It is an excellent time to revaluate your goals and actions, as well as make any necessary modifications to your routine in the quest for personal growth – whatever that means to you. However, the underlying message is that you are currently unacceptable or fall short of some ideal to which we should all aspire.
There is a subtle danger here, in that it might lead to an endless pursuit of an impossible and continuously altering goal. Let’s face it, very few of us have a chance of looking like the models featured besides those ostensibly motivating messages. Most significantly, persistent striving for an impossible goal can harm our self-esteem as well as our physical and mental health in extreme circumstances.
What Is Body Image, Exactly?
The way you think and feel about your body, as well as the actions you do to try to modify it, is referred to as body image. A person with a positive body image is at ease and confident in their own skin, whereas someone with a poor body image frequently experiences feelings of shame, anxiety, self-consciousness, and even a sense of being fundamentally wrong in terms of appearance.
Body image, like so many other things, is a spectrum. You might desire to shed a few pounds and become in better condition, so you adopt lifestyle modifications to achieve those objectives. That is an appropriate reaction to unhappiness with one’s appearance. Those who are sincerely ashamed of how they look and associate their looks with their self-worth are on the other end of the spectrum, which can lead to eating disorders, exercise addiction, and mental health issues.
As we go through life, almost everyone finds themselves moving along that continuum. As you work toward weight loss or other health and wellness objectives, the goal should be to find healthy strategies to improve your body image. At the same time, you must accept your current self and recognize that failing to meet a weight-loss goal, for example, does not imply that you are a less worthwhile person, just as achieving that goal does not imply that you are a better one.
Make exercise a positive experience.
The first, and possibly most crucial, method is to quit berating yourself for every missed workout or a sweet treat with negative self-talk. Also, try not to think of exercise as a way to “earn” your food or make up for earlier unhealthy eating habits. Even if you’re having trouble getting started, physical activity should always be viewed as a good experience. Even as you seek to improve your physical fitness or attractiveness, take a moment to appreciate what your body can achieve right now.
Make a list of reasons for changing that aren’t related to appearance.
Second, write a list of the reasons you want to improve your lifestyle that isn’t related to your appearance. Physical activity, for example, can boost your mood, increase your capacity to execute tasks throughout the day, and allow you to participate in activities with your children or grandchildren, in addition to burning fat and growing muscle.
If you can link positive behaviours to the things that matter most to you, you’ll be well on your way to redefining physical exercise as something that matters more than the numbers on the scale or how you look in the mirror.
Find people who are willing to help you.
Surround yourself with individuals who are positive (and, as mentioned above, this includes yourself). It’s critical to be a part of a community of like-minded people who will support you in your efforts and help you get back on track if you fall off the wagon.
Set goals that aren’t related to your beauty.
Set some goals that aren’t related to your beauty. Focusing on the process of behaviour change rather than the results might sometimes help you think more positively. Set a goal to walk a particular distance, cook a certain number of times, or go to a certain number of fitness classes each week, for example. If you achieve your “process goals,” the progress will usually take care of itself.
Be kind to yourself.
Treat yourself as you would your closest friend, as the expression goes. When you know you’re not at your best, it’s never simple to accept your appearance or any other aspect of yourself. You would never call your best buddy obese or lazy, tell them they don’t belong in the gym because they’re too large or out of shape or tell them they look bad in a certain outfit. Instead, you’d encourage them, inquire about how you could assist them, and push them to achieve their full potential.
