Our bodies are amazing. They are they veichles that power us through this world. They enable us to play and explore. Yet most of us have negative thoughts about our bodies, and never more so than during adolescence. The Body Image Book for Girls takes a level-headed look at some of the feelings and issues people come across. It is marketed at girls, and references girls and young women, although much of the content is relevant to people of other genders.
The book is divided into different sections that cover a range of topics including:
- An introduction to body image
- changes brought about by adolescence
- food and nutrition
- exploration of – and warning against – fad diets
- physical activity
- self-care
- links between self-acceptance and making a positive impact on the world
Within these sections, a vast range of subjects are handled from menstruation to the risks of mindless eating to finding a form of exercise that works for the individual. This is a go-to guide for readers seeking advice and clarification on different things that arise in life.
The book’s core message is about respecting the body’s functionality and how optimising it allows us to be our best selves and give back to the world. Functionality is about how bodies run, jump, eat, sleep, breathe, sing, work and do all kinds of other things. Healthy self-image doesn’t need to begin with appearance – something which is hard to imagine in a world of Instagram and bill boards and celebrity events. Although it doesn’t deny the role of appearance and feeling happy about ourselves on the outside, the book advocates a goals-first approach. By enabling our body to help us reach for our goals in life, we can focus less on appearance and unhealthy things like slimming and beauty envy.
This is a practical guide that encourages readers to visualise the life they want to lead and then hone their bodies to be fit and healthy in order to help them go forwards. A positive and encouraging book for today’s girls.
- The Body Image Book for Girls by Charlotte Markey is available now from Cambridge University Press. RRP. £9.99 (Received in exchanged for review)
