Accept Your Body

Sharing is caring!

5 Things You Should Stop and 5 Things You Should Do Instead

Accepting your body can be a hard principle to embrace. With spring break approaching, I’m preparing hear of weight loss and body goals. It is when one of my most hated phrases surfaces: “Summer bodies are made in the winter”. As if we have the power to “make” our body! We tend to want to always change our body. Looking in the mirror, we pick ourselves apart. We focus on what our body isn’t, rather than what it is.

Lack of Contentment

My husband and I have followed Dave Ramsey‘s steps for financial freedom so that we can be better stewards of our money. It has taught me about contentment and gratitude. I have plenty of belongings, yet I fall prey to consumerism. I feel I need more, I need better, and what I have isn’t good enough. In order to save money, it is helpful for me to focus on gratitude for the blessings I have in my life and to be content.

Could the same apply to my physical appearance? My body gets out of bed every day, gets me around to where I need to go, has birthed and nursed 3 children, has run 1/2 marathons, can hug loved ones, fight viruses, etc. However, if I focus on all of the things it isn’t, I am discontent. I feel I need to put time and energy into changing it.

5 Things to Stop Doing NOW

Learning to accept your body is a process, and likely won’t happen overnight. Especially if you have been bashing your body for a long time! However, you can take steps to be content with the body God designed for you. Here are some tips to stop the discontentment about yourself, and to finally accept your body:

1. Stop Body Checking

If you have negative thoughts every time you look in the mirror, STOP LOOKING IN THE MIRROR! This is a dieting behavior. We look in the mirror to see if we’ve made any progress, and get disappointed when our body doesn’t meet our expectations. It may be helpful to set limits on looking at the mirror. If you are focused on every stretch mark, bump, bit of cellulite, avoid the mirror when you are getting in the shower. It doesn’t do you any good if it brings about negativity and discontentment.

2. Stop Comparing

In the age of social media, we are constantly comparing ourselves to others. Comparison truly can be the thief of joy. We don’t even realize we want something until we see someone else has it. During my journey to accept my body, I had to unfollow the fitness models that were filling my social media feeds.

3. Stop Bashing

Would you talk to your best friend or daughter the way you talk to yourself? The answer is almost always, “NO WAY!!!” Yet, we constantly bash ourselves. We are our own worst critics, critiquing our appearance harshly.

4. Stop Weighing

How often do you weigh yourself? Does the number on the scale impact your mood? Your weight shouldn’t determine what you can eat for the day. Think of your favorite person. Do you know their weight? Do you care? I’m guessing probably not. So why do we put so much emphasis on manipulating our own weight? Rather, our bodies are designed to maintain a set-point weight. That set-point weight is one that you can comfortably maintain without much effort.

5. Stop Buying Clothes That Don’t Fit

Have you ever bought some clothing that is a size too small? Maybe hoping that shirt or dress would motivate you to lose weight? Is your closet a reminder of your diet failures? Buying clothes that are too small does nothing for you!

How to Start Accepting Your Body

1. List reasons you are grateful
2. Wear clothes that are comfortable
3. Reframe your negative thoughts into positive ones
4. Practice being mindful
5. Connect with supportive friends and family

Do you need to accept your body? If you are interested in putting an end to your diet days, intuitive eating may be for you. Start healing your relationship with food and your body today.