That's Fit

A little inspiration can go a long way. Duke University researchers put the old adage to test when they gave a book with a weight-management storyline to overweight girls. The girls -- ranging from age nine to 13 -- who read the book were slightly more successful at managing their weight than girls who didn't read the book.

The book, Lake Rescue, is part of the Beacon Street Girls series. In the book, a girl is concerned about going on an outdoor school trip. During the trip, however, she builds self-esteem and learns about appropriate levels of physical activity.

Though the weight loss results for those who read the book may have only been slightly better than for those who didn't read it, any small improvement is beneficial in my opinion. Positive inspiration is so important -- especially for young girls who are confronted with unrealistically thin actors, unattainable (air-brushed) perfection on magazine pages, and other images that are potentially damaging to their self-esteem every day.

Martha recently posted about whether or not parents should be notified if their children are overweight. A recent user question on Momtourage shows that some doctors are doing just that. ... and I think it's a good thing. The parent asking the question is wondering if they should even be concerned that their child is overweight because they feel that their child is active and happy.

Some children are clearly, unmistakably overweight. But for other kids, it isn't always easy to tell. After all, kids go through growth spurts and they grow at different rates. But if a medical professional expresses that your child is indeed overweight, it's time to take action.

As parents, there are many things you can do to help your child live a healthy lifestyle and maintain an appropriate weight.

I recently wrote a post about writing a love letter to your body. When I look in the mirror, I tend to notice my flaws more than anything else. But there are things I love about my body, too. This is a letter to just one of those positive parts.

Dear calves,

You used to be your average, run-of-the-mill calves, didn't you? But then I started cheerleading in high school and I gave you workouts like you probably never imagined. By senior year, you had developed into rock-hard muscles. I didn't appreciate you back then. I thought you had gotten a little blown out of proportion, so to speak. I hope you can forgive me for that. I was only 16 at the time and I was quite vain.

Here we are, more years later than I'd care to admit. And no matter how our workout routine has changed, you've kept the same rock-hard appearance. It's as if you expect me to put on my old cheerleading skirt and go to the Friday night football game. (Sorry to disappoint, but that's NOT happening.)

You're by far the strongest muscles in my body. You enable me to kick soccer goals that even impress my son. While my other muscles might ache after exercise, you never seem to complain. You're ready to tackle any activity, ready to take on any sport ... and I appreciate your go-get-'em attitude.

Thanks for hanging tough even during those times when I don't give you all the exercise you crave.

Maggie

I was browsing through Divine Caroline and I found this article -- Love Letter to My Right Bicep. I think it's silly and fun, but it's also a great idea.

What part of your body do you just love? Sure, we all have flaws that we tend to zero in on. But rather than focusing on the negative, take a glass-half-full perspective and focus on everything that's awesome about your body.

Do you actually have to write yourself a love letter? It's up to you ... but why not? It's a perfect exercise to remind yourself of what's good, toned, strong, and healthy about your body. It's a positive and affirming way to view yourself. And maybe it will give you some inspiration to keep exercising and strengthening the areas you aren't so thrilled with.

It's hard to believe that the girl who claimed nothing came between her and her Calvins has anything to worry about body-wise, isn't it? But 20+ years and two kids later, Brooke Shields admits that she has insecurities... just like most of us do. The Lipstick Jungle actress dishes about fitness, confidence, and happiness in the October issue of Shape Magazine.

Body image can affect your health both physically and emotionally. When you strive for an unrealistic goal -- a size your body isn't meant to be or to imitate some picture in a magazine -- you can set yourself up for disappointment. Letting your body image come from any external source is looking at yourself from the wrong perspective. Instead of focusing on any perceived flaws and aiming for unnatural goals, look to fitness and nutrition for one purpose and one purpose only. Health.

When you keep your body fit and strong and nourished with healthful foods, you'll feel the difference in your mood and your energy. Learn to love your body for all the amazing things it does.

