Beating Poor Self Esteem ?
Does poor self esteem change to high self esteem with dieting? Does getting thinner or more toned really dissolve our low self-confidence in any permanent way?
Don't be fooled - dropping a few dress sizes or gaining more musle if you're a guy isn't what raises our self esteem. It's the story we tell ourselves about shedding the pounds or gaining muslce that changes how we feel about ourselves. It's the same thing with all beauty products. It's not the application of cosmetics that changes anything - it's what we then tell ourselves about the image we now see that makes the difference.

Life is determined not by the external, but the internal stories we tell ourselves which is why losing weight or gaining muscle for men by itself isn't what changes low self esteem.Even when I was a thin Goddess - it didn't stop the voice of my internal critic. What I needed to get rid of my low self confidence wasn't a body make over, what I needed was a >a href="http://www.ditch-diets-live-light.com/mental-diet.html">mental diet. If you want to improve your poor self esteem there are better ways.
High self-esteem cons
What are we really buying when we buy those diets? We're not just buying that they'll make us thin. What not even always buying that we'll look so much better!No, ultimately, what we're after is something much more valuable than that. We're banking on these pills or diet products to dissolve all our low self esteem issues. Just take
'before and after' weight loss pictures.
In the before picture they look grey and unsmiling, their lives look pretty colourless and bland. They look sad and lacking in esteem. But viola! After they've shed pounds and dropped a dress size or two, suddenly life becomes so much rosier. Gone is their low self esteem. Now they beam out at the camera - apparnetly, glowing, full of confidence and esteem. THAT's what we're really buying when we buy weight loss products of follow weight loss tips.
Low confidence fixes
You can have high self esteem regardless of your body size or shape. Now admittedly when you live in a Western culture that isn't always easy.But many cultures around the world like the Polynesians and rural African women have high self esteem because they carry extra pounds. For a rural African woman to be well-rounded tells her friends that: she has attracted a wealthy man who feeds her well; she is fertile and doesn't have AIDS and is desirable. And even in Westernized countries like the USA, various cultural groups live without low self esteem caused by hating their bodies. While they are exposed to the same skinny model ideal via the media their cultural heritage allows them to live more comfortably with extra pounds. But this just goes to show, it's not the weight itself that changes our self-esteem, it's the judgment we hold about it. So if we refused to judge extra weight as bad - it couldn't lead to poor self esteem... or the
health-eroding neuropeptides
that accompany a harsh body critic. And if you're thinking carrying a large body is always bad thing, from a health point of view, check out this
obesity research from around the globe.
Poor self esteem is caused by surface truths
In 'The Joy-Filled Body, ' I point out that you get deep essential truths (we are all born equal and special) that are enduring and empowering and don’t change historically, or from one culture to another. Then we get surface ego beliefs (the shape of your body is what makes you special). The latter are never stable; they’re the ones that create self-doubt and poor self esteem. Challenging surface beliefs about low self esteem is absolutely central to escaping the diet mentality. For example, thin or fat you can still feel and dress sexy! Instead of lusting after the glamorous lifestyles of pop divas and movie stars, I’ve started watching out for stories about their lives. What I’ve discovered is that, despite having bodies most of us would kill for and being unbelievably wealthy, many live crazy, unhappy lives dripping with poor self esteem. I no longer believe that when I’m outwardly gorgeous, the world will be my oyster. I’ve taken a lot of pressure off myself to become something I never can and THAT's done wonders to dissolve poor self esteem. I've really looked at the whole beauty ideal from a new perspective. You already are all that you ever need to be, and you don’t need to become ‘anything’ or ‘anybody’ different in order to have high self esteem. Honestly, you don't! There are other ways of looking at "a href="http://www.ditch-diets-live-light.com/beauty-revolution.html">beauty. Realising this will go much further when it comes to building an enduring healthy self-esteem than losing weight.
Comparison creates poor self esteem

Just watch how we go about creating low self esteem. We flip through those glossy glamour magazines, subconsciously comparing ourselves to the images we see there. But in reality, stroll around the mall or go to the beach and take a long hard look. Are those 'perfect cellulite-free' bodies really the bodies that inhabit everyday planet earth? Looking back at the bodies from other eras very clearly illustrates why todays' standards of beauty aren’t deep essential truths. Look back at pictures of >a href="http://www.ditch-diets-live-light.com/diet-evolution.html">bodies during other periods in history - they look nothing like the clothes-hanger-thin models featured in today's magazines. What comparison we make also determines whether we have high or poor self esteem. And if you don't believe me experiment a bit.
 If you find the ditch-diets-live-light website useful, please recommend it to your friends.  |  |  |  |  | |
Best Weight Products | Your opinion for a free e.course | | Your Story/Poem & Feedback | Our community & newsletter |
Love this page - please help by using the buttons below to Stumble or Buzz it up! And please let me know you buzzed it up by mailing me here and I'll send you my complimentary THANK YOU e.course. You'll love it!
Return from Poor Self Esteem to Diet Myths
Return to Homepage

|