Testimonials

Participating in Body Project training was honestly life changing. The program really opened a dialogue about important issues that aren't usually addressed. Just in the last 24 hours, my thought process has dramatically changed. I've always been aware of the harmful effects of the media's skewed portrayal of beauty ideals, but this program really helped me to explore and challenge all of the messages the media is sending. The practice that we all got at handling "fat talk", negative comments, etc. was incredibly helpful and educational. It was very refreshing to spend time discussing these issues with others who are passionate, caring, and welcoming. I feel as if this program is already helping me to live a fuller, more authentic life. If everyone could participate in a program like this, we could rid society of the "thin ideal" and help everyone to be their best self and live the best life they can, free of the pressure to be society's ideal of beautiful.

This Body Project training has been amazing and eye opening. It has made me actually stop and think about how I live my life and how I see others. Your physical appearance does not define who you are. I will now begin to think about my physical appearance differently and just love who I am by not comparing myself to others. I will be more aware of fat talk going around me and I will refrain from using these negative statements toward myself or others. This training has taught me to make a positive impact for myself and those around me. No one should feel like they should have to look or be a certain way. I will spend more time on making myself be a better person internally and focusing my time on things that are most important to me like my education. This training has made me realize that self-affirmation is a great way to make a positive change in myself. I want to thank everyone who made this training possible, it is such a great organization and I hope that it will grow and spread to everyone at my school.

This program was truly an amazing experience, and I feel so lucky to have been able to be a part of it. It changed the way I viewed myself, and others. It's so easy to get wrapped up in physicality and forget what's truly important. This program allowed me to take a step back and remember what it means to love myself and others, and I'm so humbled by the conversations that were had during the training. Thank you so much!

I believe this project is so powerful and life changing. Body image, confidence, body shaming are all topics that can be challenging to talk about. It's amazing the Body Project provides a safe space for individuals to speak out about these issues and raise awareness of negative body image / the thin ideal perspective. I believe this program will start a movement among young women and alter the body image environment in our culture. I love how this program allows others to share their struggles and challenges with their body, it brings attention to women/men that you are not alone. It is obvious after these two days that no matter the background, everyone is sharing these issues. I am anxious to share all that I've learned to facilitate it in my every day life and on campus. This program has given me an entirely new perspective about myself, others, and our culture.

The two training sessions honestly were life changing and I feel like The Body Project provided us, as peer leaders, a passion that will empower us to move the initiative forward as a group. Coming into the first session I was unsure exactly what to expect to gain from the training; little did I know that my thoughts for the thin-ideal and perfect woman or my own body image would be drastically changed even before the end of session two. I have a new and different confidence in my body. I love it even more now and am encouraged by this confidence to pass the "healthy ideal" on to others. My hope is that as a peer leader, I will be able to provide other young women with the means to find this new confidence within themselves.

The training is a little different compared with my expectations. I thought I would just sit there and watch powerpoint slides, but it is totally out of my imagination. We had discussions in each group every time. Even though it is a little difficult to me, gradually I feel like I could speak more fluently and more confidently about what I would like to express. I learned a lot from the two-day training. I realize that people have the same experiences as you actually. There's a lot of laughter in the process. I made a lot of friends and know American culture better. It must be an unforgettable experience in my life.

I loved taking part in The Body Project. I found it very eye opening and supportive. I have changed the way I think about myself and others. The Body Project has also challenged me to stop myself and really think about what I'm saying. This has also given me so much confidence for myself. I think The Body Project will change the way people feel about themselves.

The Body Project changed my perspective and I only wish I had had it sooner. It does such a good job of organically building up body satisfaction. It makes you laugh, cry, love, reflect, and view yourself and your world differently. As someone who works with students who have eating disorders, finally being a part of prevention is refreshing!

Being a part of The Body Project was an enlightening and enriching experience. With eating disorders, negative body image, and the thin-ideal permeating today's society, these issues have an incredible reach and impact on the lives of many. This program does more than qualify us to teach others about what we have learned; it changes your perspective, way of thinking and the way you live your life. I am eager to go forward and share my experience and make a positive change in the lives of others, as well as at my own university. Everyone should do this program.

As a professional who has worked with individuals struggling with disordered eating and negative body image for 15+ years, I firmly believe this intervention is vital in creating a campus culture that promotes wellness not weight. The quality of training & support is outstanding and the evidence-based outcomes speak for themselves. As a professional, I can confidently support the Body Project initiatives when promoting this program to campus colleagues as well as to student participants. I believe this is a life-altering experience and both participants and staff truly are blessed to have this opportunity!

I've struggled with body positivity since I was 8 years old. It consumed my life for all of my teenage years and 20's. This program has removed scales from my eyes to begin to see myself for who I am and society for what it does to impact that view. I intend to use these tools that have been provided for me to implement a new standard for the perfect woman. I also will hold myself accountable by reviewing my forms frequently and using sticky notes to promote positive thinking. This has been an extremely helpful program to me and I feel peace in my heart.

This program changed the way I view my body and my overall outlook on life. I am empowered to accept me for who I am and truly love my body – appreciate all the gifts it offers! I will also challenge others when I hear fat talk or body shaming. The only one suffering is you – and you love you – why would you say that to yourself?

This past weekend has really given me a new outlook on my body and others. Coming in to the weekend I was already fairly confident in myself and had already taken many steps to love my body and quit Fat Talk. Even though I was comfortable in my body I saw many of my friends and family feeling the pressure of the thin-ideal and I had no idea how to help. After this weekend I feel I have gained the tools to help my friends and family feel comfortable in their skin and focus more on their personalities than their looks. I am excited to teach others what I have learned and it really excites me to think what an impact we could have on this University. I think that going through this program has changed how I will live the rest of my life and how I will relate to others. I also think this program has given me the tools to one day raise a daughter who is confident, compassionate and loving of herself and others. I am truly thankful I was able to participate in The Body Project and I can't wait to inspire others to live towards the healthy-ideal.

The Body Project training was truly life changing. Exploring these ideas and more specifically having these discussions were invaluable. I learned so much about myself and our campus community. I gained confidence and transformed my own body image. This training has also instilled in me a passion for change and the ability to speak with others so they can have this same wonderful experience. Alan was an awesome facilitator!