More Than Just a Body
Bad Body Image Days.
We all struggle with them. It doesn't matter what age you are, your height, weight, gender, etc. I GUARANTEE that everyone has struggled with feeling good about their appearance at some point in their life.
Before we really dive in, let me clarify.
Body Image is NOT about how you look. It's about how you FEEL about how you look.
It’s thoughts in your head. The good thing is, you have TOTAL control over your thoughts, and therefore the power to change them! That means if, like me, you struggle with Body Image some days then putting in the effort to change or reframe those thoughts can completely change how you feel about your body.
My own journey with body image started back in Grade School when I was just 7 years old. I clearly remember the moment that changed it all and when that first horrific thought popped into my head, "I hate my body."
I was sitting in art class next to one of the "cute" boys. I had chosen to wear shorts that day, and remember my thighs sticking to the chair. Out of nowhere, the boy looked over and pointed at my (obviously relaxed) legs hanging over the edge of the chair, commenting that my thighs were "fat." I remember looking at him, confused at first, then looking down at my thighs, the sinking feeling of dread creeping into my throat, as I realized that my thighs did touch when I relaxed them against the chair, while his scrawny legs did not.
At that moment, I wished I looked different.
That comment haunted me throughout my youth and manifested into a horrendous relationship with nutrition and fitness. I was always wary to overeat or indulge too much in sugary sweets. I remember a feeling of pride stepping on the scale and seeing a "small" number, while the word "anorexic" was whispered in hushed tones at Doctor appointments. Senior year of high school, I started getting into weight loss or HIIT workout programs such as“Blogilaties", "30-Day-Fix” and "BBG", and spent endless hours running on the treadmill. When I started college, it turned into a full-on obsession. This toxic behavior was like fuel to fire for bad body image days (since all I cared about was the number on the scale, or how I looked in a cropped top).
As I spent more time in the gym and switched my major to Exercise Science to study fitness and nutrition, I began to realize the harm I was causing my body. I was introduced to strength training and began to learn the benefits of a proper exercise routine, paired with a well-balanced diet. In my pursuit of becoming a Certified Personal Trainer, I dove even deeper into education about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and started to implement them myself.
However, I still experience bad body image days.
It wasn't until I became an Online Health & Fitness Coach that I truly began to understand that Body Image, although influenced by exercise and diet, is 100% all about your mindset. That's why we, here at Revolution Health & Fitness, believe that spending time on self-care and taking care of your mental health is equally as important as taking time out of your day to move your body or eat some fruits, and veggies.
To this day, I still struggle with bad body image days from time to time. It has taken consistent work to educate myself, become more self-aware of those moments when I am in my head or picking myself apart in the mirror, and build a healthier relationship with my body.
You've probably heard of Body Positivity, but what about Body Neutrality, or Health at Every Size? Let’s unpack each of them!
Body Positivity: Loving your body and fully accepting it for how it is.
Body positivity is a worldwide movement focusing on equality and acceptance for all body types and sizes. One of the goals is to challenge how our society, particularly all forms of media, presents and views the physical human body.
It is common to see Body Positivity practiced through mantras or affirmations such as...
I am beautiful.
I am worthy.
I love the way I look.
I am confident and comfortable in my own skin.
Body Neutrality: A philosophy that focuses on what your body can do for you.
This includes accepting your body by focusing on its accomplishments, rather than appearance. You might not LOVE your body, such as with Body Positivity, but you’re neutral towards it, and you respect it for all it does for you. Instead, you might focus on how it is functionally. For example, your body can run, ski, carry bags of groceries, give hugs to loved ones, birth a child, and take you to many places around the world. Your body can do amazing things!
The concept of body neutrality challenges the idea that you need to LOVE your body/appearance in order to feel good about yourself. But some days it can be difficult to love your body, especially when you may be feeling bloated after that night on the town with your friends, or feel that your clothes aren't fitting as they should! That’s where body neutrality takes over! Focusing instead on my body's abilities and nonphysical characteristics, versus appearance, has definitely helped me in my own journey to accepting my body in all her glory.
Body neutrality can be practiced in many ways, including...
Moving your body because it feels good and you enjoy it, not to just “burn calories".
Awareness of how your body is feeling, and resting when needed.
Loving your thighs for being strong and carrying you through life.
Loving your arms for hugging your loved ones.
Loving your belly for holding your organs, and helping to hold you upright.
Healthy At Every Size: A movement to promote body diversity and a philosophy that people of any size deserve an unbiased and equal opportunity to pursue health.
The idea is to put a bigger emphasis on other areas of wellness versus just "weight loss." It is often practiced by healthcare practitioners, or leaders in the health & fitness field, and is an approach we take with some of our clients, here at Revolution Health & Fitness. For example, if a client is struggling with how they view weight loss and the numbers on the scale, we have them take a step back and focus on other areas of their fitness journey and other markers of progress each week. Sometimes, we work towards bringing the scale back into the equation, but only when it can be looked at in an objective manner and doesn’t hold as much value or meaning for the client.
Practicing HAES can look like...
Choosing foods you want to eat, because they nourish you and you enjoy eating them.
Respecting your body and the bodies of others, without shaming, judging, or criticizing.
Getting adequate rest for your body.
Choosing an exercise you enjoy, because it makes you feel good and energizes you.
How has this helped me?
I believe that I fluctuate between utilizing all three of the above philosophies at times and that my knowledge and awareness of them have helped me navigate through bad body image days. I particularly enjoy utilizing mantras and affirmations, either repeating them out loud or writing them out on a post-it note and sticking it to my mirror.
So the next time you’re having a bad body image day...
I encourage you to catch yourself in the moment and flip the switch.
Shake it off.
Remember how beautiful, and strong, and WORTHY you are.
Maybe try using one of the examples above to get you back to neutral, or into a positive headspace. THEN GO SLAY QUEEN!
Always here cheering you on,
♥ Coach Lex
Revolution Health & Fitness Assistant Coach
