What is Body Image?

What do you see when you look in the mirror? Do you see, objectively, a body with all of its parts, ready to show up and provide you with movement, safety, and comfort? Or, do you pick apart specific areas, desiring to be ‘more toned’, ‘leaner’, or ‘smaller’? These critiques may exist on autopilot, almost as if they’re involuntary; you’ve just become so used to looking at your body in this way. Maybe you’ve lived this way for so long, neglecting to celebrate your body and all it can do, that it feels too scary, like jumping into the deep end, to even consider changing the narrative. You’ve determined your food intake around what you see in the mirror, how your clothes fit, and what you’ve decided you’ve ‘earned’ for the day. Somehow, someway, your innate cues have been overlooked, and instead your eating behaviors have been dictated solely by what your eyes are seeing. Your grumbling stomach, your headache, your fatigue, your want to eat dessert; these have all been ignored to fit into a mold of perfection that does not actually exist. 

My name is Serena Pratt, and I’m a second year dietetics student at Columbia University obtaining a Masters in Nutrition Education. I have an undergraduate degree from the University of Miami in Exercise Physiology and Psychology. Additionally, I’m a former competitive figure skater, and was on Team USA for two years. I am pursuing a career in nutrition to help people heal their relationships with food, and I still struggle with body image. You might be thinking: ‘How can a dietitian-to-be struggle with her body image? Isn’t she the one who’s supposed to be helping me with my own?’ While I understand and know the ins and outs of food, metabolism, and the workings of the human body, my relationship with food and my body has been anything but positively linear. In fact, it took getting to this point in my education and self-development to finally unlearn everything I thought to be true about my body. In working with other dietitians and having conversations with other women in the wellness space, I’ve come to realize that most of us share the same thoughts and behaviors, and many of us actively work each day to combat the dialogue between our brain and our body. In fact, only recently have I understood the importance of going against the norms I have cultivated for the last ten years in order to appreciate the importance of treating my body with respect and love through food and movement. I’m here to inspire you to do the same and to tell you that healing is possible. 

But what even is body image, really? According to the Oxford Dictionary, body image is defined as the subjective picture or mental image of one's own body. The National Eating Disorder Collaboration furthers this: [body image is] a person's perception of their physical self and the thoughts and feelings, positive, negative or both. In simpler terms, body image is whatever you see when you’re looking at yourself through a mirror or in a photograph, in addition to your thoughts and emotions towards your own body. This means that your view and perception of yourself can be, and probably is, vastly different from another’s of you. Having a healthy body image goes well beyond what is reflected back to you in the mirror. It encompasses having and treating your body with compassion, as well as recognizing the strengths and qualities that make you unique that go well beyond weight, body size, or appearance; this includes your kindness, intellect, and ambition, just to name a few. Body image is highly correlated with self-esteem and self-confidence. When one is lacking, the others are, too. Ultimately, cultivating a safe and comfortable environment for your body goes beyond liking what you see in the mirror.  

It wouldn’t be fair to expect our brains to unlearn the way we have spoken to ourselves for years. It would be too easy to wake up one day and decide we love our body, with all its curves and facets, each person’s unique from the next. If this were possible, cultivating positivity around body image wouldn’t exist; everyone would be comfortable with the body they’re in. Instead, we know that unlearning and relearning takes awareness, time, effort, and consistent energy; creating and instilling confidence in our bodies and the way we see ourselves will be a lifelong journey. By changing our narratives and altering the way we speak to ourselves, we make it possible to once again respect the body we’re in. Every person deserves to feel comfortable, confident, happy, and trusting of his or her body, regardless of body shape or size.   

The first step to understanding the relationship you have with your body is to have awareness. This can be simply checking in with yourself and your habits. How many times a day are you body checking, whether it be in the mirror, looking at pictures, or physically touching,or pinching your body ? Practice observing your day to day habits, without any judgment. Over the course of a day or a few days, keep a log of the number of times you find yourself doing this. Remember, this is not an exercise that is meant to make you feel guilty or ashamed; it’s simply a method of gathering data and becoming aware of the amount of time and energy you likely subconsciously invest in these actions. Once you have a general idea of the number of times and places on your body that you’re judging more harshly, it’s important to arrive at the why. 

