We have become so busy criticizing the way our body looks that we forget all the little things our body is giving us.
Show gratitude and appreciate your body for:
- The ability to walk
- The ability to engage in sports or leisure activities
- The ability to breathe easily and digest food with no pain
- For woman, the ability to carry and deliver a healthy baby
- The ability to pick up and play with a baby or toddler
- The gift of receiving pleasure through a massage, delicious food or sex
What can your body accomplish? Do you feel gratitude for these abilities?
2- Talk to your body in a neutral or positive tone
Avoid body criticism. We think if we criticize our body that we are going to take care of it but in reality the effect is quite the opposite. How can you take care of something you don't love.
If loving your body seems very far at the moment. It is okay. Start with respecting your body.
Use neutral, non-judgmental description of how you are physically feeling in your body. Don’t use loaded words such as flabby, instead use words such as uncomfortable. Example; I feel uneasy about my body today.
Add “AND” to the above description and list 3 things you admire about yourself.
Create your own statement that you could use on days where you're having a rough time with your body.
3- Nourish your body
Your body deserves to be properly fed. It deserves to have the energy it needs to do the daily activities. Don't starve your body through very restrictive diets. It will only backfire and puts you in deprivation overeating cycle. Honor your body's needs.
4- Find joy in movement
Movement shouldn't be a punishment. It is a way to take care of your body and mind. You deserve to move your body in ways you find enjoyable and fun. Shift your focus to how it feels to move your body, rather than how many calories you’re burning with exercise. If you focus on how you feel from working out, such as energized, happy or relieved; it can give you the motivation you need to get moving.