The Truth About Body Image

Hey, Sunshine! I hope you are doing well and staying healthy. I want to dedicate this post to body image, body confidence, and anything related to the way you see your body. The reason I am writing this is because honestly I have been struggling with my own body image lately. I figure that if I want to promote authenticity and empowering others, I need to start with myself. I hope this can help someone in one way or another, and understand that you are not alone if you struggle with this. Dealing with Body Image Issues

An Addictive Cycle

For awhile it was the same routine every day: wake up, look at myself in the mirror, step on the scale, try to “work off” the parts of my body that I didn’t like, click on the My Plate app to track my calories for the day, repeat.

It’s this obsessive, never-ending cycle that feeds the voice in my head saying, “not skinny enough, not toned enough, not ________ enough.”

That’s the thing about body image issues, though. They are addicting and you never seem to be satisfied.

But I realized I am not the only one who struggles with this. Even more, I realized that women are not the only ones who battle body confidence issues. Although my blog focuses on empowering women, it is important to shed light on men’s mental health (as it is not nearly talked about enough). This post is for everyone and I hear the men who are also internally bound to their body image.

Lili Reinhart said something so powerful in this video and it’s that “We aren’t born insecure. We are conditioned to be.”

It’s mind blowing because the person who has your so-called “dream body” is fighting their own insecurities and is possibly wishing to have a different body themselves. We are constantly comparing ourselves or hoping for something…“better”.

Again, it’s an addictive cycle.

Advice on Dealing with Body Image Issues

I thought about this for a long time. Over the past few months I have compiled my thoughts and tips that have helped me through my own struggles. I am nowhere near perfect and I still have my own setbacks, but maybe this can help you feel less lonely in your circumstances or push you to improve upon yourself.

1. Set your intentions

Whenever I overthink the way my body looks I ask myself what my goals are and what I want out of my life.

I ask this, first to myself, and then to you: if the world was blind who would you be?

What is your character like?

How do you invest in yourself?

Do you take care of yourself (mentally and physically)?

Do you put effort into the well-being of those around you?

When is the last time you really listened to someone else about their problems?

Deep questions, I know.

When I have moments of low confidence I try to re-evaluate the intentions I set for my life.

I do this because it reminds me that I am one billion times more than my body.

Honestly it is exhausting constantly focusing on your outer appearance. Sunshine, make yourself busy. Keep yourself so busy with your hobbies, achieving your goals, and improving yourself that you don’t even have time to overthink the number on the scale. If getting in shape is a goal for you, be consistent and work towards it. The important part is why you want to see changes in your body. Set your intentions and remind yourself of how valuable you are throughout the process (even if you don’t believe it at times).

When I started working out I took progress pictures every week or so. It kept me motivated because I was seeing my efforts. I just needed to step back when my intentions changed from just wanting to get fit to wanting a “Madison Beer” type of body. Do you see the difference?

2. Fluidity and movement

This is one of the biggest factors in helping me through my slumps. I apologize for this one if it seems mediocre or generic, but it has transformed my body image and maybe it can serve as inspiration for you.

Exercise almost forces you to channel your energy away from unwanted thoughts, whether they are related to body image or other stressful circumstances in your life. I am sure you have heard the phrase “I need to clear my head” or that “exercise clears your head.” I won’t get too deep into the science behind it, but research shows that exercise triggers the release of endorphins, or hormones that reduce stress, which can alleviate some of the chaos inside of your mind.

Movement does not have to be an intense HIIT workout or an hour of torture. Stretching, going for walks, doing yoga, lifting some weights, going for a bike ride, blasting loud music and dancing in front of the mirror (by the way…my favorite thing to do), seriously anything that keeps your body moving can shift your focus and allow you to feel better about working on yourself both physically and mentally.

When I see personal improvements on myself, it gives me confidence and I feel good. Even just putting on a workout outfit can motivate me to do something active. I wholeheartedly support body positivity, but I am an even bigger advocate for self-improvement. So if you want to set a goal to get into better shape, who’s to stop you? But be realistic with your goals and your workouts.

