My thighs have always kissed and my belly entered rooms before I did, I heard all sorts of comments about my weight. In my head, I looked like Fat Albert but every time I have looked back at pictures I think damn, I wasn’t half as bad as I imagined, then I would remember that I look like FAT Albert currently and that was an image from the past and the cycle would continue, it didn’t help every time I heard comments it confirmed this image. I had a love hate relationship with my body and the gym. I joined new gyms every 3 months and tried diets just as regularly.
Body image is the emotional attitudes, beliefs and perceptions of our bodies, what we believe about our appearance, how we feel about our bodies. Our negative or positive body image is informed by a large number of factors, from early childhood, our peers and the media each feeding into the other. Research has shown that people with poor body image are sometimes drawn to those who see them as they see themselves - negatively. Poor body image is linked with feeling less deserving of happiness, which can lead people to tolerate poor treatment from others.
We must begin to love our bodies as they, this is a radical act of self-love.
Self-love is loving yourself fully, flaws and all this looks like being honest with ourselves about who we are, what we want and what our strengths and weaknesses are and what we need to do in order to get where we want to be. It is the way we treat ourselves, the thoughts and feelings we have about ourselves, the effort we are willing to put into us, how we talk about ourselves.
It is having a positive view of ourselves and knowing that even on the not so great days, there is a love that underlies it all. When we get angry, or disappointed in ourselves, we can forgive ourselves and make decisions that support our wellbeing.
There are numerous practical things we can do to improve our body image, as it is subject fluctuation these and many other things must be done continuously.
Unlike exercise for weightless mindful exercise doesn’t rely on punishment, competition or weight. Its a more pleasurable exercise that should remind us of how amazing our bodies are. These bodies can be strong tough and enduring also soft, tender and flexible. For some people, this might look like running, going to the gym or cycling. For others it might be yoga, dancing around your room or a mindful walk to and from the park.
Notice new things to be grateful for each day and journal that, this can be something as non-complex as having a shower, listening to a song you haven’t heard in years or completing a job application, nothing is too small or too insignificant if it made your heart smile write it.
Set boundaries and establish a firm sense of right and wrong regarding your personal space. Use verbal, written or nonverbal prompts, non-verbal can be taking a couple of steps back if you feel someone has overstepped a personal boundary you have set for yourself. Write down how you feel in certain situations such as if someone feels too demanding of your time can help you in finding the right words to express your concerns.
Your body deserves all your love, at every size. You deserve flowers and things that make you smile even as your belly rolls and fat jiggles when you run. You deserve stars in your eyes and butterflies in your belly, the cornucopia that houses you is enough and beautiful as it because no one else looks like or even is you. Flaunt it all baby flaunt it all!!
P.s If loving your body is difficult, at least respect it. It has done and continues to do amazing things daily.
