Learn How To Love And Accept Your Body Again

Let me welcome and introduce the wonderful Zara Lewis, who wrote today’s guest post for us.
She’s a freelance writer and contributor at High Style Life. She’s also a mom of three (one fur and two kiddos) and just like me (and probably most of us), she’s struggling to find balance in life!
Hopefully this article will help at least some of you to learn to love and embrace your body again! – Anna

Due to the constant societal pressure and impossible beauty standards, women are prone to harmful self-talk and bringing themselves down in front of a mirror. This can lead to dangerous psychological problems, such as the eating disorders, the body dimorphic disorder, overall anxiety and even depression.
Research has shown that today’s media’s idea of a perfect woman’s body is achievable for only 5% of women! The connection between our appearances and our emotional state is stronger than we may realize. It’s not due to vanity, but rather a consequence of the fact that you cannot separate one’s mind from body. Our body image is our mental representation of how we look which may or may not overlap with the reality. Here’s how you can snap out of it and learn to love yourself.

Acknowledge that beauty is a social construct

Beauty truly is in the eye of a beholder, but the spirit of time determines what society sees as beautiful. Women’s ideal body type changed through history: did you know that the people from the Italian renaissance thought rounded women were exceptionally beautiful? Not to mention the adored lavishing, curvy bodies from the Victorian era! Understand that beauty has many different forms. Be aware of your surroundings: you may be a collateral victim of body-shaming conversations and your interlocutor might be doing it completely unconsciously, speaking from their own insecurities. Social media has its role in forming of our self-image, so try to disconnect for a while.

Focus on what your body can do

If you have a healthy functioning body, you are blessed. The moment you become aware of that, you will do everything you can to use its full potential. Physical activity is extremely important but don’t push yourself into becoming a top athlete in a first few months. Many people do that and they drop out of the gym the second they realize it’s not going to happen that fast. Set realistic goals, but enjoy the journey: instead of making your training a boring thing on the to-do list, think of it as something that’s about to become a part of your lifestyle.

Right approach to weight loss journey

If you want to lose weight, exercising is not enough. You should also adjust your diet in order to stay fitness-focused. Adapting your diet doesn’t mean you’re doomed to tasteless food! You should change your eating habits completely and permanently: it will help you lead a healthier life and enjoy new food tastes, plus – you’ll feel more energized. The infrequently discussed problem of losing a lot of weight is the leftover excess skin. This problem can be easily resolved with abdominoplasty (also known as the “tummy tuck”), which is actually a widely done procedure for removing saggy skin. Because of the sudden weight loss, layers of skin get stretched and lose elasticity. Your body is a temple and if you feel self-conscious about this problem, you should be unapologetic about it. You’ve come a long way to lose weight, and that is praise-worthy: you deserve the appearance you’ve been aiming for.

Appreciate yourself and honor your body

Your body is constantly changing and that is beautiful. You have the power to set the course of the change and there is nobody standing in your way but yourself. After a couple of months of working out, when you notice the first changes – you can get hooked on the feeling. Not only because of your changing physique but because YOU managed to change it. The feeling of accomplishment is far more important. But, if you don’t have a problem with your love handles or a little tummy, you don’t need to lose weight! The important thing is to be active and stay healthy. Boost your body confidence every way you can: pamper yourself and gradually build a positive body image.

Don’t let others dictate how your body should look. It is a flesh armor of your soul and you’re the only person in charge. Map out what you can work on and do it for yourself.