see here).

2. Whether you’re fat or thin, you still can’t win. A celeb typically is considered overweight or too skinny—sometimes in the same week. It re-emphasizes what some parts of the media truly are: arbitrary, nonsensical outlets that promote something as “news,” no matter how demeaning or ridiculous. Fast-forward several months, and the media might be skewering Simpson for getting too thin or praising her for becoming the poster child for healthy weight loss.
3. We’ve clearly run out of things to say. Simpson’s weight gain has been splashed all over the news, magazines and TV. Don’t we have better things to talk about? I won’t even mention normal newsworthy topics — like the ballooning stimulus package — because it’s nice to have a temporary escape from tough times. Fortunately, the entertainment world never disappoints. If only we could find a happy medium—something more frivolous than the news and less ludicrous (and cruel) than someone’s weight.
4. Simpson’s coverage mirrors our lives. Call her a regular woman (one you’d love to look like) or an outright fatty—either way, Simpson is a symbol of what happens to women when they veer slightly from society’s view of attractiveness.

   What’s truly revealing about the continuing coverage of Simpson’s curves is that Hollywood isn’t some microcosm or weird world with unrealistic pressures; it mirrors our society and our everyday lives. This scrutiny is a common occurrence that touches every woman at some point in her life. How often have we beaten ourselves up for gaining weight or not living up to a certain standard? How often have we gossiped about a colleague who’s gained several pounds, reveled in the idea that someone we don’t like has put on a few or wondered why a family member has let herself go (Entertainment Tonight used that question for its top story, asking if Simpson had “let herself go”)?

   Yes, this coverage is atrocious and hurtful, and we can criticize it (and we should!). But what’s really hurtful is that it’s devastatingly similar to our own lives and how we treat ourselves and others.

5. There’s another annoying double standard. When was the last time a man’s weight gain made the media rounds? Has anyone ever delved into why a male celebrity suddenly gained weight? Unfortunately, we’re all too accustomed to women’s bodies being placed under a microscope and either commended or condemned. It’s funny how that works, and it’s every bit as irritating.

In Other News

Jessica Alba’s Post-Baby Weight-Loss Secrets

So, what’s Jessica Alba’s swift and simple slim-down secret? Intense exercise and tears. In this month’s Elle, Alba talks about her experiences preparing for the Campari photo shoot (which was airbrushed anyway): “[The workouts] were horrible. I cried. And I haven’t worked out since…I’m not completely back to where I was. It’s not the same, but it’s not that serious. I’d rather spend an evening with my baby and give her a bath and read her stories and watch her roll around than go work out in a gym.”

The Photoshop Follies: Vogue’s Drastic Photo Measures

In the magazine industry, we’ve learned that what you see is never what you get. Case in point: Vogue combined actress Sienna Miller’s head with a different photo of her body:

Another Star Who Doesn’t Look Like Herself

Can anyone guess this famous actress?

Surprisingly, it’s Sarah Jessica Parker. But, truth be told, every time I look at the cover, I see a different star! Thanks to the magic of Photoshop, everything that’s particularly charming and interesting about SJP’s beauty has been erased. Instead, she resembles a composite of various 30-year-old celebs (and a few Stepford wives thrown in for good measure). Why even ask a star to pose on the cover when you’re going to eliminate the very features that make her distinguishable?

Even though we’re well aware that all photos in Hollywood are altered, it still doesn’t lessen the blow: We can begin to feel bad about ourselves or aspire to these images. What’s interesting is that well before wand meets image, these celebs spend hours in hair and makeup, as photographers and crew fine-tune the lighting and various angles for the perfect shot. And weeks or months before that, the staff works on finding a creative concept and the most flattering, beautiful clothes. Once the photos are taken, everyone pores over each image to find the one. And then — some expert Photoshops it.

So, next time you’re wishing you had Kelly Clarkson’s flawless face or Jessica Alba’s tiny waist, just remember — so do Clarkson and Alba. Here’s a selection of images that are highly airbrushed and highly ridiculous.

Below is Kelly Clarkson’s new album cover, and you wouldn’t be the only one to assume heavy-handed Photoshop at play. Kelly Clarkson does, too. According to Trendhunter.com , Clarkson recently blogged about her cover:

“It’s very colorful and they have definitely photo-shopped the crap out of me but I don’t care. haha! Whoever she is, she looks great.”

