15 WAYS TO APPRECIATE YOUR BODY
Learning to love yourself and appreciating the body you have is a journey. It does not happen overnight. I encourage my clients to work on body appreciation before body love.
In my opinion, it is impossible to love your body all the time. Particularly, if you come from a background of disordered eating. I recommend starting with appreciation and respect for your body and taking note of all that your body does for you.
I hope you look through this list and find a few things you can implement in your life. They are small changes, however if they are done consistently, they can have a big impact on how you view yourself.
Implement more self care - this doesn't mean spending lots of money on a pedicure or spa visit. It can be as simple as reading, having a bath, dinner with friends, going for a walk, meditation etc.
When you are eating, think about how you are nourishing your body and fueling it. Try to focus on the good food is doing for your body.
Think about how you talk to your friends or your children. Would you ever talk to them the way you talk to yourself? Be kinder to you.
Take a look at your exercise and try to incorporate mindful movements such as yoga and walking. These are excellent ways to lower your cortisol.
Journal to get to know yourself better. You are so much more than your body. You are your goals, wishes, dreams, memories etc.
Stop body checking every time you walk by a mirror.
Find healthier ways to deal with stress other than eating. A bath, walk with a friend, reading, yoga etc.
Catch yourself when you are saying something negative about your body and challenge yourself with the opposite thought.
Every morning write down 3 things you love about yourself. Do not laugh. Please do this. It takes 30 seconds.
Stretch in the morning and at night for a few minutes. Pracitce deep breathing especially before meal time.
Think about what life would be like if you were not always thinking negative body thoughts.
Pick one thing you love about your body and focus on that.
Practice body acceptance - for example, "this is how my body is, and I accept it exactly as it is now. It does not determine my self-worth." If body love is too hard right now, at least try for body acceptance
Listen to uplifting podcasts.
Read books that make you feel good and inspired.
I hope you can take a few of these ideas and implement them in your life. You only have one body and doesn't it deserve appreciation and love for all that it does for you everyday?
