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Is your club/sport organization
effectively promoting positive body image among
your athletes and coaches? We would love to hear
from you!! Share your ideas by writing to us at
general@bodysense.ca
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What is positive body image?
When BodySense asked athletes, parents,
and coaches to describe an athlete with a positive body
image, these are some of the attributes they came up
with:
- Wears clothes that she is comfortable in
- Speaks positively about himself and his body
- Doesn't put others down
- Says how she is feeling
- Loves all food and eats without feeling guilty
- Compares herself to herself and not to others
- Doesn't change himself for others' approval
- Smiles a lot and makes eye contact
- Does things she loves outside of her sport
- Speaks out about things that bug him
- Eats as much as she wants
- Expresses her emotions
- Listens well
- Doesn't take things personally
6 easy ways
athletes can help themselves and others develop positive
body image:
1. Get the Facts
Seek up-to-date, accurate information
from RELIABLE sources about body health, food, and self-esteem
specific to athletes your age and in your sport.
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Read up to date
books, pamphlets, and Internet sites available
in your sport environment on the topics of positive
body image, nutrition, and disordered eating.
You have already started by browsing the BodySense
website!! J For more dependable information check
out our resource page! Share these resources with
your coach and fellow athletes
Advocate for and attend presentations of experts
who are invited to your sport environment to deliver
positive messages and answer questions about nutrition,
body image, competition, body composition, and
performance.
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2. Have a Positive Approach
to Food
Eat for enjoyment, satisfaction and
to fuel your body for sport AND resist pressures to
change your natural body size. Your body knows what
it needs – learn to listen to it!
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Say “Yes!”
to eating food in all food groups in accordance
with Canada’s Food Guide and “No!”
to restricting foods or dieting to change your
body weight and shape.
Ensure that there is time and a place for you
as an athlete to eat and drink fluids. Have energy-packed
food and drinks available in your gym bag. Ask
your coach for time and a place to snack if it
does not exist.
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3. Practice Positive Sport
Participate in sport and physical
activity for fun, challenge, and a love of movement
while respecting the abilities and limitations of your
body. Remember that your body will gain weight, grow,
and change during puberty; this is normal, natural and
healthy!
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Write a detailed
description of what it looks, sounds and feels
like when you are having the most fun in your
sport. Share this list with your coach and use
these items to come up with a plan for your training
and competition schedule.
If you are tired, sick or injured talk to your
coach or parent about modifying your workout session.
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4. Develop a Positive Sense
of Self
Know who you are and find lots of
ways to feel really good about being YOU!!!
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Celebrate positive
qualities of who you are rather than how you perform,
or what you look like. Accept compliments about
who you are as gifts and believe them –
when giving compliments talk about who the person
is NOT what they look like!
Develop a "Language of Self" by collecting
words and attributes that describe your personal
qualities. ie. creative, funny, trustworthy etc.
Write these attributes on a poster, your mirror,
or sticky notes on the wall of your room. Read
them and add to them daily. Challenge yourself
and your friends to come up with new words.
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5. Speak Up
Know your OWN values, needs and goals
and expect to get support from your parents, coaches,
and friends when you speak up.
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Be aware that negative
comments have the power to impact an athlete for
life – speak up to someone who comments
negatively on your body or asks you to change
it in ways that are not healthful or natural.
Have a zero tolerance for teasing and discrimination,
including body size discrimination. When you hear
someone making teasing comments ask them not to.
Speak positively about bodies, food, weight, and
shape.
Ask the administration in your sport environment
to make a variety of body sizes visible (in sport
photos for example.)
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6. Dealing with Stress
/ Finding Balance
Find healthy ways to deal with stress.
Have activities that you enjoy doing outside of sport.
When you need a break, take it! You deserve it!
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Make a list of activities
outside of sport that you like or would like to
try – spend some time doing these things.
Know the warning signs of negative body image
and disordered eating and use individual and confidential
help available for athletes if you need it.
Remember that skills learned in one sport can
be applied to other sports as well as other areas
of life.
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For more information on “Developing
a Positive Body Image” see the Athletes’
Section.
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Is your club/sport organization
effectively promoting positive body image among
your athletes and coaches? We would love to hear
from you!! Share your ideas by writing to us at
general@bodysense.ca
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