The Perfect Body—Get it NOW!

Now you’re expecting me to list all the healthy tips and tricks that will promise a skinnier, firmer, flatter you by Spring Break. Ha! I tricked you. No, I will not be offering any weight loss, fitness, nutrition, or diet advice in this blog. But I hooked you with that title, didn’t I?

The perfect body. I hate that word, perfect. I hate how easily it gets paired with the word body. In our culture, a perfect body is one without flaw. And that typically means airbrushed to death and petite with curves, but only in certain places (tits- and ass-type places).

Striving for our perfect body ideal turns beautiful people into calorie-counting, self-doubting dieters: “Oh, I couldn’t possibly eat that…it’ll go straight to my thighs!”

It drives us to passively insult our bodies by extoling others: “You’re so lucky; I don’t have the figure to pull off that outfit!”

It teaches women (and men[1]) to fear their weight and hide their softer sides and to look in the mirror with disgust and shame. It teaches men that women should be flat-bellied, big-breasted, and hairless below the eyebrows. And it robbed me of all that precious time I wasted in my teens and twenties thinking my thighs were too fat for skinny jeans and my stomach too soft for a bikini.

But our perfect body ideal is not universal. A year ago, I wrote a blog post (So Cosmo Says You’re Fat….) about how women are more than their bodies, even though our media tries to convince us otherwise. I talked about my life in Ghana, West Africa, where women have a totally different take on the perfect body. My co-workers often complimented me with “Have you put on weight? You look so nice and fat today.” And my Ghanaian friend, Freda, expressed envy at my cellulite.

Well, last summer, Freda moved to New Jersey with her husband. She no longer says “nice and fat.” Now she thinks she’s too fat, and we all know that fat = bad. In under a year, Freda traded in the round-hipped, soft-bellied Ghanaian ideal and joined the ranks of self-doubting dieters. But Freda is not alone.

I recently finished Dr. Cynthia Bulik’s (head of UNC’s Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders) book Crave for a class I am taking. The book focuses on binge eating disorder and touches on our society’s destructive impact on body image. Dr. Bulik writes about how women compare themselves to the perfect bodies of models and celebrities, and how striving for the perfect body leads many women to disordered eating and self-loathing. There it is. The Perfect Body. Ugh!

What makes this so-called perfect body perfect? Who decided that perfect equals smooth and skinny? Not my friend, Freda. Not the women in Ghana who call each other “nice and fat.” And definitely not me. I think Dr. Bulik would agree that assigning the word perfect to the superskinny-spray-tanned magazine bodies only reinforces the ridiculous ideal that we fight so hard to change.Those bodies are only perfect because we keep calling them perfect. And that needs to change.

Assuring women that they don’t need to strive for the perfect body is not enough. We have to redefine what perfect means.

So then, what is a perfect body?

I’m gonna whip out my BA in Classics for a minute and lay some etymology on you (ah, Murphy Hall….always in my heart). Perfect comes from the Latin word perficere, meaning “to finish” or “to complete” and perfectus, the past participle of perficere, translates “having been completed.” Therefore, a perfect body would be a “finished” or “completed” body. A completed body.

This reminds me of how new parents welcome their fresh-from-the-womb infants, counting fingers and toes, as they take in all the parts of their new baby. Ten fingers, ten toes, two eyes and one nose. In reality, this is not quality control, folks—I don’t know any parents that would hand their baby back if missing a toe or sporting an extra finger. Rather, they are surveying this fully-formed, completed human being that began a mere 9 months ago as an idea, a kiss, a collection of cells. Just taking it all in. This complete little human being.

Can you imagine critiquing a little infant the way many of us pick at our own bodies?

Last year, I wrote about how we are more than our bodies. But, the truth is, our bodies are still a big part of who we are. They are a part of what completes us. And how we feel about our bodies, how we treat our bodies, reflects how we feel about ourselves.

So, I guess I didn’t trick you, after all. Since the day I was born, when my parents held me that very first time and explored all my little fingers and toes, my body has been complete. It is already perfect.

And so is yours.

********************************************

More on Dr. Bulik and the UNC Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders here.

Awesome body image resources:

http://www.about-face.org/

http://everydayfeminism.com/tag/health-beauty/

http://danceswithfat.wordpress.com/blog/

A more clinical perspective: http://www.goodtherapy.org/therapy-for-body-image.html

---

[1] Men: I cringe every time I hear you talk about your own body shame. I don’t mean to leave you out of this conversation. I have focused on women for this blog, because I am a gal, and I am speaking from my own experience. However, I do understand that the Perfect Body ideal affects ya’ll too, and I welcome your comments!

