Let’s face it. We’ve all had those days where we feel less than stellar in our own skin. Where we struggle to feel confident and comfortable with our appearance.
Typically this can lead to beating ourselves up for not being as fit as we would like to be. Or being upset with ourselves for having a bowl of ice cream at the end of the night.
Getting out of our body image funk was a topic that came to me a couple of months ago. I was not feeling like myself. My pregnant body was feeling so different. And not as beautiful as I had felt back when I was pregnant with Kennedy.
It got me thinking, “how do I get out of these negative body image feelings I have swirling around in my brain?”
I know so many of you experience the same feelings, pregnant or not. So I felt it was time to share. Here are the five tips on how I was able to work through my negative body image. Sot that you can create a positive and healthy body image.
5 tips for creating a healthy and positive body image
Tip 1: Recognize what triggered your negative body image thoughts
There is almost always something that set into motion feelings of anxiety and stress around your body.
Whether that was a comment someone made to you (intentionally or unintentionally) that made you feel really upset. Or maybe it was seeing another mom on social media who’s body bounced back quicker than yours. Maybe you looked back on old pictures of yourself and started to wonder how you got to the place you’re at today.
This is where you need to start in order to begin to have a more positive body image and get out of that funk. Because once you recognize what it was that triggered you to feel like your body isn’t good enough, you can begin to really analyze what it was that hurt so much about the comment or comparison.
Tip 2: Avoid the social media and negative body image traps
Okay, this is surely easier said than done when it comes to avoiding social media and playing the comparison game. But it’s pretty imperative if you truly want to begin to create a healthy body image.
Whether you’re comparing yourself to someone else on social media, or your even looking back on old pictures of yourself on social, falling into that trap has to stop.
The moment you notice yourself feeling jealous of someone else’s body, which then makes you feel bad about your own body, you need to go unfollow that person. Or at the very least, hide their content for awhile.
You’ve all heard that quote from Teddy Roosevelt, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” And he couldn’t be more correct. When we compare our bodies to others on social media, we’re stealing away any joy that we may have felt about literally anything happening in our lives.
Remember you’re only seeing the highlight reel of this person’s life. So while it may look like they’ve got it all and have the perfect body, you have no idea what’s going through their mind and how they’re feeling about their own body either.
Again, if you find yourself constantly comparing to someone specific on social media, go unfollow them. They’re not going to know, and it will honestly bring you so much more joy and have a more positive experience with your own body.
Tip 3: Stop the negative body image talk
It’s really hard to create a positive body image when your head keeps spinning with all the reasons your body sucks.
The words you speak, and even don’t speak but constantly play in a loop in your head, are keeping you stuck. Keeping you stuck from seeing what a blessing your body is. And keeping you stuck in not being able to make a change. Both physical and mental change.
Take some time to start to recognize when you’re beating yourself up or talking down to yourself about your body.
Even saying things like, “oh, I shouldn’t eat this it’s going to make me gain five pounds…but it’s so good!” Or even jokingly saying, “I’m working on my bikini bod” while eating a slice of pizza. This signals to your brain that you: 1. don’t think your body is worth wearing a bikini and 2. that eating pizza is never going to let you have a bikini bod.
All of the things we say are signals to our brains. So if you want to get out of your body image funk, you’ve got to start taking a hard look at how you’re actually speaking, and not speaking, about your body.
Tip 4: An attitude of gratitude
You’re likely going to find this tip uncomfortable, but it’s one that’s going to be so beneficial.
Stand in the mirror in your bra and underwear. Look at your body and start listing off at least 10 things you love and appreciate about your body.
Something like, “I love my thighs because they allow me to go for long walks with my family.”
Another option, “I am so grateful for my arms because they help me carry my kids around and are strong and beautiful.”
It may feel really weird to do this at first. Especially if you’ve been feeling less than confident in your own skin at that exact moment. But here’s the thing, when you’re grateful for your body, you can’t also be mad and unhappy with it at the same time.
The more you practice this, the more you’ll be able to create a positive body image. Bonus points to do this exercise in front of your kids so that they can see how you love and respect your body.
Tip 5: Write a letter to your body
I know I’m getting a little woo woo on you here. But this is another incredible exercise to help get out of your negative body image funk.
When you’re feeling at your lowest (and honestly it doesn’t even have to be at your lowest), pull out a piece of paper and begin to write a letter to your body.
There’s two ways you can go about this.
- Write a letter to your body telling it why you’re so upset with it. Go into detail. Tell your body that you’re unhappy with it because it wasn’t able to keep up with your kids at the park. That you wish it looked a certain way and why is it so hard to shed just five pounds? The more detail you can go into the easier it’s going to be to get to the root of what’s truly bothering you about your body and keeping you in that negative body image loop. Then rip up the paper.
- Now start a new letter to your body telling it all the things you’re grateful for. You can start with things you truly believe. Something like, I love my eyes because they allow me to see such a beautiful world. They light up when I’m with the people I love. Then start to move towards something you’re grateful for about your body that maybe hasn’t quite happened yet. Something like, “I’m so grateful for my strong and toned legs because I am able to play for more than five minutes chasing my kids outside.”
The reason we do the second part of the letter and write out what we’re grateful for that maybe hasn’t happened yet is because the Universe doesn’t know any different. You’re putting out an energy to the Universe. You’re saying you’re thankful and grateful for something and it recognizes it as truth.
The more you write these and feel into the positivity, the more you’ll begin to believe them yourself. Which will also begin to make them truly part of your life.
Still having trouble with creating a positive body image? Join the Finding Freedom Mastermind Waitlist
The Finding Freedom Mastermind is a brand new approach to food and body image. This three month group coaching program will take you through my Food, Body, Balance process. It will help you create a positive body image that lasts a lifetime.
Breaking free from that internal struggle of just wanting to go to the store and find a damn pair of jeans that fit or actually wearing a swimsuit this summer you feel remotely comfortable in can be really hard to do on our own. Especially when those closest to us don’t quite get it.
It’s why I created the Finding Freedom Mastermind. To give you outside perspective and support to increase your self confidence and create a better relationship with food and your body.
This 3 month mastermind is truly what’s missing out there.
You could easily hop on yet another diet or try that supplement your best friend’s neighbor had success with. But that’s not solving for the right problem.
Just like we talked about in tip #3, your attitude, energy, beliefs, thoughts and words are what’s keeping you stuck.
Something like:
*How did I ever let myself get here? I’m so disgusting.
*Why is nothing working for me? Weight loss just feels impossible.
*I don’t have time to workout and I’ve never found anything I enjoyed.
*I should probably skip breakfast, I ate so poorly last night.
It’s hard AF to get out of that place alone because you likely don’t even realize what you’re saying. Or you do realize, but can’t figure out the right way to turn those thoughts around.
The support you receive from me within this mastermind is tailored to you and your needs specifically. We’ll work together on your thoughts and beliefs around food and body image. So that by the end of three months you have a workable plan that fits you and your personality. To help you create balance vs an all or nothing mindset.
You’ll finally be able to walk into the store with confidence and try on jeans, a swimsuit, a sexy dress, and feel really good in your own skin.
If having self confidence, improved self-worth and a healthy relationship with food and your body is what you’ve been craving, then get yourself on the waitlist for the Finding Freedom Mastermind. You’ll save $500 when the next round opens up.
