Developing a kinder, gentler body image for 2021

Body image issues can sneak up on you. Whether you’ve struggled with body image in the past or not, stressful times can bring them out in full force. With the COVID-19 pandemic stretching into a new year, I hear many clients struggling with body image after gaining or losing weight, managing mental health symptoms brought on by isolation, etc. 

Add to that more time spent at home scrolling through social media and comparing our bodies to others’, it’s no wonder…

If you’re having a hard time loving on yourself right now, please know two things: you’re not alone in this, and you don’t need to go on a diet to “fix” anything. As we navigate 2021, let’s all work toward a kinder, gentler body image for ourselves. I’ll show you some helpful tips below.

You can love and accept your body at any weight

Personally, I struggle with body image most when I'm uncertain in my life. 2020 brought a lot of insecurity and stress out for many people. I learned, for instance, that I’m not good at being alone. I thrive when I’m able to connect with my friends and family around the table. Losing the ability to do that during the pandemic created uncertainty in my life, and that uncertainty fed into my body image. Does this sound familiar to you?

But then I realized something: body image is separate from weight. I have met many marvelous women of different sizes, shapes, and ages who were beaming and brilliant and at peace with themselves. If these women were tall or short, gray or brunette, a size 6 or a size 16, they would still love themselves just as much. They’re confident in their bodies, and don’t feel the need to compare themselves to others.

For them there is no “before” and “after.” There is the present, current body and they love it as-is. That doesn’t mean they don’t have health or fitness goals or good days and bad days. They do. But how powerful, to be able to put down the comparisons and accept their present bodies.

Building a kinder, gentler body image for 2021

When we don’t like something about our bodies, it’s easy to immediately go into negative self talk, dieting, and over exercising. You probably know by now that this doesn’t work. It sets us up for failure and resentment. 

Instead, try setting simple, manageable goals. Let’s say for instance you like being your current size because it’s where your feel your best. Instead of saying, “I want to be this size for the next 10 years,” focus on the next month. To make that happen, take a look at your daily habits and see what you can reasonably do to support that goal. If you find you’ve been sitting on the couch or scrolling on your phone for several hours a day, perhaps commit to going for a daily walk during some of that time instead. Or if you’re eating takeout every night because you don’t have time to cook during the week, try batch cooking a tasty nutritious meal on Sundays, or grab some simple ingredients you can use to make a 10-minute meal on some weeknights. If you’re feeling isolated, schedule a regular call with a friend.

Often just having routines and self care practices like these can be enough to give our body image a boost. With me, I’ve noticed that every time I'm uncomfortable with who I am, it shows up in my body image. But every time I find ways to be creative and make a big breakthrough with myself, the very same body becomes my best friend. 

Society has done a great job of making us think dieting is always the answer, when in fact going on harsh diets can actually cause a greater disconnect between mind and body. 

Focus on nurturing your personal and professional relationships, expressing your creativity, moving your body in ways that feel good to you, and enjoying nutritious meals that leave you feeling warm and satisfied. 

Body image is about so much more than weight

These practices will help you along the journey. Need support in cultivating a positive body image? Contact me so I can help you.