Body positivity is a journey that many of us have experienced, including myself. In one of my latest podcasts, I talked to Emily Didonato – model, influencer and co-founder of skincare line Covey – about body image, the extreme measures taken in the modeling industry to look a certain way, her own personal breaking point and how she came to find peace with herself. She shared about her disordered relationship with her body and with diet and exercise, her breaking point and how she accepted weight gain and found neutrality with her body. Her body positivity journey has helped her find peace with her body, so I’m sharing some insights and steps she takes when she’s having a bad body image day.
Find other things that fulfill you
When we obsess or fixate on the way we look, we forget that we are so much more than a number on the scale. Confidence comes from within, so finding other things that fulfill you will help you feel more confident when you’re struggling with body positivity. Maybe it’s a unique talent that you have, your intelligence, or the way you make people laugh – remember that you have so much more to bring to the table than your appearance.
Take back your power
Don’t let the scale or the way your jeans fit have so much power over your happiness. Instead of feeling guilty for eating that cookie or indulging in a pasta dinner, give yourself some grace. Having a poor relationship with food will only lead you down a path of constant struggle. Let go of the idea that you need to be a certain size or weigh a certain number to be happy. Instead, focus your mentality on how you want to feel. Do you feel healthy and strong? Are you fueling your body with the nutrition it needs to support you? Those are thoughts that will not only create a positive relationship with food, but will allow you to take back the power of feeling happy.
Accept that our bodies are going to change
It’s only natural for our weight to fluctuate and for our bodies to change. It’s completely unrealistic to expect your body to stay the same throughout your entire adult life, and thinking otherwise is a misconception that will lead to disappointment. If we focus our attention on all the wonderful things our bodies can do for us and to be grateful for them, then we’ll be less likely to pick them apart.
Reconnect with your body
Our bodies can easily get burnt out if we’re overdoing it. If you’re fixated on working out everyday or eating a strict diet, then you’ll likely exhaust yourself both physically and mentally. If you give your body the rest it deserves, then you’ll realize that taking a break will help you reconnect with your body and remember why you started exercising or eating healthy to begin with. Besides, living in fear that missing a day at the gym will completely set you back is no way to live at all.
It’s only natural for us to have off days – we’re not always going to feel our best, and that’s okay. Finding peace with our bodies is a journey, not a destination, so hopefully these tips will help you be more gentle with yourself and your body.