How often do YOU clean your water bottle?

a stainless steel water bottle

If you drink out of a refillable water bottle, then you probably already know about its benefits. Reusable water bottles are a great way of helping the environment, and they also help you meet your daily water requirements. (Plus, I’m not sure if this is just me, but I have a really hard time opening disposable plastic water bottles. Almost every time I twist open the top, water pours all over the bottle and myself. Am I gripping the bottle too tightly, or do they just consistently overfill those water bottles? I digress.)

Finding exactly the right water bottle for you can be a process, but once you’ve got that sweet Goldilocks water bottle that’s “just right”– how often do you have to clean it?

Trans Health Talk

Trans folks are those whose gender identity, expression, or behavior is not traditionally associated with their birth sex. Some trans individuals experience gender identity as incongruent with their anatomical sex and may seek some degree of sex reassignment surgery or hormonal treatments. Others may pursue gender expression through external self-presentation and behavior. In honor of National GLBT Health Awareness Week (March 26^th-30th), I give you:

5 Things Trans Persons Should Discuss with their Healthcare Provider

(Compiled from info provided by the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association [GLMA] and the Centers for Disease Control [CDC])

Hormones

Hormone therapy may give desirable effects for those who are transitioning, but it also carries risks. Estrogen may cause blood clotting, high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar and water retention. Testosterone carries the associated risk of liver damage. Some trans persons bypass the health care system by using injectable silicone, often administered by non-medical persons, instead of injectable estrogen. Silicone used in this manner may actually migrate in the tissues and cause disfigurement years later. Hepatitis may also spread through the use of shared needles. The CDC recommends that hormone use be monitored by the patient and provider. Utilizing the health care system not only ensures safety in hormone therapy use, but also regulates the dosage of hormone use so that the desired effects can be obtained.

Cancer

Trans men who have not had surgical removal of the uterus, ovaries, or breasts are still at risk to develop cancer of these organs. Trans women are at risk, although low, for cancer of the prostate. Even if your gender identity or expression do not coincide with your internal reproductive organs, it is important not to neglect their health.

STDs and Safe Sex

Risky behaviors may be high among trans persons, according to multiple HIV/AIDS trans needs assessments. Behaviors that may put persons at risk for contracting an STI include having multiple sex partners and irregular barrier method contraceptive use. Trans folks also face stigma and discrimination, which exacerbates their STI/ HIV risk, since the stigma of a trans status is associated with lower self-esteem, increased likelihood of substance abuse and survival sex work in male-to-female trans individuals, and lessened likelihood of safe sex practices.

Alcohol and Tobacco

Due to the social isolation, unemployment and other factors affecting trans folks, feeling of depression and anxiety may lead to alcohol use. Alcohol combined with sex hormone administration increases the risk of liver damage, while risk of heart attack and stroke are increased in those who smoke tobacco and take estrogen or testosterone.

Fitness (Diet & Exercise)

Many trans folks work long hours in order to cover the medical costs of transitions, which insurance often does not cover. Exercise and proper nutrition are important however, especially prior to sex reassignment surgery as they will reduce a person’s operative risk and promote faster recovery.

Some people may be reluctant to share the details of any previous transitioning they have undergone when seeking a new health care provider. The GLMA suggests that trans folks share their medical and health history with their medical providers in order to allow their medical personnel to provide the best possible and most relevant care.

If you identify as trans, intersex or genderqueer and would like to connect with others that do or continue to have discussions relevant to trans health, check out the UNC Chapel Hill LGBTQ Center by stopping by their office in SASB North 3226, and attending their Trans Talk Tuesdays from 6:15-7:15pm at Open Eye in Carrboro on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month.

The UNC Campus Health Services website also has a page specific to health related issues for trans folks. Check it out here.

With A Little Help From My Friends

“If your friends won’t workout with you, then you can’t be friends with them anymore.”

Thanks to a certain popular workout video persona, the CWS staff has been throwing this phrase around a lot lately. For about a month the CWS staff has been working out together six days a week, and while no friendships have actually been broken (despite playful threats), I think we’ve been successful thus far because of two concepts we hear about all of the time but few of us actually subscribe to:  social support and scheduling.

