When it comes to our bodies, we can be our own worst enemy. Unfortunately, from the time we are young children, we learn how to talk poorly to ourselves, and over time, these words diminish our self-worth and confidence. Anytime you say that you “hate” a certain area of your body or you refer to food as the enemy, you are essentially fat-shaming yourself and you will end up identifying with what you are saying. Whether you are 20 or 70, it’s time to let go of the negative body talk and adopt more forgiving thoughts. Here are a few ways to get over the body-shaming obstacle and start living happily in the body you were blessed with.
Be honest with yourself. For most of us, “fat-talk” starts first thing in the morning when we step in front of the mirror and only see the features that we don’t like about ourselves. Instead of focusing on your flaws, try streamlining your attention toward your strong points. Maybe your skin is glowing from the resolution to add more water to your diet, or maybe your arms are defined from all those years of carrying your babies around. We all have strong points, and while it’s easy to direct our attention to the things that we have trained ourselves to not like on our bodies, we can easily forget what we love.
Pinpoint and replace gestures. If you’ve been sucking in your gut or covering your legs in warm weather because of cellulite, it’s time to recognize this behavior and replace it with compliments to yourself. At first, it might feel a bit strange considering you’ve most likely been picking fights with your body for years, but hold firm and with time, these compliments to yourself will come naturally. Also, ask yourself if you would ever talk to your daughter or friend the same way. In most cases, the answer is no, because we are better at treating others with more respect than ourselves. Knowing that you would never tell your daughter that she looks fat in a certain pair of jeans, will help you determine that you shouldn’t tell yourself that you look fat in a certain pair of jeans.
Be realistic. Okay, so it’s understandable that you aren’t going to go from hating your body to loving it, but there are other ways to replace the criticism. Instead of telling yourself that you look ugly in a dress, try telling yourself that you aren’t ugly, you simply aren’t feeling your most confident. It’s okay to not feel your best at all times, but it’s not okay to beat yourself up over it.
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