Anybody's 10 Positive Steps: 1. STOP WEIGHING YOURSELF Scales are for fish, not people. Stop measuring how good you feel about yourself by what the scales tell you. Scales don’t know you as a person and they cannot tell you how to think or feel. Take the power away from the scales and try to take control of how you feel about your body and about yourself.

2. STOP TALKING CRITICALLY ABOUT YOUR BODY Be a positive influence to other women/men and especially young people, by not talking about your weight and about how you dislike your body. You may sometimes feel uncomfortable about feeling ok about your body, when everyone else around you wants to change theirs. But every discussion we have about weight and body size leaves an impression on people around us. We are in danger of encouraging an unattainable quest for perfection if we continue to follow the rules laid out by the diet industry and media.

3. QUESTION THE MOTIVES OF THE DIET, COSMETIC AND FASHION INDUSTRIES These industries make money by trying to determine ‘the look’ which women (and increasingly men) feel under pressure to conform to. Fashion and cosmetics can be an enjoyable aspect of life, but is it worth trying to buy into the unrealistic ideals? Experiment with what suits you and your body, rather than being told what should do so.

4. VALUE YOUR MONEY If you didn’t buy into unrealistic and destructive eating regimes and you spent your earnings more on what reflected the person you are, would you still spend your money on the same things and in the same way?

5. APPRECIATE YOUR BODY FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE Rather than being preoccupied with body size and shape, learn to enjoy the marvel that is your body through movement, exercise, nourishment, health, comfort and pleasure, for a more sustaining sense of self-acceptance.

6. TRY TO EAT ACCORDING TO HUNGER Instead of eating according to a set plan, respect and listen to the signals of your body which knows how much and what food it needs. When you are eating according to hunger most of the time, your body will adjust to the size you are meant to be.

7. THINK ABOUT THE QUALITIES YOU REALLY ADMIRE IN OTHER WOMEN Think about the people you really like and admire. With these values you have, does it really matter whether these people conform to a mainstream depiction of size and shape?

8. CONSIDER HOW YOU DEAL WITH DIFFICULT EMOTIONS If you stop translating difficult emotions into a preoccupation with body and size, there’ll be more room and energy to focus on the real issues that make us happy or down at a particular time.

9. FOCUS ON THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF Rather than obsess on what you don’t think is acceptable and are driven to change, ditch the idea of a ‘perfect body’. Aim for the serenity to accept the things you cannot change, the courage to change the things you can, and the wisdom to know the difference.