Why wait until your body fits your vision of perfect to feel great about it? Every inch of you is amazing—here are three ways to practice loving who you are every day.
Develop a green thumb
Or head to the beach, hug a tree, set up a bird feeder in your yard. According to a small, preliminary British study, women who feel connected to nature are more likely to have greater appreciation of their bodies, though more research is needed.
Find body-confident friends
Hanging out with fitness-conscious pals may affect your own body image, found a 2012 Canadian study of 75 pairs of undergraduate female friends. Conversations about exercise predicted less body dissatisfaction than conversations about body image. The takeaway: Make close ties with people who are interested in more than their—or your—weight.
Limit social media time
Racking up hours on Facebook may cause you to overly focus on your appearance, according to a 2013 study of 881 college women in the US. The researchers found that more time spent on Facebook meant more frequent comparisons were made between body and weight. This led to negative feelings about body image in all the women surveyed.