How I’ve been intentionally improving my body image
A few months ago, I shared a video on my Instagram about how I was in a really bad slump with my body image struggles. As I’m sure you know, this journey isn’t linear. I have ups and downs — days when I feel proud of my body and days when I feel ashamed.
Back when I posted that video, I was in a really low place. I was weighing myself every single day, standing in front of the mirror picking apart my body, grabbing areas of my body to feel how much bigger it was compared to before (this is called “body checking”). And do you know what my before body was? I’d been comparing myself to the body I had back in late 2020, shortly after I had COVID. I dropped over 10 pounds and was the lowest weight I’d been since before I got married. I looked and felt thin, which as we know is what society constantly tells women they should be. But one day I woke up and realized I was comparing my body to a time when I was sick, which is absolutely crazy and the opposite of healthy thinking.
In the past few months, I’ve been really working on changing my mindset, encouraging positive thoughts instead of the daily negative ones. I’m happy to say that I’m in a much better space today, and I wanted to share a few things that helped in case you’re struggling too.
I stopped the daily weigh-ins. I can easily become obsessed with the number on the scale. This comes from years of tracking my progress on MyFitnessPal. Once I start to notice that my weight has increased above the threshold that I find “acceptable,” I’m more prone to restrict my food or over-exercise. I’m not saying that I never weigh myself, but I’m not doing it every day anymore. I can’t.
I’m focusing more on strength. I’ve noticed that when I feel strong, I appreciate my body more. It’s not about toning or looking a certain way, rather it’s about feeling proud of what I can do despite having carried and birthed 2 children. While I will always be an advocate for home workouts, I’ve started going to the gym semi-frequently so I can utilize heavier equipment than I have at home. In just a couple of months, I’m noticing my strength really improving and I’m hitting new personal records.
I’m actively trying to stop commenting on other people’s bodies. Whether this is out loud to someone or in my own head, I know that my concerns over someone else’s body stem from my inner struggles. I’m reminding myself daily that other people’s bodies aren’t my business and you can’t judge a person’s health by their shape or size.
I’m stepping away from diet-focused conversations. I have found that participating in chats about diets or restricting foods is really triggering for me. I’ve fallen into so many of these diet traps over the years and I don’t like putting myself in such a vulnerable position. I’ve done a lot of research and spoken with nutritionists and physicians and learned that most diets are unsustainable and not healthy in the long run. So it’s really hard to discuss this topic with people who may not be in that same space or have the same goals as me. In general, my response to being bated into this topic is usually, “Yeah, I’m not really a diet kind of person. I prefer to focus on listening to my body and adding nutritious foods to my meals rather than restricting.” End of discussion.
I bought clothes that actually fit me. I’ve kept some jeans in my closet from that late 2020 timeframe, in the hopes that I’d fit into them again. I’ve squeezed into them here and there, but I was uncomfortable and miserable every time. And for what…so I could say I wore a size 2 again? Who cares? I put some of those items up for sale on Mercari and bought a few pieces that were a more comfortable size and, man, does it make a difference! Remember that clothes are meant to fit your body, not the other way around.
