What Is Body Image?

It might not even be reality. Body image is a very personal and intimate construct, made up of our thoughts and feelings about our body.

It’s how we see ourselves when we look in the mirror. Body image is not about how our bodies actually look; rather it is about how we think our bodies look. It is how we feel about our body and in our body.

Body image is completely subjective! We’re not always able to view ourselves with objectivity. This is important–our body image then isn’t necessarily realistic or true. It is something that goes on inside our own mind about our own body. And we cannot see someone else’s body image just by looking at them, even if we think we can.

Why Does This Even Matter?

Body image issues are one of the strongest risk factors for the development of an eating disorder, but they are also a risk for unhealthy lifestyle behaviors and unhealthy weight control measures, things such as laxative use, diet pill use, excessive exercise, fasting, cutting out food groups, skipping meals, self-induced vomiting, and the use of diuretics and/or enemas. These methods are not only unhealthy, but downright dangerous, particularly for young and adolescent girls who are still growing, developing, and maturing.

How Is Our Body Image Created?

Our body image is created and established from a very young age. In fact, according to most studies, it begins to form by age three.

Our body image is created by many factors which are outside the scope of this article. We will, however, highlight two of them. The first is called Appearance Ideal.

The appearance ideal is what society tells us is the ideal way to look at a certain point in time. This “ideal” promotes the belief that in order for individuals to have value, our bodies must look and adhere to a certain weight, shape, and size. The concept of the appearance ideal is that it assigns value to people based solely on their outward appearance. It isn’t about real or true beauty.

Another influence on our body image is something we call diet culture. Diet culture isn’t just about being on a diet; you don’t have to actually follow any sort of official diet to be caught up in the culture of dieting. Rather, diet culture refers to the pervasive belief that appearance and body shape are more important than your physical, emotional, psychological, or general well-being. Diet culture promotes weight loss as a means to a higher status in society. It demonizes certain ways of eating while praising and glorifying others.

Diet culture tells us that we are a worthier, more appreciated person and that we have more value if our bodies conform to the appearance ideal and inhabit thin bodies. Diet culture can be difficult to spot. After all, we are all swimming in the same water and hearing the same messages. We have been raised in the same environment, and so we can’t always see the harm in the messages and lessons we have internalized.

What About Being Healthy?

The construct of health is about taking care of both our bodies–and also our minds. We should not have to sacrifice one for the sake of the other.

We must be mindful of how we think about and treat our own body, as well as how we speak to our daughters about their bodies, as this has a substantial influence on how they feel about themselves as well as their body.

We also must remember that our body is a gift from Hashem, that it helps carry us through our life. It is our responsibility and duty to care for it with great respect and value. Our body is the vessel that carries our neshamah through this world. It is essential to our life here on earth. We must find the balance between caring about our appearance and our body — but not letting it control or dictate the story of who we are, how we treat ourselves, and what we stand for.

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