Weight Issues, Body-Image Issues, and Self-Esteem Issues on ABC’s “The View”

Posted on May 27, 2008 
Filed Under Health & Wellness, Weight Loss

Recently, on ABC Television’s, The View, the cast spent some time talking about Weight issues and perceptions in this culture – and other cultures – through the years and around the world. At issue is the media-propagated images that make women feel fat even when they are perfectly healthy. Whoopi Goldberg even mentioned a recent study that found a majority of women would rather have cancer than be fat! Women would be doing themselves a huge favor by doing some serious thinking about the way they have been conditioned to think. They are being programmed to hate themselves, their bodies, and their lives; and it is that hatred that keeps making matters worse.

Over the years, people have shifted back and forth on the weight issue. In some cultures, thin is in; while in other cultures, fat is where it’s at. But this isn’t always the case. In times of plenty, when people don’t have to struggle for survival, being thin is a sign of health and success – lots of time to play or go to the gym – while in times of lack, being fat is a sign that you are eating well. In this age of television, movie stars, and super-models, the average person is receiving misinformation and faulty programming where body image is concerned – making people feel inferior, worthless, fat, and even ugly.

When two-thirds of a population is overweight, and women would rather have cancer than carry a few extra pounds, there is something terribly wrong with the way we are thinking as a culture – and we are being “programmed” to think this way by the entertainment, food, medical, fitness, and diet industries. By the year 2010, predicts another study, over one-half of all American children will be overweight! What do you think the children are doing “wrong” to ruin their health? That’s right; they’re listening to their parents – who are being programmed by the television!

Overall, the cast made very good points about the weight and body image issues that are affecting overweight people – particularly women. However, the critical point in this entire issue was missed as one of the cast members told how she purposefully set about to change her negative thoughts and negative self-talk. This is indeed one of the most important things a person can do; but the statement was made that, “I know my thoughts don’t actually affect my body…” That statement is absolutely the opposite of accurate; your thoughts shape and mold your body just as they shape and mold your actions and life. In fact, your thoughts are ultimately the only thing controlling what your body does.

Consider the words of Mohandas Gandhi:

"Our thoughts become our words as they become our beliefs; our beliefs become our actions as they become our habits. Our habits become our values as our values become our destiny."

This is really no different than Jesus saying, “As a man thinketh, so it is done unto him.” And, not only does this teaching appear in the Old Testament as well, but it appears in one way or another in every religion on the planet. Buddha, for instance, is said to have put it this way: “Man is formed and molded by his thoughts.” This is basic human wisdom; and, it corresponds perfectly to the latest advances in medical research. Science can now clearly trace the pathway between thought-and-thing, and Mind-and-Body.

Our thoughts create electrical and chemical signals that were not there prior to that thought, and are different for different thoughts; these signals direct cellular expression, or behavior – literally shaping our bodies thought-by-thought, as they simultaneously move us into and out of varying conditions and situations that also shape our physical form. Your thoughts, for instance, can drive or inspire you to exercise – changing the shape, expression, and capabilities of your physical form. You can easily say that the weights are responsible; but you can also clearly see that it was thought processes and desire that led you to the weights – and sent the signals that cause your hands and arms to hold and move the weights…

Conscious or unconscious, it’s the thought that counts. If you are trying to lose weight, you don’t need another useless diet plan, program, or pill; you need a new mind-set. Change your mind about how you look; and you’ll soon see the way you look is changing. But the change in thoughts must come before any permanent changes are realized in the body. Your thoughts produce either a stress response, or a relaxation response; if you are trying to change your body, or you image of your body, you need to imagine your ideal body while being nice to yourself and your reflection in the mirror. Words are powerful and creative; and words are simply thoughts set to vibration. If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all – especially to yourself!

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