photos vs mirror images

Carol, I've found only two references so far. I'll let you know if I
find anything else. (I find this to be a fascinating topic!)

Anita B.

from http://www.annecollins.com/weight_he...ody-image.html
Positive Distortion of Body Image
Ironically, obese and overweight children who don't care how they look
may be able to provide some clues to helping those whose
dissatisfaction about their body makes their life a misery. Some
overweight children are remarkably resilient to society's current
obsession with thin, well toned bodies. They may blame their weight
problem on factors beyond their control or they may discount its
importance. Their perception of their size and shape may be distorted
so they think they are thinner than they are. Helping vulnerable
children to develop similar coping skills may make them more resilient
to society's pressures to be thin.

from http://www.sirc.org/publik/mirror.html
Men looking in the mirror are more likely to be either pleased with
what they see or indifferent. Research shows that men generally have a
much more positive body-image than women - if anything, they may tend
to over-estimate their attractiveness. Some men looking in the mirror
may literally not see the flaws in their appearance.


"Carol in NC" wrote in message ...
Thanks Anita,

I'll be happy to see anything you come up with on google.

"Brenda Hammond" wrote in message
...

"Carol in NC" wrote in message
. ..


--
"Diane" wrote in message
. ..
Watch out for your own body perceptions. When I was a teenager I
thought
I
was fat and unattractive (although I look back at pictures and can't
see
how
I thought that).

I also thought I was very overweight as a teenager, even though I
weighed
between 140-150 and am 5'9". I compared myself to other girl's
"numbers"
and mine was higher. Also, my father constantly told me I needed to
lose
weight, and I listened to him, unfortunately.

I thought I was overweight as a teenager too, 135 lbs and almost 5'8,
definitely wasn't overweight! I think it is pretty common for
teenagers/young women to think that. I know two right now that think they
are overweight, when they are actually anorexic and have been medically
diagnosed as such.

It is sad that programming makes young girls so obsessive about weights.
(and their mothers help too, I'm afraid.) I try, all the time, to remind my
daughter that she is tall and will weigh a little more than her short
friends and still be slim. She's almost 14 and is so slim and fit. She
sees me fighting my weight, though, so I know it has had an impact on her.

At the moment her biggest complaint about my diet is that I want to eat
brown rice and spinach. She has nicely requested that we don't have them at
the same meal. LOL



Also, it has been pointed out to be my a good friend who is a graphic
artist
that photographs are NOT always accurate reflections of what we look
like.
For example, if a person is photographed sitting sideways, their arms
are
going to look larger in proportion to their body than they really are.
Lighting, perspective, and the quality of the camera lens can all
effect
the
images we see in photographs.

I've noticed that a lot. I once had a photo taken where I was sitting
knees
forward and leaning back on a sofa. My legs looked HUGE. Haven't
adopted
that pose again. g


Besides, there is so much more to beauty than you can see in a
photograph.
Please give yourself a break. Try to look at yourself through the
eyes
of
others. You might find that you are more attractive than you "look"
in
those photos. And if you're still determined to use a photo to
determine
if
you're attractive, go out and get a professional photo taken. Even if
it
isn't a glamour shot, they'll make sure your photo is taken in a
flattering
pose and lighting.

I'm not actually using the photos to determine if I'm attractive. I use
them to study the progress I've made since the beginning. I use my
clothes
and the image I study in the mirror to see how I perceive myself. I
know
others found me very attractive, even at my heaviest, because I've
always
tried to be very kind and loving, and that is what they see, no matter
how
fat I got. I'm my harshest critic. I've had years of programming from
those who supposedly loved me. I'm just now starting to make some
decisions
for myself about this. (a little late at 54, but better late than
never,
they say.

Carol

message om...
Carol, I've found only two references so far. I'll let you know if I
find anything else. (I find this to be a fascinating topic!)

Anita B.

Keep us informed, Anita. These two were very interesting...I've included
some comments below.

Carol

from http://www.annecollins.com/weight_he...ody-image.html
Positive Distortion of Body Image
Ironically, obese and overweight children who don't care how they look
may be able to provide some clues to helping those whose
dissatisfaction about their body makes their life a misery. Some
overweight children are remarkably resilient to society's current
obsession with thin, well toned bodies. They may blame their weight
problem on factors beyond their control or they may discount its
importance. Their perception of their size and shape may be distorted
so they think they are thinner than they are. Helping vulnerable
children to develop similar coping skills may make them more resilient
to society's pressures to be thin.

A lot of people have confused body images, it seems. I had NO idea how
large I looked when I started. That's one reason my photo after almost 70
pounds shocked me. I thought that was about how I looked when I began WW.
So many people only look at their head in the mirror. I find it's important
to look at (even study) your WHOLE image, and also to look at pictures of
yourself in relation to normal weight people. A picture of yourself alone
doesn't show what a picture of you with another person does. Sadly, most
obese people avoid cameras like the plague.

from http://www.sirc.org/publik/mirror.html
Men looking in the mirror are more likely to be either pleased with
what they see or indifferent. Research shows that men generally have a
much more positive body-image than women - if anything, they may tend
to over-estimate their attractiveness. Some men looking in the mirror
may literally not see the flaws in their appearance.

NOT going to touch that one. LOL.


"Carol in NC" wrote in message
...
Thanks Anita,

I'll be happy to see anything you come up with on google.