In December, Jessica Alba, who’s been praised by many magazines for shedding her baby weight in a flash, had her waist, hips and legs sawed off — along with other standard Photoshop improvements — in these ads for Campari. The before photos were leaked and posted on various Web sites (see here.)

Ali Larter’s usually fit frame looks plain strange in this month’s Cosmopolitan. It looks like the lower half of her body doesn’t even belong to her and was borrowed from a 10-year-old.

In these ad images, Katie Holmes and Victoria Beckham look barely recognizable:

However, People thinks Holmes “has never looked more glamorous”, but we think she’s never looked so unlike herself — and so like Beckham.

“Simply stunning,” is how People describes Beckham’s ads for Armani. Yes, the airbrushing is quite impressive, and Beckham is also quite satisfied.

“She says her stomach has been reworked with make-up and lighting and she is grateful for that,” a source told The Daily Express. It’s pretty obvious that airbrushing was also part of the reworking process.

The source also said that Beckham “joked that only husband David and her know what her stomach is really like, with its stretchmarks and loose skin…and she plans to keep it that way!”

In something-we-thought-we’d-never-see news: an un-airbrushed image. The new W magazine cover reveals Brad Pitt in all his imperfect glory.

So, what would you rather see: Realistic images that portray celebs just as they truly are, or an airbrushed fantasy like all of the above?

The Biggest Loser demonstrates that you can lose large amounts of weight and lead a healthier lifestyle without the help of surgery. That all it takes to achieve an optimal weight is hard work, sweat — and lots of tears.

It also shows us precisely how to reach short-term weight-loss, leaving us captivated with the contestants and excited to see the final results. And our excitement shows: The Biggest Loser is a ratings success and an advertiser’s dream, spawning cookbooks and workout DVDs and launching the careers of its expert trainers.

Long-Term Weight Loss?

What The Biggest Loser hasn’t been so successful at showing us is how to maintain this weight loss in the long run.
A recent article in The New York Times discussed the difficulties of maintaining long-term weight loss: Dieting alone is rarely successful, moderate exercise isn’t enough and willpower has nothing to do with weight loss.

“Scientists recently have come to understand that the brain exerts astonishing control over body composition and how much individuals eat. There are physiological mechanisms that keep us from losing weight,” said Dr. Matthew W. Gilman, the director of the obesity prevention program at Harvard Medical School/Pilgrim Health Care.

“Scientists now believe that each individual has a genetically determined weight range spanning perhaps 30 pounds.”

This isn’t to say that lasting weight loss is impossible. But The Biggest Loser glosses over the idea of “long-term.” Instead, the show promotes the idea that shedding a substantial amount of weight rapidly makes for a healthy lifestyle.

So is The Biggest Loser shelling out fantasy and false hope?

Blogger “Weetabix” at Elastic Waist refers to the show as “a carefully contrived fiction” and “an experiment in social conditioning.” She writes:

“If you give people enough money and put them into team environments, you can get them to do anything, even things that are painful and potentially harmful to their metabolisms. You can scream at them and walk on their legs and they will do it, even when you make them cry 14 times a day, they will do it. And you can trot out past winners and say, ‘Look, it works. See? It totally works.’”

Does The Biggest Loser work? We see the contestants lose a lot of weight and seemingly adopt healthier habits. Real, right?

Well, that depends. Take the final weigh-in. Though many contestants probably take the healthy approach, some go to great lengths to achieve impressive numbers on the scale.

Season 1 winner Ryan Benson discussed the drastic measures he took on this Myspace blog:

“I wanted to win so bad that the last ten days before the final weigh-in I didn’t eat one piece of solid food! If you’ve heard of “The Master Cleanse” that’s what I did. Its basically drinking lemonade made with water, fresh squeezed lemon juice, pure maple syrup, and cayenne pepper. The rules of the show said we couldn’t use any weight-loss drugs, well I didn’t take any drugs, I just starved myself! Twenty-four hours before the final weigh-in I stopped putting ANYTHING in my body, liquid or solid, then I started using some old high school wrestling tricks. I wore a rubber suit while jogging on the treadmill, and then spent a lot of time in the steam room. In the final 24 hours I probably dropped 10-13 lbs in just pure water weight. By the time of the final weigh-in I was peeing blood.”