Simply put, the why of body image is telling of what situations or scenarios are associated with an increase in body checking or a dip in body image. For some, it might be a result of scrolling mindlessly on social media, comparing yourself to what is on the screen. For others, body image may hit a low point when getting ready for work, school, or to go out; the snug feel of jeans or a top that fits just a little bit different than last time may be enough to send you into a downward spiral. Essentially, low confidence in one’s body and the way it looks can happen anywhere, anytime. But, figuring out why this may happen for you is the first step to conquering and healing your body image, leading to a happier and more confident you. 

The next step is to take action by making small adjustments to your everyday routine. For example, unfollowing or doing a social media detox may sound cliche, but it can do wonders for self-confidence. Take the time to go through your feed or your following and ask yourself, ‘Does this person’s content make me feel good about myself?’ If not, consider unfollowing or muting them, creating a healthy boundary between you and the content you’re taking in. When putting on an outfit or trying on something new, step away from the mirror. This may seem counterintuitive, as we’ve become so accustomed to dressing to look good in pictures or to impress. But, have you ever worn an outfit just to be trendy or to take photos that left you feeling uncomfortable all day or night? Instead of basing your look off of what you see in the mirror, think about how you feel in it. Is it comfortable? Can you stand and sit with little to no resistance? Do you feel good wearing it? Then, it’s a go! 

It’s crucial to remember that body image stems from the brain, not from the body. We have become so accustomed to wanting to shrink ourselves, falling into diet culture, and ignoring our body’s cues; we’ve forgotten that we are born with the innate ability to listen and honor our hunger and fullness cues as well as trusting ourselves to know what and how much to eat. This hyperfixation on body size and shape has closed off the space to have an open conversation about the intuitiveness of food and how positively powerful both food and body autonomy can be. Our brain has become disconnected from the body we are in. This is exactly why intuitive eating is so important for creating a healthy body image: we’re listening to our body and giving it what it wants. We are no longer viewing body changes as a means of success, or as an “outcome.” We are replacing that with a way more powerful outcome, assessing how we feel is significantly more important and more health promoting than defining progress on the way we look. 

Our bodies are meant to be celebrated for all they do for us. From keeping our lungs breathing, our hearts beating, and our legs moving to helping us laugh, smile, and hug our loved ones, our bodies are worthy exactly how they are. However, it's also important to note that you are allowed to desire a physical change AND can pursue intuitive eating at the same time. The goal with intuitive eating is to reach a space where your worth is not correlated to your appearance. This means that your happiness is not dependent upon your body. Instead, intuitive eating focuses on respecting your body throughout the course of your life, and all of the changes that are truly inevitable. Achieving this can help you feel free. 

It takes constant effort and consistent coaching to adjust our brains to speak to us with gratitude, and it most likely will feel strange at first. However, our brains are like a muscle; with repetition and dedication, you will soon  respect your body.  By respecting and continuing to nourish our bodies each day, we create the ability to show up and to be the best version of ourselves that we can possibly be. Just please know that no one is immune to body image struggles, and your struggles are valid. Please feel free to reach out to our team if you are unsure of next steps towards your healing journey. HSH is here to support you!

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Written by Serena Pratt

Hi, I’m Serena! I’m a first year grad student at Columbia University studying Nutrition. I’m a former figure skater for Team USA, and because of that, I’ve had my own struggles relating to my complex relationship with food. Learning about nutrition has helped me to understand more about my personal journey, but has also led me to wanting to help others who may feel the same way! I’ve since learned how to listen to my body, can enjoy foods again, and am excited to share with and guide others in doing the same. 

Learn more about me and the HSH offerings here.