Feel positive about yourself as a whole person
Don’t put pressure on yourself to lose weight too fast
Hide those scales – don’t check your body weight daily
Try to fit in healthy exercise regularly
Studies have shown that endorphins (‘feel good’ hormones) are released during healthy exercise and can boost your confidence, lift your mood and may help to make you feel better about yourself and your body. Taking part in some sort of regular exercise may also help you feel less anxious about food and more positive about your body. Choose something you will enjoy or try something new and challenging for your body, such as yoga, meditation, pilates or dance. You never know – you may have a hidden talent! Just remember to drink plenty of water .
Surround yourself with people who love you…
…for who you are regardless, who will help to boost your confidence and make you feel good about yourself and your body. If you find your friends are unsupportive of your health and diet plan, or make you feel uncomfortable – they are not true friends. Give toxic friends the boot and find new ones!
Try to be realistic about your body…
…and come to terms with the shape and size your body is meant to be. We all have a natural body shape that is influenced by our genes. Wear clothes that complement your body . If you’re having a bad day, try wearing your favourite outfit as this will help lift your confidence and make you feel better and healthier. An instant body image booster!
Don’t let the media influence your body image
We’re constantly bombarded with images of beautiful thin models or celebrity mums who’ve already got their pre-baby body back in glossy magazines, on television and on billboards. These images can distort our image of what the ‘ideal’ person is supposed to be, and are not an accurate representation of a healthy body or body image. When you look at those mags remind yourself: the photographs will no doubt have been air-brushed to reduce inches from waists or thighs, and remove any imperfections the celebrities may have too. And they really do have them.
If you continue to tell yourself something, you’ll soon start to believe it’s true – so say to yourself every day: ‘I love my body’. It may sound silly at first, but you have to believe it to change your attitude. Positive thinking works! So take some time out and start loving your body now!
This is so important, but something I find extremely difficult. I am a super selfless person, and I feel guilty doing anything that benefits only me. But this year I am going to focus on me and be a wee bit selfish. I need to loose weight and I need to make myself feel good about myself again. I am going to pamper myself, get regular massages, buy things that make me look nice and that make me feel better and I am going to make time for me.
I hate feeling like a burden to people but as a single mum I need to get over this. I have had one night off in the last 18 months and it is definitely taking it’s toll on me and my kids, making me a stressed, grumpy mummy. This year I am going to speak up and tell my parents when I need a break so I can focus on me.
Definitely easier said than done for a lot of people including myself 🙂 I need to start the mindset of “who cares what people think” a bit more, as I do tend to put myself down a bit and catch a glimpse of myself in a shop window and think oh I could do with losing some weight etc. I like clothes and I do like to look good but I also lke to surround myself with awesome positive people <3
It can be so easy to think that being thin or conventionally attractive is everything. But it really is just one aspect of a person anyway. I think I’m lucky that I have great friends, a lovely husband, and people who think I do a good job at work, etc. What I look like isn’t that important to me. I do dress so that I am not as self conscious about certain things still. However as long as I’m comfortable then that’s all that matters ❤️