3 Mindset Tweaks to Help You Accept Your Body
Our bodies are much more than what we see in the mirror. Learn to appreciate the incredible machine that serves you every minute of every day.
If someone asked you to describe your body, what would you say? Most people would probably immediately think about how they look, versus how their body feels or functions. And, thanks to unrealistic beauty standards ingrained in most cultures around the world, we might be pretty unkind to ourselves.
Now imagine if your thoughts naturally went to what your body can do. That simple mindset shift can make a world of difference when it comes to building confidence in your body and yourself. It doesn’t take years of therapy, just a change in perspective.
Tap into thought power
Our body image is informed by so many factors, including our personal history—the positive and negative messages we’ve heard from others in our lives (moms and mean girls, to name a few)--and media messages about what’s “attractive” or “ideal.” These experiences and beliefs can profoundly shape how we think and feel about our bodies.
What can combat the negative messages we’ve heard? Research has shown that people who think about their bodies more in terms of what they can do, and less about how they look, are more likely to be physically active, enjoy greater well-being, and have a better body image. And improvements in body image are associated with better quality of life and weight loss outcomes, as well as more successful long-term weight maintenance.
Bottom line: Regardless of their starting weight, people with a more positive body image who begin a weight loss program lose more than those who have a more negative body image. So, changing your thoughts is a powerful way to improve your health and weight-loss results.
Reflect and replace
As suggested in your Weekly, the next time you have a thought about how a part of your body looks, or compare it to someone else’s, try to replace that thought with one about what that part does for you. It works like this:
Take a moment to visualize that part of your body. If you think “My arms are so big,” pause to really picture your arms.
Next, think about how you use this part of your body and what important role it plays. Your arms help you carry heavy things, certainly, but go further. Do they let you throw a baseball, paint your living room a great colour, or roll bags through an airport? And you know they help you hug people you love.
Try to create an affirmation recognizing how that body part helps you and what it can accomplish: “My arms help me because they make it possible to swing a tennis racquet and lift my child.”
If you’re having trouble coming up with something specific to that part of your body, try to think of your body overall. What can you do today that was more challenging to do at the start of your WW journey? What feels different? What can you envision doing?
It’s OK—and completely normal—if this new thought process doesn’t come naturally at first. Be patient with yourself and remember that you deserve compassion. The more you try it over time, the more your thoughts will automatically shift from criticism to the appreciation your hardworking body deserves.