5 Ways to Help You Stop “Feeling Fat”
DID YOU KNOW?
- 91% of all women are unhappy with their bodies and resort to dieting
- 80% of women claim the images they see in the media make them feel insecure
- 81% of ten-year-old children are afraid of being fat
- 90% of girls aged between 15 -17 years want to change at least one thing in their physical appearance
THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE ALARMING STATISTICS REVEALED IN A RECENT STUDY DONE IN 2017!
RECENT RESEARCH ALSO SHOWS THAT…
Children begin to recognize themselves at the age of 2 and we begin to compare ourselves to others around the age of 4?!
By the age of 5, body size awareness tends to kick in and by the age of 6 socio-cultural factors like parents, peers, media, toys start to influence body satisfaction or dissatisfaction!
SO, AS YOU CAN SEE…
Body image is developed very early on…and society (our interactions and people’s perceptions about us) shapes us in many ways, possibly much more than we realize!
SOCIETY THOUGH IS NOT THE ONLY INFLUENCE
Our opinion of ourselves, how we feel about our physical appearance, and how we think and talk to ourselves about our bodies play an even bigger role in our body image and consequently affect our self-worth.
BUT WHAT EXACTLY DOES A POSITIVE BODY IMAGE MEAN?
A positive body image involves understanding that healthy attractive bodies come in different shapes and sizes, and that physical appearance says very little about our character or value as a person.
“A healthy body and mind do not grow from self-hate, they grow from self-compassion.”
SO, HOW CAN WE DEVELOP A HEALTHY AND POSITIVE BODY IMAGE?
Changing your body image starts with changing the way you think and feel about yourself! Here are a few things you can start doing to develop healthy habits from within:
LEARN TO LOVE AND RESPECT YOUR BODY
Be grateful for everything your body does for you…from breathing, laughing, moving, thinking, sleeping, eating and so much more. Nurture and nourish your body with healthy and wholesome food. Exercise its muscles and joints and help it relax by getting good quality sleep and enough rest. Listen to your body’s needs!
SAYING IS BELIEVING
The way we talk to ourselves (our inner voice) can be very powerful. It changes the way we feel and think. Replace words that are self-descriptions and destructive such as “can’t,” “not good enough,” “flawed,” “ugly,” and “fat” with words like “can,” “will,” “strong and enough” “powerful,” and “beautiful” and just see how changing negative words to positive words makes an impact on your emotions, thought-process, energy levels and feelings.
KEEP YOUR CIRCLE POSITIVE
One of my all-time favorite sayings is by Oprah Winfrey, which is:
“surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher”
Your surroundings, from your environment to the people you hang around with are very important to your overall well-being. Spend time with people who inspire you, with people who bring out the best in you, with people who support your very being and if you need to, let go of toxic people and avoid negativity. Raise your vibrations by being more positive!
SET REALISTIC AND ACHIEVABLE GOALS
When setting your goals or intentions, make them positive, personal, realistic, and timely. Make your goals more about behavioral and lifestyle changes rather than goals related to physical appearance, dieting or weight
BE POSITIVE AND MOST IMPORTANTLY BE KIND, TO YOURSELF