- Sign the Declaration of Independence from a Weight Obsessed World from the National Eating Disorders Association. Free yourself from the three Ds: Dieting, Drive for Thinness, and Dissatisfaction with your Body.
- Avoid making comments about body size or shape — for yourself and for other people! A person’s value is not determined by size or shape.
- Donate clothes that no longer fit comfortably to a local charity. Donate jeans that don’t fit comfortably to the Great Jeans Giveaway. Someone else will appreciate the gift of clothes, and you won’t have to feel bad about clothes that don’t fit.
- Start every day by looking at yourself in the mirror and saying something nice out loud. Having trouble thinking of good things to say? Maybe you need a list of ten things you love about yourself.
- Find a workshop, presentation, or lecture in your community that lifts your self esteem, promotes positive body image, and encourages a healthy lifestyle.
- Yell at your television if you see an advertisement that makes you feel bad about your body shape or size. Rip ads out of magazines and newspapers that promote negative feelings about weight, body, and food.
- Write a letter of thanks and praise to a corporation, media outlet, retailer, or advertiser that promotes a positive self-image at any shape, size, and age. Think about Dove’s Campaign For Real Beauty or the BBW Boutique.
- Give yourself a day without worrying about calories and fat grams. NEDAW suggests a Fearless Friday, but any day can be a Day Without Dieting! Give yourself the chance to enjoy your favorite food without feeling anxious or guilty.
- Compliment a friend or family member for a skill, talent or characteristic they have that you adore. Do the same for yourself! And keep in mind that a person’s worth is not measured by pants size or body shape.
- Put away your bathroom scale for the week and adopt a new mantra: It’s what’s inside that counts!
Here’s a bonus, if ten things aren’t enough: learn more about eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia.