Are you struggling to lose weight?
Are you dissatisfied with the way you look?
You are not alone.
Many of us struggle with body image.
We’re often unhappy with the way we look.
Does this strike a familiar note with you?
If so, one of the most important things you can do for yourself and your weight-loss goal is
to begin loving yourself, just the way you are.
What Can You Appreciate Now?
Take a look in the mirror at your body.
If you can do it without your clothes on, all the better.
If you cannot, that’s okay.
Looking in the mirror, find one thing you really like about your body.
Maybe it’s your shoulders or your chest.
Maybe you like your ankles or your neck.
Find one thing you like about your body.
Now celebrate it.
Express verbal appreciation for that body part.
Wear clothes or accessories that help you celebrate that body part.
Gratitude and Mindset
Do you often hear yourself saying or thinking, “I hate my_________?”
You can fill in the blank with just about anything.
“I hate my muffin top.”
“I hate my rear end.”
“I hate my arms.”
Almost everyone can find fault with something on their body.
However, your body, whatever shape it’s in, is a remarkable thing.
It keeps you safe.
It helps you move about the world.
Every second you’re breathing, your heart is pumping, you’re thinking and you’re able to be
alive and do what you enjoy.
Without your body, none of this would be possible.
Instead of hating your body, begin being grateful for what it does for you every second of
every day.
When a negative thought or emotion pops into your head about your body, change it to
a positive one.
Instead of “I hate my stomach,” think “I’m so grateful for my body.”
This change in mindset is powerful.
We take better care of the things we love and appreciate.
Once you can begin to appreciate and love your body, you’ll start taking better care
of it naturally.
How Can You Be Kind to Your Body?
When you begin to appreciate your body for all that it does for you, you begin to want to
take better care of it.
Better care doesn’t just mean food.
It also means celebrating your body through movement.
And it means making sure your body gets what it needs in terms of rest and TLC.
You can be kinder to your body by:
* Hydrating – making sure you drink plenty of fluids
* Not drinking too much alcohol
* Not smoking
* Using sunscreen
* Doing yoga, Thai Chi, dance, stretching and moving your muscles, joints and tendons
* Getting enough sleep
* Taking vitamins
* Eating healthy
Changing your viewpoint and appreciating your body is the first step to achieving your
weight-loss goals.
Once you love your body and can look at it with gratitude, you’ll naturally start taking
better care of it.
Instead of diving into one restrictive diet after another, take time to look in the mirror and
appreciate what a miracle your body is right now – today.
As the song goes, “I love you just the way you are”!
How do you feel about your body?
Has losing weight been a struggle for you?
What has worked for you?
Share your thoughts, experiences and comments with us.
Thanks! Just what I need to read today!
All of the above has worked for me!
This is an absolutely beautiful post. It’s something I have been struggling with, but have made it a priority as I don’t want to lose weight while in an unhealthy relationship with my body.
Thank you for sharing this Deborah.
Thanks a lot, Kimmy. I am glad you found it relevant. It is something that so many of us struggle with.
Dear Deborah, Great blog post about self-acceptance and weight control. Saw it at the HHG&N Blog Hop#68. I pinned it and posted it on FB. I suspect women all over the planet will be helped when they read it. Warm regards, Nancy Andres, Health & Lifestyle Writer, Author of “Colors of Joy: A Woman’s Guide for Self-Discovery, Balance, and Bliss.”