A New You: Health for Every Body
Comments from Participants
I have benefited from participating in this program because I have a desire to be the best me I can be.
The program has helped me in eating to be healthy, not always eating to be thin.
It’s a tremendous reinforcement for me to try to eat properly as much as I can, exercise when I can, and try to feel good about myself no matter what I do or don’t accomplish regarding food and exercise.
There is not a day that goes by that I do not think about some aspect or message from A New You.
It makes good sense to me that an overweight person can be as healthy (or even healthier) as a slender, skinny person if that overweight person exercises properly.
I have been fighting obesity all my life. My image of myself is not a positive one and has never been on that note. The doctor has told me more than once that I am probably not going to be a size 10 or lower due to my frame size. I have accepted this and am not striving for this particular goal. I need to realize that I have many good qualities and have a lot to offer and people need to accept me for who I am and not what I am.
You can do physical activities while you are sitting or waiting at a stop sign.
It was nice to know that you aren’t alone with how you feel about your body.
I came into this class battling an eating disorder. Since I started this, I haven’t obsessed about food or body image once. It’s nice to have a taste of the relief I’ll feel once I’ve conquered this. I owe that taste to this class. Thank you.
I’m less concerned about having a “perfect” body and more interested in being healthy.
I love the support from all the others.
I try not to wait too long before I eat or I will be so hungry, I will overeat. I have found that eating smaller portions is the real key when I eat a meal.
I discovered that my motivation for exercise is: achievement, playfulness, and the quest for youth so I will be motivated to exercise if I match my motive to my activity.
I feel a lot healthier and content now. I have made peace with food. I am optimistic about pursuing exercise and eating without so much guilt and have a plan that I would like to attain. . . . Yes, I want a few inches off my waist but I will eat what I want, eat intuitively, exercise more and enjoy my life. Like an old car, my body runs well, it is comfortable and I will continue to fix it up and keep it shiny.
I feel so much better as I move my body. I just need to make it a habit now.
What kinds of things have you shared or will you share with others?
One of my favorites is talking with my children and grandchildren about how much sugar they are getting when they drink a 64-oz pop. I’ve also talked about getting exercise when you can – that the 5-minute exercise times are helpful. I’ve mentioned my cancellation of my “Clean Plate Club Membership” to many family members. Leaving food is still hard for me to do, but I’m getting better at it.
I see overweight children in my class who are teased and haven’t really been sure how to help them except by making them feel accepted by me. Now I believe I need to get everyone involved in fighting the teasing by teaching my students to be more accepting of each other and how to stand up to others who are saying the put downs and teasing. This will be forever ongoing since this is a huge problem in our society and is constantly present in the media regarding what type of body is acceptable.
Every body is different and accept your body for what it is like.
Because I am a role model for students in my class, I need to emphasize the importance of self-acceptance and letting the kids see that I have learned to accept myself too.
I am talking to my teenage daughter and son about positive body mage and what the media can do and has done to make the “perfect body.” We have watched the popular TV show Bachelor and Cupid together and discussed how the TV companies look for the perfect looking guy or gal for their show. In the “real world” there is no such thing as the “perfect” G.I Joe guy or Barbie doll girl.
What are one or two of the most important things you remember from the program?
Don’t eat like it is my last meal.
To be mindful about what I’m eating and why; and my body will tell me how much and when to eat.
To think about how food tastes, feels and how full you are.
I can choose what I eat and how much I eat and not feel guilty about leaving food on my plate.
Move around – make time for activity.
Reprogram my thought processes about body size for self and others.
Liking yourself at any given moment in time no matter what your weight, what you have or haven’t eaten, or whether or not you have exercised.
A New You developed by Outreach & Extension of the University of Missouri & Lincoln University. Adapted by and distributed with support from WIN the Rockies, WINWyoming, and University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service, Dept. of Family & Consumer Sciences. The University of Wyoming and the United States Department of Agriculture cooperate. The university is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution. Supported by award 0004499 through IFAFS (Initiative for Future Agriculture & Food Systems) Competitive Grants Program/USDA. 0604
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