Maintaining a healthy lifestyle plays an integral role in maintaining a healthy body image. Finding the right program can begin by talking to a professional.
The National Eating Disorder Association tells women to focus on holistic health, which means taking care of the body by recognizing and maintaining its genetic makeup, said Susie Roman of the National Eating Disorder Association.
Even though the dieting industry brings in $40 million per year, The National Eating Disorder Association notes that when a person goes on a diet, without seeking consultation, it can often lead to an eating disorder. Having a holistic lifestyle leads to a healthy body image which leads a healthy mind and body, said Roman.
Emerson College Dietician Robyn Kievit said she agrees dieting is not healthy. One of Kievit's most effective approaches to dealing with body image issues and eating disorders is to first build trust with her clients and then together they set up a vision by writing goals for how the client wants to see themselves in terms of their health.
The list is written from the standpoint of taking action, said Kievit. She said it is about how they want to feel every day. It is a list of affirmations. "For example it would read something like, 'I want to eat healthy by having this food and this drink' and 'I want to think of myself as a strong, confident, beautiful woman,''" said Kievit. She advises clients to "use the adjectives you want to be and think it until you make it."
Kievit noted she does not write down anything the client does not agree to because these goals should be what they want to obtain.
"It's important to make a list they can accomplish so success breeds more success," Kievit said. "Then they start to feel good about themselves and the self-esteem and body image will change."
Dietician Jeanne Keeler agreed college women should make lifestyle changes to maintain overall wellness, but it is not necessarily dependent on genetics.
With the rise of obesity and diabetes in the country, college women should be aware of undesirable weight gain that can be associated with the college years, said Keeler.
"College students should have orientation programs and wellness centers on campus to inform students that excess soda, alcoholic beverages, coffee drinks and late-night fast foods will lead to undesirable weight gain," said Keeler. "The focus should be on lifestyle and eating and drinking foods in moderation."
Keeler also emphasizes exercise and says dieting is okay if it is a medically sound program focusing on portion control.
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