My good friend over at Candy Jamamas has a deep discussion going on over at her blog…I’m going to send you over to Part 1, but check out the rest of the discussion too…

It’s about women and dieting. She hit a nerve with me and I am not the only one. There are so many aspects of this subject that are raw and painful. I have my own set of issues. I did not even realize how many until the last few years, but they are there. I am dealing with them and probably always will.

But knowing that my daughter is going to be a teenager in a couple of years, with our culture the way it is now, is enough to make me get even more desperate to curtail my issues and find a way to make sure she isn’t bombarded with the same ones.

The importance of appearance smacks us in the face everywhere we turn. Images on TV, computer, billboards, magazines, book covers…everywhere there is someone more beautiful, skinnier, more enhanced~ BETTER.

Even people usually comfortable in their skin begin to second guess themselves, wishing they could change this or that.

I’ve realized in the last couple of years that Greyley is watching everything I do. When they’re little, they watch closely, but still seem oblivious to some things…nope, not really the case. She knows how I eat, what I eat, what I avoid, how active I am, how inactive I am, and on and on.

She hears me if I say, “I wish I could lose X amount of pounds,” or “I look HUGE in that picture.”

She’s filing it all away. And if I’m not careful, she will start to put my issues on herself.

Right now, she thinks it doesn’t matter. She rolls her eyes when she hears her aunt talk about losing weight all the time, but when she gets older and is not fitting into all her clothes, or has trouble losing baby weight…I wonder what she will think.

So, this is my goal…my mission…

First, I am going to display healthy eating habits to the best of my ability.

I will be active, encourage her to be active, as well as doing active things with her.

I will not talk negatively about my body. Not to her. Not to myself. Not to anyone.

I think that is enough for now. If I can accomplish these things, I will be making progress. I will reevaluate my goals again in a couple of months and see if I notice a change in myself. If I’m thinking more positively about my body image, I’m thinking that’s a good sign.

Please tell me your thoughts on this.

Books recommended by another good friend, Mrs. Manley, from Thinking Out LOUD, on the subject~

You Are Not What You Weigh by Lisa Bevere
Beauty Secrets: Tips for Teens from the Ultimate Makeup Artist by Debroah Newman and Rachel Newman.
Making Peace With Your Thighs by Dr. Linda Mintle
(She’s reading two other related books, but we’ll wait to see what she thinks after reading, to know whether she recommends them or not… )

Thanks, Mrs. M! And thank you, Candy Jamamas, for being a brave girl and getting us started on this topic!!!

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