As I was heading into the uptown F train this morning, I grabbed one of those free papers that are being handed out…
If you know me, you know this is RARE.
But there was a cover story that caught my eye.
Today’s Metro NY paper has a story on how reality TV (which, by the way, is not real at all) erode
women’s confidence and body image.
The first thing I thought to myself was: ‘Is this news?”
Is this like the ‘reports’ that come out saying children who play video games have poor communication and social skills?
Isn’t this stuff obvious?
Do people really not know this?
Now I can understand the recent news exposing the hidden amphetamines in fat burners and diet drinks – that’s shocking news for many people.
But reality TV? Come on.
Does anyone think that these shows are actually real?
The recent USC study that prompted this story brought up some interesting facts. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery:
- The number of 18-year-olds who underwent breast-implant surgery nearly tripled from 2002 to 2003.
- There has been a 444% increase in plastic surgery since 1997.
- Over 90% of all plastic surgery is performed on women.
- Americans spent approximately $12.4 billion on cosmetic procedures in 2006.
The findings suggested that women felt a surgically enhanced body was more attractive to men,
…but do you know what men think about it???
To find out what men really think and simple steps to avoiding low self esteem, drugs or surgery….
Professor Julie Albright of the University of Southern California who interviewed college students for this study says at the very least, these shows act as an advertisement for the plastic surgery industry. At the most these shows impose unrealistic beauty standards that make people question their own bodies while giving them an instruction manual on how to change their appearance
I can’t agree with her more.
Now I have a much more affordable way to change your appearance so you look and feel AWESOME
And it’s GUARANTEED to enhance your self esteem that no amount of plastic surgery will ever be able to do
And it works every single time
Did you see my latest posts on my blog about how NY women stay thin?
All of those women are healthy, vital, energetic and lean
They don’t diet… they don’t take fat burners…they don’t use drugs and they don’t do anything extreme
They don’t watch reality TV shows and don’t get plastic surgery to enhance their self esteem
There is nothing plastic about any of them – this is New York
…and healthy, fit NYC women are the real deal
If you want to know how to lose weight, reduce body fat, get a flat belly and toned arms, lean athletic body and have an abundance of energy — simply focus on the basics and turn your focus away from the media
The media is always trying to sell you something that will NEVER come
There is no ‘next best thing’ that’s going to come out and save your ass from a crappy diet
The media is always trying to string you along with some new gadget, novelty or ‘next best thing’
It’s a lie
If you STOP doing the things that make you fat in the first place, you wont need surgery
If you love yourself for who you are – with all your good and bad qualities, you will become the one you’d
love and wont have a need for surgery
Here are my top tips for enhancing self esteem, uncovering your true self and crafting a killer body without diets, drugs or surgery…
1) First, throw your weekly tabloid magazines in the fireplace where they belong – this includes US Weekly, People, Globe, Star, National Enquirer, Life and Style Weekly, In Touch, OK and MOST women’s fitness magazines and reality TV shows
You know, the ones that are at the check out at your grocery store, drug store or gas station
And no, I am not being overly harsh or judgmental…these magazines, much like ‘reality’ TV shows set up unrealistic expectations and promote an anorexic standard of ‘beauty’
They highlight celebrities’ drug and alcohol addictions, diet failures and occasional diet success
If you want to be healthy, lean and fabulous, you can’t focus on failure, struggle and addiction
You have to focus on success, health, vitality and living an awesome life
2) Find blogs and books that will inspire, educate and empower you with the right information
They have stories from successful people that have real world tips to teach you how to do the same
I am creating a ‘my favorite blogs’ column and will have it up later this week so you can check out some blogs that I read regularly
Also, when you hear about a celebrity’s diet success, you can easily fall into the trap that ‘what she did is what I should do.’
This leads to unrealistic expectations and frustration because you are way too unique to follow someone else plan
To be successful, you have to discover what works best for YOU
You are unique and what works for someone else may be a total disaster for you and may do nothing for a third person
Follow my blog and I will make the process easy for you….
3) Get clear on what you watch and how you spend your time on TV
The only shows I watch are educational, inspirational, music and sports
I love Discovery channel, great films, and biographies
I do watch Man vs Wild once in awhile and boy do I love that show! That show is exciting and is not designed to teach me how to suppress my self esteem issues or offer a false sense of security by covering up an irresponsible diet and lifestyle
No, I don’t watch the news or reality TV shows
Reality shows are scripted
They promote an anorexic standard of beauty and a plastic facade of ‘perfection’ which doesn’t exist anywhere – EXCEPT ON TV
The study which was recently published in Configurations Journal from Johns Hopkins University Press, confirms what I have observed for 15 years — the more women watch these shows the more they feel anxiety about their bodies.
4) Find out what inspires you the most and radically reduce your time on the TV
When you do watch TV, make sure you watch something that leaves you feeling GOOD
Watching shows that regularly show children being raped, family betrayal, fighting, stealing and murder may be very popular, but is not conducive for health, wealth, happiness or a lean, vibrant body.
You know what shows I’m talking about: CSI, NYPD Blue, Law and Order, and the thirteen other shows that are exactly the same just with a different titles
It’s not healthy to watch other humans being suffer or get killed
These shows and the news produce an adrenaline & cortisol (stress hormone) response
Cortisol makes you fat and tired
Especially at night time when you should be winding down and getting ready for sleep
What shows can you watch that inspire you and encourage your personal, professional or spiritual growth?
I can tell you that all of my male friends feel the same way about women…and the women I know feelthe same way about men
Reality TV shows and magazines are lying to you about these simple truths….
Women who love themselves – regardless of how they look – are much more attractive than women who stress about their appearance and go on and off diets and get surgery to cover up a low self esteem issue
Men who are confident, not cocky…are much more attractive to women – regardless of how they look
Men and women who exercise, make intelligent choices about what they eat and take responsibility about their health and overall lives, love what they do and do what they love – LOOK and FEEL awesome, regardless of what their current weight or body fat percentage is…
That is WAY more attractive to the opposite sex, despite what any media induced, false standard of beauty or any wack ‘reality’ show will ever be able to convince me of…
5) If you want to enhance your self esteem, simply love yourself NOW for who you are.
And you will become the one you’d love a lot sooner…
So what do men think about women who get plastic surgery in this study?
According to the findings of this study, women felt a surgically enhanced body was more attractive to men, though men in the study disagreed.
If you want a lean beautiful body…stop doing the things that create a fat, sluggish body
And no, you don’t have to be skinny to be healthy or beautiful
Just be yourself first and foremost
Then eat right, exercise a little bit, get to bed on time and don’t watch a lot of TV the fat naturally comes off
Its a simple formula that works every single time
I have some great posts coming up from my friends, clients and colleagues (male and female) who will offer their best tips on how to live a healthy and inspired life without drugs, diets or surgery
Oh, and if you feel I dissed one your magazines or favorite TV shows, good.
That means there is some truth to what I said…
Do you have something to say about self esteem or plastic surgery or reality TV?
Do you have a favorite blog you want me to check out and consider for my ‘favorites’….
Please comment below…
To see more about this study, check out Science Daily
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