Body image problems are often passed down in families.
If mum’s concerned about her weight and if there are siblings who are dieting, then younger children are also likely to be concerned about shape and weight. There’s some sort of transmission in the family. Research shows that, from an early age, children link being fat with being unintelligent, doing badly at school, being lazy and smelly and less liked by parents. In contrast, skinny shapes are associated with being successful and attractive and having lots of friends.
Women in higher social classes are the most dissatisfied with their sizes and shapes, while men have for the most part escaped an idea of the ideal shape. Exposure to images of successful, thin actresses, models, and other celebrities from an early age is widely blamed for our growing dissatisfaction with our bodies.
While children may have traditionally been unselfconscious about their appearance, society’s preoccupation with the perfect body has resulted in Western children being dissatisfied with their bodies. Parents need to guard vulnerable children from this worship of the beanpole celebrity image. Many fashion models are actually clinically underweight.
Get Fit and Healthy
Eat two healthy fruit snacks during the day instead of sweets or biscuits.
Why? Fresh fruit provides a source of energy, as well as vitamins, minerals, and protective nutrients. They are also a good source of fibre. Bananas are the ultimate, healthy snack.
How? Buy a selection of fruit and take it with you as a snack for work or school. When you feel like a snack, have a piece of fruit.
Recipe of the Week
Machhi Kali Mirch
Serves 6
Ingredients
680 g fish fillets
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. turmeric
3/4 tsp. cumin powder
3/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp. oil
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Method
Place fish fillets in a bowl, sprinkle with salt, turmeric, cumin, black pepper and garlic, tossing to coat well. Cover and marinate for 20 minutes at room temperature or longer in the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 200°C. Coat the bottom of baking dish with the oil. Place the fish in a single layer and pour the marinade over it. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes. The fish should be firm to the touch. Fish is done when it easily flakes with a fork. Sprinkle with lemon juice.
Exercise Tip
Stretching
Stretching is a very important part of exercising and one that many people often forego. Stretching for a few minutes before and after your exercise routine will keep your body healthier and more active. When you begin your workout, your muscles are “cold” or tight. Jumping right into your activity can cause severe injuries and keep you out of the game for days, weeks, or even months. Just by spending a few minutes limbering up, you can protect your muscles and become stronger and more flexible.
Ask Alva
I am a 16-year-old girl. I am 5 feet 2 inches tall and I weigh 55 kilos. I think I am definitely over weight and I want to lose all this excess fat that I have. I eat lots of salad and fruits and I don’t eat rice much, maybe just once a week. I drink lots of water. I do at least 1/2 an hour of dancing as exercise daily, but still I do not lose weight. And also first thing in the morning, I have a warm glass of water, to flush out my toxins. And I keep on sipping warm water throughout the day. So even after doing all this, nothing has worked. And believe me, I do not have sweets, sodas or any junk food. So please help! Mita
You have a BMI of 21, which means that your weight is normal. You are definitely not overweight. Make sure that you have a healthy breakfast and you should also have rice or some other carbohydrates such as potatoes or pasta every day for energy. Check that there is not too much oil in the cooking of your food. You do seem to be eating a very healthy diet and doing plenty of exercise. You can also email for a free copy of my Healthy Eating Guide to [email protected]. Alva
For all your weight concerns and questions e-mail Alva Carpenter at:
Selected letters will be replied to in this column.
