Dealing with the Media Impact on Self-Esteem for Healthy and Sustainable Weight Loss

What does your body look like? Chances are that you have at least a few imperfections that worry you and prevent you from accepting and loving your body.

According to a 2014 report, nearly 10 million women in the UK experience anxiety and depression because of their looks. One in every four women has refrained from enjoying an intimate relationship because of her appearance. Nearly 25 per cent of the women questioned reported that worries about appearance have prevented them from pursuing a job.

What's even more troublesome - 36 per cent of the women questioned said that they don't exercise because of worries about appearance and being mocked at the gym.

Media set impossible beauty and fitness standards. The vast majority of women could never get close to those unattainable images of perfection. Impossible body image portrayal is also standing in the way of successful weight loss by affecting self-perception and self-confidence.

The Media Influence on Body Image

Media have impact on all women - from young and impressionable teenagers to senior ladies. One thing is certain - we don't look like celebrities and the highly manipulated images make people feel completely inadequate in their skin.

Magazines, movies, music clips and websites all present unrealistic perfection. Needless to say, a lot of this perfection stems from image processing but the pictures are incredibly powerful and influential. Being fit and healthy is equalised to being skinny, an equation that is harmful but that more and more people are starting to embrace.

The impact of this false perfection can be detrimental.

Since 2008, the pressure to look perfect has increased the number of cosmetic surgeries performed by nearly 20 per cent, BBC reports.

The problem is particularly troubling among younger women. According to research presented in Paediatrics and Child Health, there's a positive association between being exposed to fashion or beauty magazines and an increased risk of suffering from an eating disorder. The link is particularly strong for women aged 19 or younger.

Positive Body Image for Successful Weight Loss

Successful and sustainable weight loss should be about health rather than unattainable beauty ideals. It requires a change of mindset, which can be particularly difficult to accomplish. Comparing ourselves to others is a normal part of human nature and breaking out of the vicious media cycle requires conscious effort and strength.

Take a look around you - how many models do you see walking around? Regular women have curves, cellulite, stretch marks, dark spots and other imperfections. It's crucial to understand that you're comparing yourself to something that doesn't exist.

Weight loss hypnosis could be particularly beneficial for accepting your body and feeling happy with its appearance. The sub-conscious mind will have to be re-educated for the purpose and the goal can be accomplished through hypnotherapy for weight loss.

Through weight loss hypnosis, you'll get to build a deep confidence, embrace healthier habits and recognise the true needs of your body (rather than starve yourself or push your body to the extreme in the gym. By helping you adopt healthier habits and accept your body, hypnotherapy for weight loss will lead to a major life change that will make your transformation sustainable in the long run.

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