It was back-to-school for New York students this week, but there was a new policy in place. This year, a new policy went into effect, and students are being weighed as part of their health certificate. The data will enable health officials to map childhood overweight and obesity trends based on location.

There are 12 other states -- Arkansas, California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia -- with some form of student BMI reporting.

As a parent, I'm not overtly opposed to it. In fact, I remember getting weighed in gym class and during all of my physicals in order to play school sports. I do have a couple of concerns, though. I would hope that student privacy is maintained and their weight isn't being taken in a line where all the kids could see the number on the scale. I would also hope that health and a positive body image is being promoted -- the self esteem of children can be a fragile thing and I hope it's being protected.

Do you avoid the camera's lens? Do you avert your eyes when you walk past a full-length mirror? It's time to take a look and learn to love what you see.

Jennifer Love Hewitt has dropped 18 pounds and she looks great. She says she feels great and that her energy level has increased, so that's obviously a good thing. And I'm certainly not against anyone shedding a few pounds if it improves their health and makes them feel good. But, I have to admit, I'm a bit disappointed.

Late last year, Hewitt was totally lambasted by the media for some less-than-flattering photos of her in a bikini. Whether you, I, or the paparazzi think she needed to lose any weight then is immaterial. Her response to all the bikini-related press was, in my opinion, nothing short of beautiful. Hewitt said "I've sat by in silence for a long time now about the way women's bodies are constantly scrutinized. To set the record straight, I'm not upset for me, but for all of the girls out there that are struggling with their body image." She appeared confident and happy with her appearance. I thought she really set a great example for being healthy and confident with your body -- even if you have some flaws.

Hewitt said "If I do work out more it will be for my health." I sincerely hope that her health was the only motivation for her current weight loss and that media pressure or any insecurities that developed as a result of it had nothing to do with it.

My son is starting soccer practice soon, and I can't wait. Last season, he had so much fun... and I did, too. Parents aren't required to stay at practices, but I attended every one. I think it was good for my son, because I got to observe the drills and skills the coach was teaching the kids. Then, my son and I practiced them at home. It's end up being extra practice for my son and great exercise for me!

Tournaments and games were fun, too. I loved seeing my son work so hard and excel at a sport. It's such a positive environment to encourage his love of sports, work on social skills, and bolster his self-esteem. And I had fun getting to know all the other parents and cheering on our team.

But, except for in the younger set, soccer doesn't have quite the following that other sports have in the US. Caught Offside lists seven reasons that Americans should learn to love soccer.

We've all heard the old "Men are from Mars..." saying. While we certainly aren't planets apart there are some critical differences in the way most men and women express their needs and in what their needs actually are. There's nowhere where those differences can be more apparent than in the bedroom.

Today interviewed two top sex experts, author Ian Kerner and iVillage correspondent Tracey Cox , to come up with a list of mistakes men and women make when it comes to sex:

• Women don't understand why men don't like to cuddle. The two experts disagreed on this, but I'm going to side with the guy who said that most men want to crash after sex, where most women want to connect and cuddle. Guys? Want to weigh in with your opinion on this one?
  

Have you taken a peek at our Summer Slimdown Guide yet? It's full of tips for a healthy and fit summer. We didn't forget (and we hope you don't either) that losing weight isn't just a numbers game. For many people, a lack of self-confidence is a contributing factor to weight gain. When you don't feel good about yourself, you're less likely to take care of yourself and, in time, extra pounds can creep up on you.

Taking care of your health -- both physically and emotionally -- is important. When you care for your own well-being, you're better able to manage your life effectively and energetically and you're better able to care for your loved ones. If your self-esteem could use a little boost, try some of these ideas:

• Meditate. Taking a few moments each day to re-center will help you to feel better about yourself.
  
• Pamper yourself. Schedule periodic "pampering" treatments -- get a facial or a massage, visit a spa, or get a pedicure.
  
