Workbook pages 16-21

Page 18

What are you doing now to give yourself a positive body image?
Right now I am working on my character. I enjoy helping others out and it makes me feel better about myself. Like when I'm sitting in ISC and someone needs math help I used to think I was terrible at math and I struggled with it a lot. But now that I'm able to help others I'm actually realizing that I'm better at math than I think. I also like to help others out by being a good friend. I'm fitting time in to "Be nice to myself." I exercise, which always makes me feel better about myself. I've also surrounded myself with good friends who are positive a lot of the time. I've also cut back on my TV time, I've actually only been watching two hours of TV a week, so I'm not polluting myself with those negative messages about body image like I used to.

What are some other ways you can have a positive body image?
Some other ways that I can have a positive body image is by eating healthy. I tend to eat sweets and fats when I'm stressed, tired, bored, or just overly emotional. I can also shift my thoughts to more positive thoughts. Even though I'm feeling better about myself I've still had negative thoughts but I'm going to work on that. I can develop a list of everything I like about myself, and appreciate more what my body can do. I can also wear more comfortable clothes that make me feel good about myself, not just clothes that are in but clothes that actually look good on me.

Circle 2 or 3 steps you intend to use in the future to develop a more positive body image. Look at the paragraph before this.

Page 20

Dear Friend,

One of my friends went on a liquid diet she bought at the grocery store. She only got about 500 calories a day from the drinks. She lost weight, but she gained it all back when she quit drinking the diet stuff. Now she is thinking about going back on the liquid diet. She asked me for advice. What should I tell her?
Concerned and Confused

Dear Concerned and Confused,

It's good of you to be concerned about your friend. When she was on the diet she was consuming a very low amount of calories per day which is actually not healthy for the body. By just taking the liquid diet your friend is missing out on key nutrients that can benefit her body, like calcium. By also restricting how much nutrients she gets she is reducing her ability to concentrate and affecting in a negative way how her brain functions. Tell your friend that bodies come in all shapes and sizes and that by restricting her calorie intake she is actually doing more harm that good to her body. What your friend really wants by asking you is to know that you appreciate her. Tell her she's beautiful for who she is on the inside and not how she appears to be on the outside. Also, maybe help her eat a healthy diet by taking the same healthy diet as her and go running together every day, or do something active together. By getting exercise she will start feeling better about herself.

Dear Friend,
My brother is always listening to other people's ideas about the easiest ways to lose weight. What should I say to him to help him choose a healthy weight management plan?
Curious Sister

Dear Curious Sister,
It's good that you want to help your brother make the best choice. One of the best ways to lose or maintain weight is to get regular physical activity and to heat a varied healthy diet. A lot of those diets out there reduce the amount of nutrients the body takes in and it can be potentially harmful. Tell your brother to eat more fruits and vegetables and to cut back on sweets and fats. Also, if you do the healthy diet with him he will be more compelled to keep the healthy diet up and will find himself at a healthy weight. Also, tell your brother that it's more dangerous to be 30% underweight than 30% overweight.

Dear Friend,
My best friend never eats breakfast. She thinks she can lose weight by skipping breakfast. She thinks it's just extra food her body doesn't need. What do you think?
At a Loss

Dear At a Loss,
Your friend sounds like something else is influencing her to not eat breakfast, like the media. The media is constantly telling their consumers that it's not good to eat breakfast, that it's just extra food. But actually breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Eating breakfast will get your metabolism going and will get you ready for the day. By not eating breakfast your friend will actually gain weight because your metabolism needs that boost in the morning. If you were to chose to eat one meal a day to lose weight you will actually lose more weight by eating breakfast than by just eating lunch or just eating dinner. Eating a good and a fare portion of food for breakfast will speed up your metabolic rate and you will be more awake and your brain will function better. Tell your friend that she needs to eat breakfast and that it's not just extra food. Maybe she also needs to not rush off too quickly in the mornings but sit and give her body time to wake up.