The human body is a fascinating thing and sometimes we get caught up in all of the headaches of life and forget the importance of nourishing and loving our body. A lot of media today is focused around criticizing bodies and self shaming and body hate has become very prevalent in our society. With these tips, I hope that you will find the ability to love your body for what it is, and to make improvements if needed.
1.) Look at Yourself: This can be something that people really struggle with, but it is important to really look at yourself. Spend some time in front of the mirror and take in your appearance, listen to your heart beat, your breathing and appreciate things that you love. Make a list of things that you are proud of and things that make you unique.
2.) Identify Your Flaws and Move On: I know a lot of people have body image issues and I think the biggest way to try to manage that is to look at your body like car. If you get a flat tire, you don’t throw away your entire car. You fix it and if you don’t know how to fix it, you find someone or something that can help and you make changes and get back on the road. Find your flaws and decide if 1.) they really are flaws or 2.) is it something that you can work on to change.
3.) Set Realistic Goals: Once you have decided on the things that you want to work on, put your thoughts into action. If you’re looking to drop 20lbs to fit into your swimsuit, then come up with a plan of how to accomplish that and set deadlines. Be healthy with your actions. Remember Rome was not built in a day and it will take time to see changes. Also remember, it takes two to three weeks to develop a habit. Don’t get discouraged. Every day is a day for you to get closer to achieving your dreams.
4.) Encourage Setbacks: One thing I always say is that if I’m going to fail, I hope I do it quickly and understand what I did wrong. The same is true for setbacks when it comes to achieving body goals. People tend to look at the scale as an end all be all measurement of success. It is possible to gain weight, and lose inches. Muscle weighs more than fat so make sure that you understand what your efforts are doing to your body and how to measure if they are successful. If you do have a bad day, don’t let it become a bad week or a bad month. Sit down and think about why your bad day effected your goals, and try to prevent that from happening in the future. You are driving the car, so drive closer to your destination.
5.) Accept Your Changes: Once you start to see your success, do not be afraid to share and show it off. You have worked hard and it is 100% OK to be proud of it. Remember that you are not the same person that you once were. You have overcome the physical so now overcome the mental and remember that you can must maintain your goals. Do not prevent yourself from ever eating a cookie again, once you have hit your goal weight, for fear of gaining 10lbs. You must realize that it takes time to put it on, and time to take it off. So keep up the good work and make sure that you understand and love your new body.
