Body Confidence: Love Your Whole Body

Body Confidence

Stomach

The Complaint: "It's too big and flabby."

The Fix: Try adding certain foods like peanut butter, avocados, almonds and other belly-flatteners to your diet. Or, get off the couch and try these exercises that really target your abs. Dressing for your body type can also help you feel and look confident.

Did You Know: The average adult woman's waist size is 34.3 inches and the average man's waist is 36.9, according to SizeUSA, a national sizing survey from 2003. The survey also found that men and women grow 3-5 inches in the waist and 1-3 inches in the hips as they age from the 18-35 age group to the 36-65 group. A healthy waist limit for women is 35 inches and 40 for men; higher circumferences are associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome health risks.

Penis

The Complaint:"It's smaller than normal."

The Fix: Perhaps the only change men need to make is a mental one. A 60-year study of penile sizes and sex appeal published in the urology journal BJU International in June 2007 found that a n overwhelming majority of women -- 85 per cent -- were satisfied with their partner's penile size, while only 55 per cent of men were satisfied with their size. The authors also note that the issue of male attractiveness was complex, but that penile size was not the highest priority for women.

Did You Know? The same 60-year-study found that average erect penises ranged from 5.5 to 6.2 inches in length and 4.7 to 5.1 inches in girth. Also, men within this average penis size range are more likely to feel insecure than men with a flaccid length of less than 2.7 inches.

Breasts

The Complaint: "My breasts are sagging."

The Fix: Sagging is a normal part of aging, child-bearing and post-menopausal life. There are no exercises that can prevent it. In fact, exercises that lead to weight loss can reduce breast size. The only sure (non-cosmetic procedure) to increase size is weight gain, but this will not affect firmness.

Did You Know? "Though it is highly unlikely for a rail-thin woman to have natural DD-cup size breasts, toy manufacturers set this expectation by developing and marketing the Barbie doll, whose measurements are physiologically impossible," say Jennifer Derenne, M.D., and Eugene Beresin, M.D., in the journal 'Academic Psychiatry.' "With increased availability of plastic surgery, today's women are faced with similarly unrealistic expectations every time they open a fashion magazine."

Smile

The Complaint: "My lips are too thin and my teeth aren't bright enough."

The Fix: We can't all have Angelina Jolie's pucker, but if you want plumper lips consider lip plumbers. And to keep your teeth stain-free, shy away from these top causes of yellowing smiles.

Did You Know? If you're under 50, you're likely to like your smile, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association, that found that the under-50 crowd was most satisfied with their smiles. If you want to keep liking your smile, don't ask you dentist about it -- the study also found that patients have much higher opinions of their smiles than their dentists do.

Neck/Double Chin

The Complaint: "I can't wear certain tops because of my flabby neck."

The Fix: "Answer your negative thoughts with a rational response," says Sabine Wilhelm, PhD, and author of 'Feeling Good About the Way You Look: A Program for Overcoming Body Image.' Instead of thinking about how people perceive a 'weak' flaw, Dr. Wilhem suggests thinking, "I don't have to look perfect for others to accept me."

For outfit ideas, read "How Not to Look Fat in a Turtleneck. As we age, gravity continually pulls on our bodies, says the American Academy of Dermatology. This pulling effect peaks in our 50s, when the skin's elasticity drops dramatically, and things like loose skin at the neck and chin appear.

Hips and Love Handles

The Complaint: "My hips are too wide" or "I'm not curvy enough."

The Fix: Redefine and reshape your standards of beauty. Whether you think you've got too much junk in the trunk -- or not enough -- the odds are not likely to fit any "standard" size, because almost no one does. While industry standards set a size 8 at a 35-inch bust, a 27-inch waist, and 37.5-inch hip, only 10 percent to 20 percent of Americans fit the so-called national standards, according to reporting from the St. Louis Dispatch. To find skirt styles that flatter your body type read here.

Did You Know? Think the ideal hip size is 38 inches or less? That may be more than a bit unrealistic considering the average adult woman's hip size is 43 inches.

Jiggly Arms

The Complaint: "I won't wear clothing that reveals my upper arms because they're flabby."

The Fix: "Arms are one of those body parts that respond quickly to training (especially the triceps) because they're typically under-worked in everyday life compared to say, your legs," says AOL Fitness editor Liz Neporent. Try these arm workouts to boost your fitness levels and your confidence.

Did You Know? The amount of fat that accumulates underneath the arm is mainly due to genes, weight and age. Women suffer from drooping arms during midlife when skin loses its elasticity, but new scar-free procedures can pull the excess skin up toward the shoulder allowing the skin to become firmer and more youthful in appearance.

Hair

The Complaint: "I have too many bad hair days."

The Fix: Any visit to a drug store or pharmacy will tell you that there are tons of hair care products available, but knowing what works is not as obvious. A healthy diet filled with foods rich in protein, vitamin B, and dark greens can help maintain hair health as well. Also, learning to read your hair and understanding what its telling you, can help you keep lovely locks.

Did You Know? Most hair damage (yes, that includes split ends) is self-inflicted or due to chemicals, according to a December 2007 'Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology' study. The cause is choosing hair product that damage, so pick your shampoos and styling gels wisely. Read our advice about what chemicals you should avoid in your beauty products.

Butt

The Complaint: "It's not firm enough."

The Fix: While some products claim to reduce cellulite and tone your behind, there aren't many guarantees. Find out about cellulite reduction here. Men and women can both be concerned about toning their behinds, but remember, when it comes to exercising with self-esteem issues the best approach is to take have a healthy, not obsessive attitude.

Did You Know?About 85 percent of women have cellulite, while men are relatively unaffected. This is probably due to hormones, as well as the thickness (or thinness) of women's skin in comparison to men's.

Height

The Complaint: Hers: "I tower over a lot of men." His: "She's taller than me."

The Fix: Aside from wearing shoes, hats and big hairdos there's not a lot you can do to about growing taller. But you can reframe your thinking. Healthy relationships should be based on more than just what heights pair nicely together. Only dating people who meet your height requirements might preclude you from meeting someone who is compatible in other, more meaningful ways.

Did You Know? Women who loom over their partners may bring home more bread than their vertically challenged man. A 2001 study at the University of Pennsylvania concluded that for every added inch of height, a person adds an additional $789 per year. An even more recent study by Princeton economists points to evidence that taller individuals score higher on cognitive tests as children and tend to choose jobs that require more advanced skills as adults.