New Year’s Resolution check-in

So now that we’ve established that it’s not too late to make a resolution. What about the one’s you’ve already made? How are those New Year’s resolution going?

I’ve always found resolutions tough to keep. My picture-a- day plan from last year made it two weeks. My goal of folding and putting my clean clothes away as soon as they are dry failed within a month. And, yet, as a health educator, I believe that new habits can be formed – in essence, that people can change. Sometimes, that change comes with the social motivation of starting a resolution along with the hundreds of other new folks lining up for the machines at the SRC. Other times, all those extra people make sticking to a resolution even more challenging.

Here are some tips I use to change my habits:

Make it matter. A picture a day didn’t really matter to me, nor did I really want to commit to laundry being prioritized over a few more minutes outside or spent with my family. In order for my goals to stick, I need to pick one that I’m truly motivated to change.

Make the behavior small. I start by thinking about how this year I’d like to connect more with nature, eat healthier foods, get more fit, or spend more time with the people I love. Then I break those overarching ideas down into something smaller. The actual work to achieve my goal should be something that I do every day…or at least once per week. Some examples include spending time in the woods every week, exchanging one sweetened beverage (soda, juice, lattes) each day with water, walking or biking everywhere, or scheduling a weekly lunch date with a group of friends.

Allow time for each habit. It takes four weeks for new behaviors to become a tentative “habit.” And much longer to make that habit stick for a lifetime. Instead of trying three resolutions starting Jan 1, I try to create one new habit per month at maximum. So I might use January to stick to a sleep schedule, February to stick to that sleep schedule and incorporate strength exercises into each day (pause 2 times per day for pushups, crunches, lunges), and March to stick to a sleep schedule, incorporate strength exercises, and exchange the time I would be using a time-wasting website for reinvigorating a favorite hobby.

Reframe “I don’t have time.”  Every single one of us has the same amount of time – twenty-four hours each day. If I think to myself, “I don’t have time,” what I really mean is “I am not prioritizing my time for this.” So I try make my goal my top priority. If that goal is to be more active or cook more for myself at home or say yes to people, then I add that item to my daily planner first. Yes, there are other things in my life that I need to do – classes, work, etc. – but very few people are in class or at work every minute of their waking day. And if you are one of those rare folks, find a goal that you can do in those places (i.e. pause to take deep breaths every two hours, take the stairs whenever possible, pack a healthy lunch each day, etc.).

Be gentle. Even if I don’t end up achieving my goal for a full year or the rest of my life, if I enjoyed the attempt, it was worth it. My 14 days of pictures from last January still makes me smile, and the rare instances that I put my clothes away is one less time they are dumped on top of my dresser.

Do you have tips for sticking to your resolutions? Share them below – we love new ideas!

Stay Active, in the Warmth of the Indoors!

I hate being cold. I also hate that when it’s cold outside, I don’t exercise as much.

So, I’ve found ways to exercise in the warmth of home, without exercise equipment. Here are some ideas I’d like to share. You can make a full cardio workout out of these by combining activities and exercising at moderate intensity for 45-60 minutes.

1. Jumping Jacks: This classic exercise from your kindergarten class never grows old, and will definitely get your heart pumping.
2. Jump Rope: Find your little brother or sister’s jump rope and see how fast you can do it. See if you can crisscross or double hop. Or, set a timer and jump for 10 minutes straight. Make sure to wear good shoes to protect your feet and legs.
3. Burpees (or Squat Thrusts): These are classic whole-body exercises which involve quickly lowering into the push up position, pulling the feet in and then jumping up with arms raised. You can see an example here. These are pretty challenging, so do them at a pace that works for you.
4. Mountain climbers: In the push up position with chest directly above hands, arms shoulder width apart, and back flat, run with your feet as if climbing a mountain. You can see an example here.
5. Steps: Exercise up and down the stairs in your house by stepping up with one foot, then bringing the other up onto the same step. You may want to use just a few of the steps. Repeat leading with the other leg.
6. Wii or Kinect games: Many of these video games involve active participation. Kinect Adventures has a great obstacle course game that really gets your heart pumping, or you can try some of the sports games on the Wii.
7. Dancing: Dancing is a great way to exercise. You can go out with friends for a night on the town, or slip in Dance Central or Just Dance on the Wii or Kinect.

Physical activity will not only help you maintain a healthy weight during this season, it will also give you extra energy and relieve stress as your holiday to-do list grows. Don’t let the cold, ice or snow stop you from staying active. Give these in-home cardio exercises a try!

