More Than a Body: Your Body Is an Instrument, Not an Ornament

"An indispensable resource for women of all ages, this is a guide to help us better connect to ourselves, to value ourselves, to love ourselves, and ultimately, to be ourselves."
—Chelsea Clinton

Positive body image isn’t believing your body looks good; it is knowing your body is good, regardless of how it looks.
 

• How do you feel about your body?
• Have you ever stayed home from a social activity or other opportunity because of concern about how you looked?
• Have you ever passed judgment on someone because of how they looked or dressed?
• Have you ever had difficulty concentrating on a task because you were self-conscious about your appearance?

 
Our beauty-obsessed world perpetuates the idea that happiness, health, and ability to be loved are dependent on how we look, but authors Lindsay and Lexie Kite offer an alternative vision for building a positive body image. With insights drawn from their extensive body image research, Lindsay and Lexie―PhDs and founders of the nonprofit Beauty Redefined (and also twin sisters!)―lay out an action plan that arms you with the skills you need to reconnect with your whole self and free yourself from the constraints of self-objectification.
 
From media consumption to health and fitness to self-reflection and self-compassion, Lindsay and Lexie share powerful and practical advice that goes beyond simple "body positivity" to help readers develop body image resilience―all while cutting through the empty promises sold by media, advertisers, and the beauty and weight-loss industries. In the process, they show how facing your feelings of body shame or embarrassment can become a catalyst for personal growth.

Dr. Lexie Kite is identical twin sisters with Dr. Lindsay Kite. They both received PhDs from the University of Utah. Their academic research on media studies and body image inspired them to establish the non-profit Beauty Redefined in 2009 (while concluding their co-written master’s thesis and beginning their doctoral research) to help a greater number of females recognize and reject harmful messages about their bodies, worth, and potential, and redefine the meaning and value of beauty in their lives. Since then, Lexie and Lindsay have become leading experts in body image resilience and media literacy—authors of numerous studies and books have cited their original research—and have been featured in a variety of national media outlets. Today, they continue to build on their academic work and the passion it stoked for helping girls and women through Beauty Redefined’s online Body Image Resilience Program and course facilitator training, blogging, social media activism, and regular speaking engagements for thousands of people of all ages in both secular and religious settings, from universities and high schools to church congregations and community organizations. 

Dr. Lindsay Kite is identical twin sisters with Dr. Lexie Kite. They both received PhDs from the University of Utah. Their academic research on media studies and body image inspired them to establish the non-profit Beauty Redefined in 2009 (while concluding their co-written master’s thesis and beginning their doctoral research) to help a greater number of females recognize and reject harmful messages about their bodies, worth, and potential, and redefine the meaning and value of beauty in their lives. Since then, Lexie and Lindsay have become leading experts in body image resilience and media literacy—authors of numerous studies and books have cited their original research—and have been featured in a variety of national media outlets. Today, they continue to build on their academic work and the passion it stoked for helping girls and women through Beauty Redefined’s online Body Image Resilience Program and course facilitator training, blogging, social media activism, and regular speaking engagements for thousands of people of all ages in both secular and religious settings, from universities and high schools to church congregations and community organizations.