Celebrate a healthy body image with your kids
Today is International No Diet Day (INDD), a day established almost 20 years ago as a reminder to actively reject our culture’s preoccupation with weight loss and thinness, to recognize the real, more diverse range of healthy body sizes and shapes, and to embrace our bodies as is (literally, if you like—give yourself a hug!).
But for parents, encouraging their kids to think positively about themselves and their bodies can feel like no simple feat. On one hand, we hear about the epidemic of eating disorders among young people (especially, but by no means exclusively, girls). And despite some powerful media messages to the contrary (Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty, for instance), we continue to be bombarded by a steady slew of super-thin model and celebrity images that contribute to unrealistic body standards.
On the other hand, we are regularly reminded, in the news and on shows like Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, of the ever-growing crisis of childhood obesity in this country, its serious effects on kids’ health and the heartbreaking predictions from the scientific community that children of this generation may be the first not to live as long as their parents.
INDD is all about loving your body, and an important part of that is being more accepting of your body just the way it is. However, loving your body also means treating it like something precious, something…well, loved. And to that end, one of many ways you can help your kids have a healthy body image is to encourage them to take care of their healthy bodies, which includes being active and eating well.
Fortunately, when it comes to nurturing a healthy approach to exercise and a positive, balanced relationship with food, it seems that what’s good for the goose is good for the goslings: experts agree that one of the best things you can do is set an example. If your kids see you taking care of yourself by exercising moderately, and eating and enjoying good food, and not by obsessing over numbers of calories or numbers on the scale, it can make a strong and lasting impression.
A few more tips:
Use your words. In the healthy-body-image dictionary, “diet” is despised and “fat” is an F-word. Of course, the dreaded D-word isn’t all bad: there’s a world of difference between having a healthy diet (yay) and being on a diet (boo). But in the spirit of INDD, let’s just say “healthy eating” today instead.
Focus on the big picture. The big picture you want your children to see is health gain, not weight loss. Emphasize that healthy eating and regular activity are good for their heart, muscles, skin, etc., and treat maintaining a healthy weight as only one effect of these behaviors, not the most important goal.
Have fun! You’ve heard it before—get your kids outside and active. Better yet, get outside with them for a walk, bike ride, anything. (Remember that whole “setting an example” thing?) Then celebrate how great it is to love food by asking your kids to help you prepare a nutritious meal that you can sit down and enjoy together.
