Most people feel the pressure of today’s beauty standards at at least one point in their lives. Personally, I was someone who struggled with this for the majority of my life. I had an eating disorder throughout high school that was driven by my poor view of my body. My eating and exercise habits at the time were so unhealthy because of self-hatred that I had. The journey to self-love and acceptance is a rocky road and one that I’m still on, but here are some ways that I have started to gain body positivity!
I got rid of my scale.
In the past, I was one who would weigh myself after every single meal and stress out about the number I saw. Even if I felt on top of the world with my body image, I would instantly become upset if I stepped on the scale and saw a number higher than I expected. I was fixated on my weight and thought about it all of the time. Eventually, I broke the habit by setting little goals for myself. I would start with only weighing myself once a day in the morning, then slowly moved to every other day. It progressed until I really didn’t feel the need to weigh myself as consistently. I try to go as long as I can without weighing myself because I know myself well enough to understand that I’ll more than likely have a negative reaction to what I see.
I changed my workout routine to something fun.
I used to dread my daily workout of running 6-7 miles, but I continued to do it because I burned a lot of calories. I didn’t think that any other workout would compare. I started doing more research and saw other females were weight lifting, and they all looked incredible. I quickly switched my workout routine and began to love the extra challenges. I didn’t dread going to the gym anymore and actually looked forward to spending my time pushing myself to my limits.
I fell in love with what my body could do.
I know that there are certain parts of my body that won’t shrink. I started to realize that no matter how hard I push myself in the gym or how healthy I eat, I can’t change my basic frame. Something that I can control, however, is what my body can do. I can progress with the amount of weight I use or how many reps I do. Sure, there are still many days where I wake up wishing I looked different, but I try to go to the gym when I’m having a poor body image day and geek out about my strength.
I learned that life’s not a competition.
I was a little late to the game to realize that I am not competing with the other women around me. When someone is slaying in her latest Instagram pic, this doesn’t take away from my beauty. We can all freaking kill it together and be hot lil’ divas! And if a guy I’m talking to likes her picture, it doesn’t mean that they’re going to run off together into the sunset while I die alone. It just means that he thinks she’s looking pretty fabulous, too.
I surrounded myself with positive people.
I used to be in an abusive relationship where my ex would use my weight and body shape against me. Once I finally got out of that relationship, I sought out friends who were supportive of what I was going through. I was honest with them about how I was struggling with my body image, and they would offer lots of love and encouragement. It feels so so good to have such amazing and supportive friends who can help me through my negative days.
I sincerely complimented others.
I know how good it feels to receive some extra love, so I try to make it a point to let others know when they’re crushing it. It only takes a few seconds to tell someone something sweet, and it can really have a lasting impact. It allowed me to focus on the good in other people, which eventually translated to myself. I was always searching for how I could compliment another person so when I looked in a mirror, this positivity spread into my own view of myself.
I followed body positive Instagram accounts.
There are thousands of fitstagrams where super athletic people post pics of the 8-pack abs every single day. Those people are fine and dandy, but it’s hard to constantly see them #killingit when you’re having a bad body image day. I love seeing people doing the #30secondtransformation challenge because it shows that most people don’t walk around 24/7 flexing every muscle in their body to look shredded. I also highly recommend following instas who promote self love and positivity like Fitnika101 and Jenbretty. They keep things real for their followers and even let them know when they’re having a hard body image day, too.
I learned what to put in my body.
Everyone knows that there are foods that make you feel good momentarily, like sweets and treats, and there are foods that make your body feel good on the long-term, like spinach and avocados. When you’re in a moment of distress, it’s easy to turn to your fave guilty pleasure for instant gratification. I know that certain foods make me feel bloated and sluggish, so I try to avoid those at all cost when I’m having a rough day. Instead, I’ve learned to fill up with foods that give me energy to continue to crush my day!
I started writing positive notes to myself.
I know that it’s not new knowledge to write positive messages on post it notes and hang them to your mirror, but these reminders are so beneficial! It seems silly to write messages like “you’re beautiful” because it can feel very vain, but it’s just another note to yourself about how great you are. I also journal every night and try to write things I like about myself, whether it be something external or internal. It’s something I can look back on when I’m really having a bad day to know that I have so many great qualities even if I don’t feel like I do in the moment.
It’s taken me awhile to get to this positive mindframe, but I’ve learned so much about myself on the journey. I know that I can be a work in progress and a masterpiece all at the same time! Use some of these steps so you can start feeling like the best version of yourself.