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Volume 5
Welcome to Volume 5 of Living on the Edge, the fortnightly newsletter from Living Edge Life Coaching, designed to inform, educate, challenge and inspire you!
Please forward onto your friends/collegues and encourage them to subscribe.
Annabel Varvel
Life Coach BA.LLB
COACHING CORNER
TIPS
How healthy is your body image?
It struck me today as I had a session with a personal trainer how body conscious I've been over the years. There was a question on their questionnaire "Have you ever been on a diet? If so which one". "Which one?" I thought how can I remember every one? I think I've tried at least 15 different books/articles/diets/programs since I was 13 yrs old in an attempt to look attractive and feel 'good' about myself. I hasten to add that most of those diets where during the 13 to 25 yr old period (when you do stupid things like only eat apples or chicken for 2 days). Thankfully the last few years I have been a little more 'balanced' and have developed a more healthy body image!
I know I'm not unusual. I'm sure we know where an unhealthy body image comes from... media, wanting to impress the opposite sex, competition, low self-esteem, unhelpful things kids at school said - the list could go on. Whilst these are legitimate causes, we need to take control and accept responsibility for our own body image.
Signs of an unhealthy body image:
- you don't see or acknowledge the truth - either seeing yourself as smaller or bigger than you actually are
- you worry incessantly about how other's see you
- you blame others for how you look
- you don't take control
- sometimes you actually have an unhealthy body (carrying not enough or too much weight, high blood pressure, not enough sleep etc)
- dominated by negative thoughts about your body
Signs of a healthy body image:
- realistic - for your age, lifestyle, desires
- not necessarily perfect
- being content or taking appropriate action to have a healthy body
- you believe you have control over your body
- you take action
- you don't worry about what other's think of your body
- you don't examine yourself every time you look in a mirror!
Some ways to create a healthy body image....
(NB re-creating your body image is not a short term project)
- take a reality check of how you see yourself - maybe even do a personal SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats) analysis of the image you have of your body
- write a history of the development of your body image - whilst it's not helpful to dwell on the past it is helpful to understand where you have come from in order to change and move forward
- if you need to do something about your actual body - do it! (but be sensible and get good nutritional and exercise advice)
- write some affirmations (positive statements) about how you want to see your body eg I have a strong vibrant body, I am content with the way I look.
- visualise what the new you looks like (it might not be much different physically to how you are now but this addresses your perception which is of course where your 'image' comes from.
ESTEEM YOURSELF!™
A workshop for women who want to create their lives from the inside out.
31 May 2003 (early bird special expires THIS FRIDAY 16 May)
9am to 4pm
EARLY BIRD SPECIAL $149
(includes morning tea and lunch)
$169
REGISTER: email esteem@livingedge.net or
call 07 3254 0868
If you are not in Brisbane but have a group of people (work place, friends, school group etc) that would be interested please call me as I can travel!
SPECIAL OFFER!
QUOTE
The best way to find out if coaching is for you is to try it!
If you or someone you know would like to try a coaching session for FREE, please call 07 3254 0868 to arrange a session. (sessions can be done over the phone as well as in person)
Skinny people irritate me! Especially when they say things like, "You know, sometimes I just forget to eat."
I don't know who made this up, but it appeals to me :-)
Questions, comments or suggestions, email annabel@livingedge.net
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LIVING EDGE
LIFE COACHING
5/27 Lamington St, PO Box 878, New Farm Q 4005
p: 07 3254 0868 f: 07 3254 0368 m: 0409 076 040