How To Stop The Media Attack On Your Body
By Nancy Hill, Thu Dec 8th

I don't know about you, but I'm tired of the ongoing messagethat the natural, curvy, womanly body I was born into isunacceptable. I'm tired of being horrified when I hear thatfive-year old girls already criticize their bodies and thinkthey need to lose weight. I'm tired of the media forcing theirlimited, unattainable version of beauty on us.

The underweight beauty ideal of today is a complete invention ofthe media machine. Nature never intended women to look liketeenage boys with large breasts, but the relentless mediadepiction of this body type powerfully defines it as theultimate in beauty.

Without starvation and plastic surgery, it's impossible for 99%of women to achieve this ideal. So we learn to dislike ournaturally gorgeous bodies and try desperately to change them.The toxic body messages we are deluged with every day causeeating disorders and widespread unhappiness.

53% of 13 year-old girls and 80% of adult women spend every daydisliking their bodies. It doesn't have to be this way. Peoplenaturally have all sorts of different body shapes and sizes. Wedon't have to let the media continue to define just one type ofbeauty as the ideal. We don't have to let them continue to ruincountless lives in their quest for more profits.

The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) Media Watchdogprogram is working to change the toxic media message. You canhelp by joining the free program and monitoring magazines,television, and radio. Keep track of what you see then send yourpositive and negative findings to NEDA.

Every quarter they write at least one letter of praise orprotest to companies on behalf of the Watchdogs and post theresults on the NEDA Media Watchdog website. Since the inceptionof the program in 1997, over half the ads they protested havebeen discontinued.

It's time for the media's attack on our bodies to stop. TheWatchdog

program gives us a powerful voice for change.

What to look for:

Protest: · Ads with a message or image intended to make peoplefeel bad about their body shape or size. · Promoting thinness asthe only acceptable body size. · Shows or ads that make fun ofheavy people or imply that they are inferior or unacceptable. ·Idealizing people who are or starving themselves. ·People shown using food for comfort, stress relief, orcompanionship. · Emaciated models or actresses portrayed as thebeauty ideal or star of the program. · Promoting fitness andexercise solely as ways to get thin rather than ways to gethealthy, feel good, and have fun.

Praise: · Ads that have people of all sizes and shapes depictedin positive ways. · People eating healthy, good foods includingdesserts. · Celebration of natural diversity and the enjoymentof life.

If you want to take the campaign even further, write your ownpraise or protest letter to the advertiser or the media outlet.

Ruffle a few feathers and let them know that attacks on ourbodies will not be tolerated and that positive diversity isappreciated. Tell them you won't be buying their products due tothe offensive advertising.

Be sure to thank companies for positive messages, too. Everylittle move in the direction of healthy body diversity is great.Thank them for being part of a culture that appreciates healthand all kinds of beauty.

Click here to join the Watchdog program and be part ofbringing about positive change in the world.

About the author:©2005 Nancy Hill has helped thousands get free of the dietingnightmare with her ebook, "Undieting - 11 Simple Steps toReclaim Your Body and Your Life." Sign up now for the Free 7-DayUndieting Email Course and discover how to get your lifeback. Feel free to reprint this article, just use the wholearticle with this resource box attached.