10TipsandTricksforFeelingBetterinYourSkinFeelingdownaboutyourbody?Youmaythinkthatlosingweightortoningupisthebestwaytofeelbetterinyourskin.Thetruthis,focusingonchangingyourbodysizeandshapemaymakeyoufeelworseinthelongrun.Herearethingsyoucandorightnowtochangethewayyouthinkaboutyourselfandboostyourbodyimage.
1. TakeGoodCareNurtureyourselfwiththingslikebubblebaths,amanicure/pedicure,anap,amassage,orabackscratch.Cuddlewithapet,makeplanstohangoutwithasupportivefriend,watchyourfavoritemovie,listentocalmingmusic,dodeepbreathing,meditationorprayer—whateveritis,makesureit’ssomethingself-soothing.
2. GetMovin’Exerciseenhancesbodyimageregardlessofchangesinbodyweight/size/shape.Recordyourmoodonascalefrom1-10(1beingverydepressed/anxious/stressedand10beingveryhappyandcarefree)beforedoingphysicalactivity,andthendothesamethingafterphysicalactivity…noticeanydifference?
3. NoticeYourThoughtsNoticethenegativethoughtsyouhaveaboutyourbody.Considerevenwritingthemdown.Comeupwithpositivealternativestatementsthatyoucanthinktoreplacethosenegativethoughts.Here’sanexample:
“Ihavethunderthighs”→“Ihavepowerfullegsthatallowmetorunformiles.”
4. DitchtheDietTryingtoloseweightisnotonlyexhaustingandmiserable,butrarelyresultsinabetterbodyimage.Plus,mostdietersloseweightandthenregaintheweight,plusafewextrapounds.Sodietingisn’tthesolution.Gentleself-careisthesolution.Insteadofworkingonchangingyourbody,workoneatingwellandbeingphysicallyactiveandletyourbodydowhatit’sgoingtodo.Inthemeantime,findotherwaystoloveandrespectyourbody.
5. FocusontheInsideWhodoyoulookupto?Whoinspiresyou?Whatattractsyoutothosepeopleusuallyhasnothingtodowiththeirappearances.Considerallthequalitiestheyhavethatmakeyouappreciatethem.It’sourdreams,passions,goals,morals,insightandcharacterthattrulydefinewhoweare.Celebrateyourmanytalentsandcharacterstrengths.
6. TrashtheScaleDoesweighingyourselfallthetimereallymakeyoufeelgood?Formost,usingthescaletotrackprogressresultsinanemotionalrollercoaster.Weightnaturallyfluctuatesduetoshiftsinfluid.Ifyoufindthatjumpingonthescalemakesorbreaksyourday,thenthrowitout.Whoneedsit?It’snotanaccuraterepresentationofyourhealthstatus.Ifyou’relookingforotherwaystokeeptabsonyourhealthstatus,considercountingupyourfruitandveggieservings,oryourheartrateafteranaerobicactivity.Focusonfitnessanddevelopingahealthyrelationshipwithfood.Letgoofthenumberonthescale.It’sjustanumber.Itdoesnotreflectyourworthorvalue.
7. BeKindtoYourselfWhileit’stemptingtobeatyourselfupaboutyourbody,whatgooddoesthatdo?Shamingyourselforothersrarelyleadstopermanentbehaviorchanges.Itreallyjustresultsinyoufeelingbadlyaboutyourself.Treatyourselfwithcompassion.Insteadofengaginginunhealthyandabusivebehaviors,makealistofself-carestrategiesthatpromotehealthandwell-being(seetip1).Lovingyourbodytakestime.Whenyounoticeself-disparagingthoughts,don’tbeatyourselfupforthem.Noticethemandletthempass.
8. CutBackonMediaandSocialMediaStudieshavefoundthatthemoretimesomeonespendsonsocialmediathemoreinsecuretheyare.Youmayfindittemptingtocompareyourselftoyour“friends”onsocialmedia.Iftakingabreakfromsocialmediasoundsfrightening,trytofollowbodypositivemediacampaigns.
9. GoShoppingShopforclothesthatfitwellandfeelgood.Grabasupportivefriendandagreetohavea“nofattalk”shoppingtripandonlysaypositivethingsaboutyourbody.Tryonclothesandassesswhethertheyarecomfortableandmakeyouhappy.Fillyourwardrobewiththoseitems.Shortoncash?Checkoutthriftandconsignmentstores.
10. CelebrateYourDifferencesJustlikevariationinheight,haircolor,skincolorandeyecolor,genesplayasignificantroleindirectingbodyshapeandsize.Theculturemaydefinebeauty,butyoudon’thavetoagreetotheirdefinition.Makeupanewdefinitionforbeautifulandliveit.
www.csuchico.edu/fitU [email protected]
©2015DawnClifford,PhD,RD
