“I feel so fat!” This is an all too common refrain, particularly among teen girls and women, when talking about their bodies. In our culture, girls and women are judged upon their appearance and their worth is often implicitly determined by their perceived attractiveness. Girls learn very early on that being fat is bad. A study conducted in 2015 found most girls start dieting by the age of 8. In a culture that places more value on our appearance, rather than the quality of our hearts and minds, and what we are able to accomplish, it isn’t surprising that some 97 percent of women have negative body image.
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I remember the first time I heard the word “diet.” I was about 7 years old. We had just had lunch with my mother and my grandparents at a local sandwich shop. After the meal, my brother and I were treated to “The Big Chipper” -- a humongous chocolate chip cookie. I remember sitting in the back seat of my grandparent’s Chevy Surburban happily enjoying my cookie, as it was pretty rare for us to go out to eat in those days, let alone get dessert. I was chewing away, swinging my feet to the music when all of a sudden I became aware that the adults were talking about me. My mother turned in her seat to look at me and said: “You are going on a diet!”
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AuthorDr. Kim Guarascio, PhD is a New York State Licensed Psychologist who has been providing treatment for teens, young adults and adults for nearly 20 years in Central New York. The focus of her professional career has been centered on the empowerment of women, particularly those who have experienced trauma and abuse. Archives
November 2023
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