We have all had problems with our body image, whether it's just before the party season or just after. Everyone has had some issue with how they look at some point in their lives. Today our lives are filled with visual images of how we are supposed to look or we are being introduced to the 'latest' diet program making us take a closer look at our bodies.
Here are 6 tips to help you become less obsessed about how you look:-
1. Stop avoiding your body - The best way to avoid negative body image is to face up to how you body looks and to start getting to know it, lumps, bumps and everything in between. If you usually avoid mirrors, now is the perfect time to start approaching them. Look at yourself as a whole person - don't just focus on the bits you don't like. Spend some time with yourself naked! Try new activities that you would normally avoid like going to the beach. The more time you spend in contact with your body and accepting your body the way it is, the more you are likely to develop a better body image.
2. Stop constantly checking - This is when you are constantly checking your body for evidence of continued 'disgustingness'. A person might study their body in the mirror for hours, or pinch their sides to check on their 'fat'. Write a list of your checking behaviours and recognise what you are doing by making a point to refuse to check or at least try to cut back.
3. Stop comparing yourself - One form of the checking behaviour is when you also compare your physical attributes to other people. It can be challenging to stop negatively comparing yourself to others. Make a note of when you compare, who you compare yourself to, and what you say to yourself when you do it. What effect does this have on how you feel when you do it? What can you say to yourself that can be more helpful and uplifting?
4. Check your assumptions out - Some people can interpret normal everyday evidence as 'fatness'. For example, a lot of women think that if their thighs or stomachs wobble, this means they are 'fat'. In fact, this wobbliness is part of a normal female's characteristics and can be normal fluid retention leading up to a premenstrual cycle but many view this as a 'sign' that they are putting on weight.
5. Separate the feeling bad from feeling fat - When you are having some weight issues, it can sometimes be challenging to separate your feelings of how you feel about your body. For example, if you've just had a fight with your partner you may start to feel 'fat' and unattractive. Try and identify what the real issues are and keep them separate from your body image issues. Another example when people feel 'fat' is just after they have eaten. When this happens remind yourself that your weight and appearance are the same before you started to feel this way. You may feel different but your weight hasn't changed.
6. Practise self acceptance - When you have a negative body image it's like having you own personal critic inside your head. This critic makes you feel awful because you end up believing it. When you feel terrible about yourself, you may look for ways to feel better. You may eat something which you feel is 'naughty' but gives you some momentary pleasure, but then the critic is back to comment on what a pig you are. To change this negative body image persona you need to kill the critic in your head and learn to love yourself for the way you look. Cognitive techniques can be a very effective in helping you identify and change your critical thinking.
By learning to accept and love yourself for who you are and the way you look, you will find yourself happier and more appreciative of how your body looks and feels. We all want to look our best and have a healthy body but a healthy body comes in many shapes and sizes. Make sure your lifestyle consists of a healthy eating plan and regular exercise that will help boost yourself image; self esteem and of course increase your energy levels.
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