Season 3 contestant Kai Hibbard also blogged about the risky measures she took for the finale. The New York Times reports:

“She recently wrote on a blog that in the two weeks before the finale she severely dehydrated herself using asparagus (a diuretic), colonics and six-hour stretches of hopping in and out of a sauna. She lost 19 pounds, which as she joked, rebounded to her rear end almost immediately.’”

According to Time, the show has strict rules against these kinds of tactics and even tests the contestants:

“The show tries to prevent unhealthy behavior by making contestants keep food journals (to make sure they’re not starving themselves) and threatening penalties if tests show they are too dehydrated (although an executive producer says no violations have been uncovered yet).”

That’s interesting because you’d think Benson and Hibbard’s dangerous strategies would’ve shown up on some test, especially one that evaluates dehydration.

If it isn’t crash diets and plain starvation before the finale weigh-in, then it’s intensive exercise afterward. For instance, to maintain her weight loss, season 1 contestant Kelly Minner works out one to four hours a day, six days a week.

An Unhealthy Approach

Not surprisingly, many experts believe The Biggest Loser approaches weight loss in an unhealthy way. Here are some quotes from various weight-loss and nutrition experts:

• Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, LD, director of nutrition for WebMD Health and the WebMD Weight Loss Clinic, writes: “The Biggest Loser competition might indeed result in big losses, but it defies all the professional wisdom about safe and effective weight loss. That’s because the contestants are not addressing lifestyle behaviors and eating habits that they need to change permanently, not just during a nine-week race. This approach is similar to a fad diet, and we all know about them: You can lose weight on just about any diet, but when it’s over you gain the weight right back — unless you’ve changed your behaviors.” (see her article on Medicine Net).
• According to the New York Times : “Most medical professionals say dieters should lose weight slowly. Not only are they more likely to keep it off that way, but shedding more than 10 pounds weekly, as some contestants routinely do, is dangerous. ‘Whether it’s gallbladder disease, hair falling out, skin getting dry,’ said Karen Kovach, the chief scientific officer at Weight Watchers, ‘the more rapid the weight loss, the greater the risk.’ She added: ‘You get above a kilogram a week, the risk really shoots up.’”

  The article also states “a responsible viewer who wanted to engage in a weight-loss blitz under medical supervision would be hard-pressed to find a doctor willing to sign on. ‘What would I advise someone who wants to engage in a program associated with increased risks of gallstones, cardiac arrhythmias and electrolyte abnormalities, and that has been shown to be less likely to lead to long-term success in maintenance of a reduced body weight than losing weight more slowly?’ asks Dr. Michael Rosenbaum, a doctor at Columbia University who has spent over 20 years studying the physiology of weight loss. ‘I would advise them not to do it.’”

Myriad Myths

Aside from the harm the show brings its own contestants when they engage in drastic measures, The Biggest Loser can also shape viewers’ ideas about weight loss, perpetuating harmful myths and leading viewers to compare their results to the contestants’. In essence, The Biggest Loser shows that:

• Rapid weight-loss works
• If you aren’t dropping double-digits each week, you’re somehow failing
• The number on the scale is first and foremost
• Eating well means depriving yourself (this resembles the crash diet mentality, something that isn’t realistic for your entire life)
• Willpower is the answer to weight loss

For many, The Biggest Loser serves as incredible inspiration to lead a healthier lifestyle, but as with anything on TV, what you see isn’t necessarily what you get. Instant weight loss doesn’t equal lifetime health. As “Weetabix” of the Elastic Waist explains: “…in reality, it’s about what you can do, how you can move, and being the best version of yourself that you can be.”

No doubt the majority of us will be making some kind of dieting or workout resolution, hoping to get healthier and in shape in the New Year. But how can you tell if you’re receiving genuinely healthy, sound advice or truly detrimental information?

Here’s a selection of resources to help you navigate this year’s often confounding and confusing food and fitness tips.

Recognizing Fad Diets

In today’s culture, we’ve become programmed to think that we must be on a diet and a quick-fix will fix everything: we’ll be slimmer, happier and more attractive. You can’t say quick-fix without talking about fad diets.

According to WebMD :

“Fad diets take form in many ways: low-fat, low-carbohydrates, high-protein, or focusing on one particular food item such as grapefruit. These diets lack major nutrients such as dietary fiber and carbohydrates, as well as selected vitamins, minerals, and protective phytochemicals, such as antioxidants (substances found in vegetables, which are protective against disease). Over the long term, by not receiving the proper amounts of these nutrients, you may develop serious health problems later in life.”

