Presentation On Healthy Body Imagery

1. Presentation On Healthy Body Imagery ISAA Teaches Self-Esteem, Healthy Body Imagery and Fitness For People of All Shapes and Body Types This presentation and its contents are © Copyright 2002 ISAA

2. The International Size Acceptance Association (ISAA) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote size acceptance and to help end size discrimination throughout the world by means of advocacy and visible, lawful actions. • ISAA also educates about how to be healthy and encourages fitness for all sizes. ISAA has been very helpful in teaching people how to come to terms with self esteem and their own bodies.

3. The Trends of Thinness • At least 25% of American women have eating disorders as a result of the beauty myths that the fashion industry is forcing on the world. The average fashion model is 20% slimmer than is healthy.

4. Eating Disorders • Thousands of young women die from anorexia and bulimia each year. ISAA has been working with the Eating Disorders Awareness Community to help educate the public about healthy body imagery and how the images shown on television, movies and magazines are not healthy.

5. Celebrities Who Have Had Eating Disorders • Mariah Carey– U.S. singer/actress • Christina Ricci– U.S. actress • Richard Simmons– U.S. Diet Guru • Paula Abdul– U.S. singer • Geri Halliwell - Spice Girls (U.K.) • Elton John– U.S. singer/musician • Princess Diana - Princess of Wales • Celine Dion– Canadian singer • Jane Fonda– U.S. actress • Joan Rivers– U.S. talk show host Mariah Carey • Source: http://www.eating-disorder.org/celebrities.html

6. What Does ISAA Do? • ISAA’s goal is to inform the public, especially young women, how to improve self-esteem, health and attain fitness. • ISAA also hopes to educate the public about the hazards of weight loss programs, medications and surgery – which kill hundreds of thousands of people worldwide each year.

7. Eating Disorders and Dieting • The National Eating Disorder Information Centre (of Canada) states "The number one stepping stone to eating disorders (is) Dieting.” • 70% of women and 35% of men are dieting at any given time Source: http://www.nedic.ca

8. Facts About Dieting And Weight • Biology regulates weight • Biology defies dieting • 95% of all diets fail, and not for lack of will-power • Most children live in a home where at least one parent is dieting (Think about the impact) • Canadian children in grade three and four say they'd rather lose a parent, get cancer, or live through nuclear war than be fat. Source: http://www.nedic.ca/

9. The Body’s “Famine Relief System” • The body has a built-in 'famine relief system.' This system works well to keep us alive during short periods where food is not available. This system causes the metabolism to slow down and the body becomes better at storing fat. • If the same system is used to lose weight to “look good” (e.g. – thin), there is quite a bit of evidence that abusing the body this way takes its toll on the general health and longevity of the dieter. Because of the body’s slowed metabolism and better fat storage, the weight comes back when the dieting stops.

10. Weight Loss Surgery • At least 1 in 100 people (1%) die from weight loss surgery (WLS) – At least 450 in 2001 • Approximately 40% or more suffer from negative side effects (or 18,000 in 2001). • “The GBP (Gastric Bypass) causes weight loss by decreasing caloric intake. This is accomplished by inducing anorexia, decreasing the capacity of the stomach, restricting the rate of emptying of the pouch, inducing a feeling of satiety even with minimal caloric intake, prohibiting the intake of certain high osmolar foods (which cause the dumping syndrome), and finally causing selective malabsorption of fat.” – Dr. Matthias Fobi (in “Gastric Bypass Operation for Obesity”) • At least 10% of weight loss surgeries require follow-up operations, increasing possibilities of side-effects or death (4500 in 2001). • Weight regains of up to 50% of are still considered “success” • Source: http://www.nih.gov, http://www.cstobesity.com/bypassop.html

11. Fitness At Any Size • The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) states "Healthy, fit bodies come in all sizes. Whatever your size or shape, start exercising now and keep moving for a healthier life!" • Source:http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health/nutrit/activeatanysize/active.html

12. 20 Ways to Love Your Body!!Think of your body as the vehicle to your dreams. Honor it. Respect it. Fuel it. • Your body is extraordinary--begin to respect and appreciate it. • Create a list of all the things your body lets you do. Read it and add to it often. • Become aware of what your body can do each day. Remember it is the instrument of your life, not just an ornament. • Create a list of people you admire: people who have contributed to your life, your community, or the world. Consider whether their appearance was important to their success and accomplishments. • Walk with your head held high, supported by pride and confidence in yourself as a person.

13. 20 Ways to Love Your Body!!(Continued) • Don’t let your weight or shape keep you from activities that you enjoy. • Wear comfortable clothes that you like and that feel good to your body. • Count your blessings, not your blemishes. • Think about all the things you could accomplish with the time and energy you currently spend worrying about your body and appearance. Try one! • Be your body’s friend and supporter, not its enemy.

14. 20 Ways to Love Your Body!!(Continued) • Consider this: your skin replaces itself once a month, your stomach lining every five days, your liver every six weeks, and your skeleton every three months. • Every morning when you wake up, thank your body for resting and rejuvenating itself so you can enjoy the day. • Every evening when you go to bed, tell your body how much you appreciate what it has allowed you to do throughout the day. • Find a method of exercise that you enjoy and do it regularly. Don’t exercise to lose weight or to fight your body. Do it to make your body healthy and strong and because it makes you feel good. • Think back to a time in your life when you felt good about your body. Tell yourself you can feel like that again, even in this body at this age.

15. 20 Ways to Love Your Body!!(Continued) • Keep a list of 10 positive things about yourself--without mentioning your appearance. Add to it! • Put a sign on each of your mirrors saying, “I’m beautiful inside and out.” • Choose to find the beauty in the world and in yourself. • Start saying to yourself, “Life is too short to waste my time hating my body this way.” • Eat when you are hungry. Rest when you are tired. Surround yourself with people that remind you of your inner strength and beauty. • Source: (U.S.) National Eating Disorders Association http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org

16. Can You Be Fit And Fat? • ISAA firmly supports the idea that one can be fit and fat at the same time. A recent long- term study from the Cooper Institute (involving 20,000 men) showed that men who were fat but fit lived much longer than thin men who were unfit.

17. Concepts ISAA Supports • Everyone can benefit from a well-balanced assortment of foods and mild to moderate exercise. • People who have feel good about themselves, whatever body type they have, are more motivated and happy • Being healthy is more important than being thin, because you can be healthy without being thin

18. International Size Acceptance Association Contact: Allen Steadham, Director WWW: http://www.size-acceptance.org E-mail: Director@size-acceptance.org Phone: (512) 371-4307 Postal Address: P.O. Box 82126 Austin, Texas 78758 USA

19. This presentation and its contents are © Copyright 2002 ISAA