On Thu, 16 Oct 2003 11:31:38 GMT, "Carol in NC"
wrote:



message om...
Carol, I've found only two references so far. I'll let you know if I
find anything else. (I find this to be a fascinating topic!)

Anita B.

Keep us informed, Anita. These two were very interesting...I've included
some comments below.

Carol

from http://www.annecollins.com/weight_he...ody-image.html
Positive Distortion of Body Image
Ironically, obese and overweight children who don't care how they look
may be able to provide some clues to helping those whose
dissatisfaction about their body makes their life a misery. Some
overweight children are remarkably resilient to society's current
obsession with thin, well toned bodies. They may blame their weight
problem on factors beyond their control or they may discount its
importance. Their perception of their size and shape may be distorted
so they think they are thinner than they are. Helping vulnerable
children to develop similar coping skills may make them more resilient
to society's pressures to be thin.

A lot of people have confused body images, it seems. I had NO idea how
large I looked when I started. That's one reason my photo after almost 70
pounds shocked me. I thought that was about how I looked when I began WW.
So many people only look at their head in the mirror. I find it's important
to look at (even study) your WHOLE image, and also to look at pictures of
yourself in relation to normal weight people. A picture of yourself alone
doesn't show what a picture of you with another person does. Sadly, most
obese people avoid cameras like the plague.

from http://www.sirc.org/publik/mirror.html
Men looking in the mirror are more likely to be either pleased with
what they see or indifferent. Research shows that men generally have a
much more positive body-image than women - if anything, they may tend
to over-estimate their attractiveness. Some men looking in the mirror
may literally not see the flaws in their appearance.

NOT going to touch that one. LOL.

Frankly, I think it was my physical unfitness that dawned on me first
- I was really laboring up the trails and declining to go with
friends, preferring to go myself at my much slower pace. It was only
the last few months of being quite overweight where I started seeing
myself in a mirror and shop window where I did not quite recognize
myself. It was the week before I joined WW where I was at a
conference motel and exiting the shower which faced a full-length
mirror. Came the dawn!!!!!!!! That and there was a guy and his wife
who were doing WW attending the conference.


"Carol in NC" wrote in message
m...
Thanks Anita,

I'll be happy to see anything you come up with on google.

"Fred" wrote in message
...


On Thu, 16 Oct 2003 11:31:38 GMT, "Carol in NC"
wrote:



message om...
Carol, I've found only two references so far. I'll let you know if I
find anything else. (I find this to be a fascinating topic!)

Anita B.

Keep us informed, Anita. These two were very interesting...I've included
some comments below.

Carol

from http://www.annecollins.com/weight_he...ody-image.html
Positive Distortion of Body Image
Ironically, obese and overweight children who don't care how they look
may be able to provide some clues to helping those whose
dissatisfaction about their body makes their life a misery. Some
overweight children are remarkably resilient to society's current
obsession with thin, well toned bodies. They may blame their weight
problem on factors beyond their control or they may discount its
importance. Their perception of their size and shape may be distorted
so they think they are thinner than they are. Helping vulnerable
children to develop similar coping skills may make them more resilient
to society's pressures to be thin.

A lot of people have confused body images, it seems. I had NO idea how
large I looked when I started. That's one reason my photo after almost
70
pounds shocked me. I thought that was about how I looked when I began
WW.
So many people only look at their head in the mirror. I find it's
important
to look at (even study) your WHOLE image, and also to look at pictures of
yourself in relation to normal weight people. A picture of yourself
alone
doesn't show what a picture of you with another person does. Sadly, most
obese people avoid cameras like the plague.

from http://www.sirc.org/publik/mirror.html
Men looking in the mirror are more likely to be either pleased with
what they see or indifferent. Research shows that men generally have a
much more positive body-image than women - if anything, they may tend
to over-estimate their attractiveness. Some men looking in the mirror
may literally not see the flaws in their appearance.

NOT going to touch that one. LOL.

Frankly, I think it was my physical unfitness that dawned on me first
- I was really laboring up the trails and declining to go with
friends, preferring to go myself at my much slower pace. It was only
the last few months of being quite overweight where I started seeing
myself in a mirror and shop window where I did not quite recognize
myself. It was the week before I joined WW where I was at a
conference motel and exiting the shower which faced a full-length
mirror. Came the dawn!!!!!!!! That and there was a guy and his wife
who were doing WW attending the conference.

Everyone has their own awakening. Mine was also the tremendous unfitness
that I was starting to feel. I've always been one of those people who kept
saying that I didn't seem hampered by the extra weight. I've come to
realize that I had just basically slowed down in all aspects and that's why
it never seemed to be a problem.

We took a trip to Busch Gardens, a year ago, where I had an embarassing
moment of not fitting into the roller coaster seat. I also had to leave the
park and go back to the motel 1/2 way through the day and rest (because I
was so tired) while my husband and daughter continued their excursions.
(Contrasted to me walking 22 miles in three days last week at Disney and not
feeling too tired. YAY!!) Basically, I went into a different mind set that
day, although it took me a couple more months to actually start cutting
down.

I'll always be thankful for not fitting into that roller coaster seat. It
was rock bottom for me.

Carol
.................................................. ...........
318/248.6/169
69.4 lost since December 2002
I am a slim person in process.
.................................................. .............



"Carol in NC" wrote in message
m...
Thanks Anita,

I'll be happy to see anything you come up with on google.