Be consistent. Don’t overwork yourself. Take breaks whenever they are needed. Balance is key.

…in every aspect of life.

3. You have control over your social media

You have complete control over who you follow on social media. If there is a specific celebrity or person that you keep comparing yourself to, unfollow them. Why do you need to follow someone if they aren’t serving a positive role in your life?

Remember, social media is fake. I was thinking about this the other day, but I could search up a picture of the Eiffel tower on Google, post it onto my Instagram story, and my followers would very well believe that I am in Paris….all while laying in my bed at home.

The point is that you have no idea what editing apps people use, what procedures they have had, or what alterations have been made to their photos. I encourage you to take control over what you can on social media because as much as we learn a lot from it and it helps us to be more aware of what’s going on in the world, social media can be a scary place if we abuse it.

4. Mindful Eating

I am careful with what I say about food because I know how much of a sensitive topic it is, even for me. The one piece of advice I would give is to try to eat whole foods, or foods grown straight from the Earth, when you can. These are the ones that don’t have added ingredients you can’t pronounce. Of course, eat dessert when you crave it. Craving goldfish crackers? Go for it! I learned that restricting leads to binge eating. But be mindful. Again, balance is key. I just know that when I eat foods that are better for me internally, I feel better externally.

Some snacks I LOVE are carrots, greek yogurt with fruit, anything with oats, sweet potatoes, watermelon, bell peppers, and any sort of berry.

Last summer I got certified in a (very introductory) Nutritional Sciences course, and I learned that people who eat more fruits and veggies are at a lower risk for heart disease, stroke, and GI cancers. I know it isn’t rocket science to understand that fruits and veggies are good for you, but they are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, low in fat, and have a higher water content which allows for larger consumption for less calories.

From that Nutritional Science class I learned that the average adult diet should include:

1. 5 portions of a variety of fruits and veggies per day
2. Whole grains when possible (base meals around starchy carbs like potatoes, rice, oats and grains)
3. 2 portions of fish per week, along with other protein-rich foods included in your meals
4. Unsaturated oils (fats that are liquid at room temperature such as olive oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil) in small amounts
5. 3 servings of various dairy products per day (nonfat milk, greek yogurt, reduced-fat cheese)
6. 6-8 cups/glasses of fluid per day

I am in no way a nutritionist, but I used to restrict myself from foods that have essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals all because I didn’t want to consume “extra calories”. After adjusting my eating habits I saw dramatic changes both in my physical health and mental health. By the way, counting your calories can be your worst enemy. Being mindful and eating intuitively helped me much more in the long run.

5. Be kind to yourself

Cheesy, but true. Your body is the reason you live and breathe. If your friend had the exact same body type as you and told you about his/her body image issues, what would you say? I guarantee that you would not respond to your friend in the same way you would with yourself.

We are so harsh on ourselves. We find every way to tear ourselves apart, and for what reason?

Every single morning I say positive affirmations out loud. I am beautiful, I am kind, I am inspiring, I am strong, I am confident, I am deserving of all good things, good things are coming my way. If you are spiritual, prayer helps a lot with this. Just reconnecting and re-focusing my energy on a greater power takes away from those voices telling me I am not enough.

Because I am more than enough.

Final Thoughts

There are so many other ways to help improve your body image, but these five made the biggest impact on my life.

It is also important to surround yourself with people who inspire you. I watched a video one time and the speaker asked the question, “Do you want to see your future?” and quickly responded, “…then look at your friends.”

Do your friends push you to be better? Are you struggling with body image because of your friends? I don’t know if you have heard the saying “you are who you surround yourself with” but it holds very true to the way you see yourself and others.

You are amazing. I am so proud of you for all that you have overcome, and I wish I could hug you through the screen. Your body is what keeps you alive. Have I told you how incredible it is that you are alive?! I am here for you, and If you have any tips for me please feel free to reach out because I struggle too…sometimes a lot.

Don’t forget to check out my last blog post and follow the Instagram to stay updated whenever a new post comes out!

You matter. Never forget that!

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