Things For Girls
By: Nikki Windsor
Body image is everywhere. We, as woman, are hit with subliminal messages everyday, everywhere. It is now a social norm to be concerned about our body image everyday. The American research group Anorexia Nervosa & Related Eating Disorders, Inc. says that one out of every four college-aged women uses unhealthy methods of weight control—including fasting, skipping meals, excessive exercise, laxative abuse, and self-induced vomiting. The pressure to be thin is also affecting young girls: the Canadian Women's Health Network warns that weight control measures are now being taken by girls as young as 5 and 6. It's difficult to know what do wear for our shapes, how to get in shape, what foods to eat and so on. Instead of trying drastic diets and hitting the gym everyday (excessively), there are simple everyday things that you can incorporate in your everyday routine that won't seem like a burden to you. These things can also be environmentally kind as well!
Try switching your morning coffee to green tea. Green Tea helps with your immune system, metabolism, relieves some arthritis pain and more! Did you know that the manufacturing of green tea is better for the environment AS WELL AS high the same caffeine as coffee! The Caffeine is less damging to your body!! Just look at the Tropic Green Tea image to the bottom right, looks delicious, I know!To keep your skin looking great there are a few simple things that you can do at or at the gym. Use a steam rrom or sauna twice a week. Give yourself a facial at home. Over time we lose elasticity in our muscles, by doing a few simple stretches up to 3-5 times a week you can help your body retain its flexibility and great shape! Stretching takes only 5-10 minutes. Simple yet affective. Eat fruit everyday, and try to buy as much organic products as possible.
Perhapsmost disturbingis the fact that media images of female beauty are unattainable for all but a very small number of women. Researchers report that women’s magazines have ten and one-half times more ads and articles promoting weight loss than men’s magazines do, and over three-quarters of the covers of women’s magazines include at least one message about how to change a woman’s bodily appearance—by diet, exercise or cosmetic surgery. What we should focus on is OUR OWN BEAUTY. Do things for yourself that make you feel good! Go out for a girls day. Have lunch, get your nails done, get a hair cute, go for a walk. Don't wear clothes because they are popluar, but wear them because they look good on YOU and you feel comfortable in them!
As the new year approaches start making small changes that make sense for your lifestyle. If a gym is out of the question for you walk up the stairs instead of the escalator. Go for at least 2 half hour walks a week. Eat more fish, eggs and chicken instead of red meat as it digests quicker and easily. Being a size 2 is not for everyone. Being fit is.
"We don’t need Afghan-style burquas to disappear as women. We disappear in reverse—by revamping and revealing our bodies to meet externally imposed visions of female beauty. "Source: Robin Gerber, author and motivational speaker