Honest conversation
Exercise as positive
Accept variety
Having a high Body Mass Index is a health issue but also causes psychological problems. Self loathing, body dysmorphia and eating disorders can be a greater problem than physical health issues.
Some of these tips come from Honey Ross co-presenter of The Body Protest podcast. The daughter of Jonathan Ross she had to come to terms with being above average weight using body positivity, #fatacceptance, #selflove and Naomi Wolf’s book The beauty Myth about internalised fat phobia.
Honest conversation
Avoid talking about dieting in front of children to stop passing on you own body image issues. Make positive healthy eating part of your family life.
If a child asks about loosing weight have an open conversation about why to identify the source of concern and address this appropriately. It may be relationship issues, peer group pressure or self image concerns.
Stop negative jokes about self image as these reinforce prejudice.
Exercise as positive
Shift your language to make exercise positive and joyful rather than self punishment. Look at things you enjoy doing as exercise and activity that can be part of day to day life.
Accept variety
Think, and talk about, the diversity of the human body. Accept the variation. Consider body positive reading such as Michelle Elman’s Am I ugly or Megan Jayne Crabbe’s Body Positive Power
With thanks to Honey Ross for extracts from the Sunday times style 19.1.20 p26-27