Here’s how to tell when a seemingly “healthy” eating plan really is nothing more than a hyped, hurtful fad diet.

• The Diet Blog reveals the seven signs that a diet is dubious:
  1. It promises a quick fix
  2. It revolves around a particular food
  3. It doesn’t advocate exercise or undermines it
  4. It provides a simple explanation for obesity
  5. It says it’s scientifically sound, but there’s no peer-reviewed research
  6. It includes a list of “forbidden foods” (e.g., good vs. bad foods)
  7. It prohibits eating certain foods in combination
• According to Health Castle, it’s a fad diet if it:
  • Doesn’t advise talking with a doctor or registered dietician
  • Advocates eliminating food groups (e.g., grains)
  • Has strict food plans without considering your “likes, dislikes and lifestyle.”
  • Promotes eating an unhealthy number of calories
  • Goes against the advice of trusted health professionals
  • Relies on buying supplements or special products
  • Promises miraculous results
  • Excludes scientific evidence, focusing exclusively on testimonials and anecdotes

Diet and Fitness Myths

Along with fad diets, you’ll also run across a wide array of myths about eating and exercise. Here are several resources that tell the truth.

• Real Simple lists 10 diet myths, including: don’t eat after 8 p.m.; avoid pasta at all costs; coffee helps you lose weight; always diet to shed pounds; and always choose diet foods.
• WebMD discusses five dieting scams that always keep coming back. With all of them, one thing’s for certain: all five are based on “bad science.”
  1. “Metabolism-boosting” pills based on herbal ingredients
  2. Fat- and carb-blocking pills
  3. Herbal weight loss teas
  4. Diet patches, jewelry, or other products worn on the body
  5. Body wraps or ‘slim suits’”

  WebMD also features nine fitness myths, including: running on a treadmill is better for your knees than running outdoors; sweating indicates a good workout; swimming is great for weight-loss; and the ever-popular “no pain, no gain.”

Healthy Resources

Check out these sources that offer healthy advice for a healthy lifestyle. If you have a favorite Web site or article, please share it below.

• The New York Times recently included an article on several eating plans that are backed by sound scientific evidence: Weight-Loss Guides Without Gimmicks. But remember always to consult a doctor before you try any new plan.
• dLife is a resource devoted to healthy eating for people with diabetes. But it has many tips and recipes that are really helpful for anyone.
• Using Google technology, the Food Blog Search lets you search over 2,600 food blogs for recipes. It’s a great way to add variety and spice up everyday meals.
• Cooking Light includes tips for healthy eating and a wide, delicious array of recipes. It shows that eating a wholesome diet can be flavorful and include favorites like pecan pie, cheesecake and lasagna.
• Eating Well is another Web site with healthy recipes and advice.
• Reviewed by experts, Harvard University’s Nutrition Source provides evidence-based information on eating and exercise. In addition to tips on achieving a healthy weight and staying active, you’ll find a new food pyramid, the “Healthy Eating Pyramid,” created by the university’s Department of Nutrition.

What Healthy Eating and Exercise Aren’t

As you figure out the best way to approach your food and fitness resolutions, remember that a healthy, active lifestyle is not:

• Quick and easy. You’ve heard it time and time again, but it still stands: losing and maintaining your weight and leading a healthy lifestyle isn’t easy. Let go of quick-fix, dangerous diets and grueling workout regimens.
• About willpower. Willpower is always viewed as virtuous, but a healthy lifestyle has nothing to do with the willpower to resist a cookie or the willpower to work out every day. Instead, it takes planning and a healthy perspective.
• Or perfection. You’ll have days you feel like working out and days you don’t; days when your body is exhausted; and days when you’d like to have some pizza. The goal shouldn’t be to strive for perfection but to strive for progress.
• Or punishing yourself. Forcing yourself into a punishing workout or one-day fast after consuming a “forbidden food” doesn’t help your healthy lifestyle; it hurts your body and becomes a gateway to dangerous habits.

Being active and eating well isn’t a punishment, penalty or chore; it’s a good, exciting thing. So, enjoy feeling better and having more endurance and energy, because these goals aren’t an end. They’re a means to a healthy life.