• Associate with supportive friends. Spend time with those who make you laugh, those you can count on for support, and who love you unconditionally.
  
• Live healthfully. Eating right and exercising don't only improve the health of your body, they improve your mind and spirit as well.
  
• Do something for others. Put yourself and your needs aside occasionally and do something for others -- it's amazing how focusing on someone else's needs can give your self-confidence a huge boost.

Check out the gallery for more info. And be sure to read through the Summer Slimdown Guide -- it's chock full of tips to help you finish the summer season in style.

Saturday morning, my son accidentally put a deep, four-inch scratch in my new car. Instead of being that cool, calm mom that I've always wanted to be, I flipped out a little bit. From that moment on, I was in a bad mood all weekend. I was a grump with a capital G. Thankfully, I shook my bad mood and I'm back to normal this morning. (Good thing, too, because this morning my son used an Allen wrench to knock about 30 dents into the molding on our staircase. I swear to goodness, destruction is my son's middle name).

If you're anything like me, stress and other day-to-day occurrences play a big role in your mood. But there a lot of things you can do to help boost your mood:

• Be thankful. Spend some time thinking about the good things in your life. Maybe even write a list of all the people and things you have to be happy about.
• Try something new. Have you been wanting to take guitar lessons? Don't put it off until life is less hectic. Whether you want to join a sports team, learn to play an instrument, take cooking classes, or join a book club -- don't put it off. Trying something new can actually improve your mood and help you better deal with life's stressors.

The Dove Campaign For Real Beauty has been based upon the idea that, while our bodies might have flaws (real or perceived), we're all beautiful. It's a good message, and they're looking to boost the self-esteem of females of all ages, starting with young girls. I'm all for it -- it's important that women realize that they don't need to be able to trade clothes with their favorite actress or be stalked by paparazzi in order to be beautiful.

However, some discussion has recently surfaced saying that the women in the Real Beauty ads were retouched. Premiere retoucher, Pascal Dangin, told The New Yorker that there was a great deal of retouching done on those ads, "But it was great to do, a challenge, to keep everyone's skin and faces showing the mileage but not looking unattractive."

What do you think about this development? I can't say I'm surprised -- I appreciate the fact that Dove still used women of different shapes and sizes. I mean, these are regular women being photographed and filmed in their undies! I can't say I would object to a little digital help were I in their position. But, others feel that it destroys the message -- they're not showing "real" beauty if there's retouching. What do you think?

Years ago, when I was a slightly chubby pre-pubescent, I met the deaf sister of the friend. She signed 'hello', looked me over and then said something in sign language to my friend that I didn't understand. After a but of prodding, my friend fessed up; 'I didn't want to tell you this, but she said you'd be really pretty if you lost weight.' Ouch, huh? A few years later, I grew tall in a hurry and lost the baby fat--and then some. I was eating pretty sparingly at the time and while I didn't have an eating disorder, I probably wasn't far off. And I'm sure the comment didn't help -- I'm over it now but I have to admit, I sometimes still think about it as I eye myself up in the dressing room mirrors.

A while ago, I asked if it was better to be honestly blunt when it comes to talking about someone's weight. The results were pretty clear -- being blunt is better than being sweet (and fake.) But there are limits. Think about what you're saying -- it can make a lasting impression on someone's self confidence. Here are some tips:

Did anyone watch the premiere of the new reality show How to Look Good Naked on Lifetime? I didn't, but after reading this article, I'm intrigued. Rather than focusing on diet and exercise, as one might expect, the show narrows in on the negative feelings women have surrounding their body and works to reverse them. In the end, participants in the show aren't a bit lighter or fitter, but hopefully have learned to appreciate themselves in a different light.

Though I know a healthy diet and regular fitness routine are important for good health, I think a little dose of self-esteem is never a bad thing. I may have to tune in next week, just to see what it's all about. What do you think?