I've noticed that we get lots of conflicting messages in the media. We have a new food pyramid, which is a good thing, but it's not easy to tell at a glance what the experts think we should be eating. It'll take some time to figure out which of the various options will work for each individual.

Then we have the so-called health and wellness oriented magazines, workout DVDs, and other media that feature tiny and sometimes nearly anorexic bodies.

How do you deal with those items? Do you cancel subscriptions, write the creators/editors etc., or do nothing? Why? How do you mentally combat all of the bombarding of images that sometimes promote a lifestyle that is just as unhealthy as being overweight?

If you have found a great resource that features healthy looking people, share it. I'm sure all of us can always use extra good role models.
Laura

I am a magazine junkie and I get Self, Shape, Fitness, Health, Cooking Light and Weight Watchers regularly. Sometimes I pick up Oprah's magazine or Prevention if something catches my eye. As much as I enjoy Shape and Fitness I have been very dissapointed in some of their covers. A few of the models have looked downright anorexic and I agree w/Sheri that some of them are a little too scantily clothed. That doesn't bother me because I'm only interested in whats inside the issue but it can be embarrassing to take somewhere to read.

My favorite magazine is "O", Oprah's magazine. First off, you get the table of contents only one page in, always. Not 16 pages of ads later! The ads in "O" are incredibly respectful, they are clearly devoted to that specific issue. There is almost never a misrepresentation of health in their advertising, AND the articles are terrific. I feel so spoiled having been a subscriber for five years now, that I'm quickly offended by the advertising in any other women's mag I pick up. Why can't they all just raise the bar? Oh well, skinny sells.

Oh, and I'm a Y girl too! It has been the perfect solution for us because what we want from a club is not Barbie and Ken by the pool, but an actual workout for a fair price. I also enjoy seeing all age groups together.

Lynne

I don't subscribe to any magazines. I buy one now and then... usually WW...

quote:

How do you mentally combat all of the bombarding of images that sometimes promote a lifestyle that is just as unhealthy as being overweight?

My role models are real live people (not that models aren’t real live people… but I really don’t have much in common with most of them… I don’t identify with them much.) I’m NEVER going to be 19 again… but I will be 50 soon.

I used to really like to ski on Mondays because the Senior Ski Clinic was held on Mondays. I always found it really inspirational to ski with people in their 50’s, 60’s, 70’s+ who were healthy and (mostly) fit and happy doing a sport.

Going to PT is also very inspiring. You’ve got people of all ages and different abilities and everybody is trying to get healed and get their various body parts functioning a little better.

And dh signed us up at the YMCA. This is WAY different from Club Sport. I’m often the youngest person in the room (and I’m 47). Some thing as PT… you’ve got people of all different ages (but mostly 60+). You see all different shapes and bodies and levels of fitness. I see people who are 65 and think… hey, I could look like that 15 years from now. That’s do-able. That will be cool to stay in good shape and be that healthy.

I look at the cover of Shape magazine. I’m never going to be 19 again. I’m never going to be a size 0 or 1. Oh well.

I think that I'd rather be 47 and be able to do 20 pushups and push myself really hard at PT with this 60 year old Chinese lady who is tough as nails and pushes herself very hard and inspires me to do the same. I'd rather hang out with her than the woman on the cover of Fitness.

I really like Self and Cooking Light. Both of those magazines seem to have a fairly common sense approach to diet (as in what you eat, not what you're NOT eating) and exercise.

Self also throws in tidbits about fashion and make-up and hair, which is nice since I've "outgrown" Cosmo, Glamor and the like, but don't particularly care for Good Housekeeping or Women's Home Journal.

Someone really ought to have a magazine that is healthy lifestyle oriented for the 30+ crowd, that still focuses on women as individuals, and not as "Mom" or "Working Mom" or "Parent"...KWIM?

Dawn

I don't read the magazines, I rely heavily on the Medical info on the internet, reliable sources for what I need have been given to me.
I have developed a "wait and see" attitude about most "major" changes from CDC, they seem to flow with the wind. But I find sources that seem to prove out reliable, well founded in sensibility and stick with them. I rely heavily on this source, WW and American Diabetic Assoc.
They've all been in business and at this healthy eating things a long time....and I rely on them to give me accurate info.

As far as protesting or complaining, unlike the posts here, I do complain or point out. I will write letters and e-amils. But then I am an activist from the '60's and have learned that if you don't let them know what you are thinking, they think everything is fine.

***Another note from the CDC yesterday, that went totally unnoticed....drinking 5 - 6 glasses of light wine everyday, can and has proven to help lower cholesterol and thickened blood. So drink up ladies, you'll only pickle your liver!

Speaking of conflicting messages, did anyone else notice that, on the same day that the new food pyramids are introduced, the CDC says, oh by the way, being overweight isn't as bad for your health as we've been saying...

It is frustrating to see unrealistic body images constantly portrayed as the ideal. And there are lots of times when I think, I'll never look like Jennifer Aniston (not without a lot of expensive surgery anyway) so you might as well hand me a fork and don't get between me and the fridge.

But two things stop me. First, DH is pretty happy with the way I'm packaged now and that can make me feel instantly sexy.

And then I try to focus on being in control. This is MY body and I have the power to change it. It's a good thing that it doesn't look like everyone else's because I like being unique. I also have the power to ignore media messages if I want to, to look at magazine photos and know how much airbrushing and lighting and posing goes into creating that image. I can control whether I cave in to the negativity.

I get most of my information from the news, the internet, and the newspaper. Then I do my own research which would involve reading books and articles I can find.

Mostly, I listen to Kathleen and you!

Linda

quote:

Originally posted by Coaster Girl:
Generally, I prefer to protest silently. I rarely contact anyone to complain

Yea, I fit into this category as well. Sometimes, I have the INTENTION of writing a letter of complaint, but the Procrastination Monster sees to it that the letter never gets written.

quote:

I've basically quit purchasing magazines like Shape and Fitness. They almost seem to constantly be touting the same information in cyclical and repackaged variations anyway.

I like Shape magazine; however, I am really bothered by the cover on a regular basis (I fold it up when I go into a restaurant to read and have lunch). The models are often barely clothed. I "get" wanting to show off an "in-shape" body, but I think you can do that in fitness gear or just about anything short of big, bulky sweaters. You don't have to have the girl standing in some comely pose in a few strips of clothing. Not to mention the fact that the models on the cover of SHAPE often look like Cosmo-type cover girls (i.e., young, pretty and very thin) and not necessarily women who look toned and fit at any age.

I will completely agree with you, though, about the fact that SHAPE seems to retread the same issues. I'm not a real frequent reader (I buy it maybe every 2-3 months) so the duplication hasn't gotten super bad for me yet, but I can definitely see how I would if I was a monthly subscriber, which is why I haven't subscribed.

Generally, I prefer to protest silently. I rarely contact anyone to complain, but I have gotten to the point where I don't purchase many items because in the past they have promoted such unhealthy looking people.

I've basically quit purchasing magazines like Shape and Fitness. They almost seem to constantly be touting the same information in cyclical and repackaged variations anyway.

I've decided that as long as I'm healthy and can find good in my accomplishments, I'm going to limit the outside negative influences. I also realize where my healthy weight is, and will be content to just get down to that weight and then maintain it long term.

Some of my favorite workout DVDs are from Leslie Sansone and the older Firm workout DVDs. They don't feature the almost malnourished instructors that the lastest Firm DVD set does. It'll probably be a long time before I purchase another Firm DVD without borrowing it from the library or rental place first.

Laura