Healthy and Slim

Perfect Body

Tag: body image

By Margaret R. McLean

If you diet continuously for a month, these shocking effects will be seen on your health

Dieting, a common practice among individuals striving to achieve their health and fitness goals, involves conscious control and restriction of food intake. While short-term dieting can lead to weight loss and improved health markers, continuous or prolonged dieting may have significant effects on both physical and mental well-being. In this comprehensive exploration, we delve into the shocking effects that may manifest on your health when you embark on a month-long diet journey.

1. Metabolic Slowdown

Metabolism, the process by which your body converts food into energy, plays a crucial role in maintaining bodily functions and regulating weight. Continuous calorie restriction, a hallmark of many diets, can lead to metabolic slowdown, where your body adjusts to conserve energy in response to decreased calorie intake.

1.1. Reduced Metabolic Rate

When you consistently consume fewer calories than your body requires for daily activities, it adapts by lowering its metabolic rate. This reduction in metabolic rate makes it more challenging to continue losing weight and may even lead to weight regain once normal eating patterns resume.

1.2. Hormonal Changes

Dieting for an extended period can disrupt hormone levels, particularly leptin and ghrelin. Leptin, known as the “satiety hormone,” signals fullness to the brain, while ghrelin, the “hunger hormone,” stimulates appetite. Prolonged calorie restriction can lower leptin levels and increase ghrelin levels, leading to heightened hunger sensations and further slowing down metabolism.

2. Muscle Loss

Muscle mass is metabolically active tissue that plays a vital role in maintaining metabolic rate and supporting overall physical function. However, extended periods of dieting without adequate protein intake and resistance training can result in the breakdown of muscle tissue for energy, leading to muscle loss.

2.1. Loss of Lean Muscle Mass

When your body is in a prolonged calorie deficit, it may prioritize breaking down muscle tissue for energy

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By Margaret R. McLean

A positive body image will boost mental health

 A happy young woman. (Courtesy)

In a society bombarded with unrealistic beauty standards, embracing and loving our bodies becomes an empowering journey towards holistic well-being. True wellness encompasses physical, mental and emotional health, and it begins with cultivating a positive relationship with our bodies.

Studies have shown that body acceptance plays a significant role in overall well-being. Research published in the Journal of Counseling Psychology showed that individuals who practice self-acceptance and have positive body image experience higher levels of self-esteem, life satisfaction and happiness. By embracing our bodies, we foster a healthier mindset that positively impacts our mental and emotional health.

Negative body image can have detrimental effects on mental health, according to research published in the Journal of Health Psychology. The study showed that poor body image is associated with increased levels of depression, anxiety and unhealthy eating habits. On the other hand, a positive body image correlates with higher levels of self-esteem and reduced risk of mental health disorders.

Body acceptance contributes to healthier behaviours and overall physical well-being. According to the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, individuals who have a positive body image are more likely to engage in regular physical activity, adopt balanced eating habits and have better self-care practices.

If you even think about it, by embracing your body you are more likely to prioritise care and that boils down to even what you eat, what you allow yourself to see and hear. Data highlights the need to challenge unrealistic beauty standards and redefine our perception of beauty.

Research from the Dove Global Beauty and Confidence report reveals that only four per cent of women around the world consider themselves to be beautiful, indicating a widespread struggle with body dissatisfaction. By accepting our body and celebrating diversity,

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By Margaret R. McLean

‘Should be part of everyone’s education’: WHS Student-Run Club Brings Body Positivity Message to Middle Schoolers

The Wilton High School student-run club Reshaping Reality aims to tackle body
positivity and self-love. Next week they hope to bring that message to younger students who may be more vulnerable to self-image issues through “Middle Schoolers in the Mirror,” an interactive program held at the Wilton Library.

The program, which will have sessions on two consecutive Tuesdays (May 23 and May 30), focuses on educating middle school students about the challenges and warning signs of eating disorders, as well as how to maintain a healthy body image.

The students of Reshaping Reality decided to center their efforts around middle schoolers after noticing the impact self-image had on their own experiences.

“We chose to do this with the middle schoolers because as high school students, we
know in middle school we faced these issues with social pressure and self-esteem
problems,” Jolene Massad, current WHS junior and co-president of Reshaping
Reality, said. “We saw a lot of our friends struggle through eating disorders and other damaging health behaviors — we wanted to help them know these warning signs, but also help them help themselves.”

Massad and the other students in Reshaping Reality will lead program at the library with eating disorder coach Oriana Laflamme using activities, discussions, videos and body image exercises to support their message. Most activities are planned around navigating online presence and distinguishing the ‘fake’ from the ‘real’ as middle schoolers start using social media.

They chose to cap each session at 20 students to offer more one-on-one, personal support for participants. Both workshops will be held from 3:30-5 p.m., and require registration beforehand.

At the end of her freshman year, Massad was approached by a friend from Staples High School in Westport about a club called Reshaping Reality; in her sophomore

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