How To: Make Exercise Less Intimidating

 Exercise is an important part of wellness.  Taking a walk or perfecting a yoga position can relieve stress and help you stay in shape.  However, according to the 2010 National College Health Assessment, 46.7% of students meet the American College of Sports Medicine and American Heart Association recommendations for physical activity.   Fewer women (43.6%) than men (52.3%) meet the recommendations.

A hectic schedule or the monotony of a treadmill may discourage you from exercising.  However, complex machines and fit people around campus can be intimidating enough to make you skip a workout too.

Here are five tips to make exercise less intimidating. 

1)      Go to a group fitness class.  You can feel less self-conscious in group fitness classes because everyone is doing the same thing.  Classes can also help you become more comfortable with new exercises and equipment.

2)      Ask for help.  If you are uncertain about trying anything, ask for help.   Knowing how to use equipment may boost your confidence.  Campus Rec offers a FREE Fitness Orientation to all of the gym equipment and personal training for a fee.

3)      Refocus.  Do not focus on what you look like (except for correct form), what you want to look like, or what everyone else looks like.  Revert your attention to what you can do physically.

4)      Try a sport. Participate in a sport where you can focus on developing a skill or winning the game.  Plus, you will have teammates there to boost your confidence. Information about sports clubs at UNC can be found here.

5)      Take a friend.  Friends always make situations more comfortable.  Partner exercises with a medicine ball can make workouts more fun and reduce worry.

 Have a great workout!

Bike Commuting Made Fun!

The beginning of school is one of my favorite times of the year for many reasons: fresh starts, excellent potential and bike commuting. I notice when a new academic year begins, there are hundreds of people commuting to UNC by bicycle. It is so exciting for me to see so many people engaging in one of my favorite things! However, as we get further into the school year I start to notice that there are fewer and fewer bike commuters than started out in August and September. So here are some tips to keep bike commuting fun and easy.

Just because it’s free, doesn’t mean it’s good for you

As you may have seen either at FallFest or in the Daily Tarheel, Complete Nutrition, a national retailer of weight loss and nutritional supplements, distributed a possibly unsafe drug to students without informing them of the drug facts and side effects. A local franchise of Complete Nutrition purchased a table at FallFest and passed out various product samples. Some of you may have received a single pill in a plastic bag marked “EphedFx.” The medication was distributed with no other identifying information, ingredient or dosage information and no warning of the side effects of taking this drug, which are numerous.

So what is EphedFx? EphedFx is an over-the-counter supplement derived from the bitter orange plant and its supposed mechanism of action includes increasing the number of calories burned. It may possibly be effective as a topical oil to treat fungal skin infections such as athlete’s foot and ringworm. According to WebMD and the Mayo Clinic, however, there is insufficient evidence that ingestion of bitter orange can bring about weight loss. Still, Complete Nutrition claims that EphedFx “gives you the energy boost of Ephedrine without the negative side effects.”  WebMD states that the substance is possibly unsafe when used in medicinal amounts and that it can trigger migraines. When taken with caffeine (which is another active ingredient in EphedFx), there is an increased risk for high blood pressure, fainting, heart attack, stroke, and other severe side effects. EphedFx and other herbal supplements are not regulated by the FDA.

We hope that you are not in the habit of ingesting unknown medications that you receive in unmarked plastic baggies on the street. The bag was marked “EphedFx,” but it could have contained anything! If you did receive one of these pills, we want to make sure you have the facts about EphedFx. Please carefully review the facts, side effects and drug interactions of all supplements, over the counter and prescription medications before you take them. Being an informed and wise consumer will help you protect yourself from unsafe medications or drug interactions.

If you are concerned about your weight, interested in weight loss or are considering taking weight loss drugs, please talk first with a medical professional. Also, take some time to explore the nutrition resources available to you at UNC Counseling and Wellness Services. For example, we offer free nutrition education and general nutrition counseling for all full-time students who want more information about healthy eating strategies and/or help meeting nutritional goals. Just call 919-966-3658 to make an appointment today!

Sit Up Straight, Like Your Mama Told You

Recent research (some conducted right here at UNC!) has shown that sitting for long periods of time can be detrimental to your health, and that using laptops can cause wrist, shoulder and neck problems that can lead to headaches and other issues.  Studies also show that generally poor posture can be linked to chronic back pain and can cause long term spinal damage down the road.