Tips to start loving your body with Body Acceptance and Body Positivity
{ By Nadia Murdock }
Loving the skin you are in is not always the easiest thing to do, as the saying goes we are our harshest critic.
However, realizing that loving yourself the way you deserve can be a total game-changer that can trickle into all aspects of your life. If you are new to all of this there may be a number of terms that you don’t understand or completely connect with. Whether it’s body acceptance or body positivity, what is important to remember is not the title that matters but the ability to love the skin you’re in.
The true win is the ability to start diving deep when it comes to loving your whole self!
There are a number of ways you can start working towards this:
- Recognizing you are more than your looks.
- Tapping into how your body feels instead of the appearance of your body.
- Acknowledging the strength of your body.
Below is a breakdown of both body positivity and body acceptance. Which one do you think resonates with you the most?
Body Positivity
This movement is changing lives, helping individuals understand that feeling positive about their bodies stems from accepting your appearance. With this mindset shift, mental health is improved, and a reduced chance of eating disorders. The overall movement is focused on large companies accepting and treating all body types equally.
Body Acceptance
Body acceptance takes a more personal approach, it aligns with body positivity when it comes to accepting yourself. It emphasizes you taking the time to find self-love and care while accepting your body even though you may not be entirely happy with it.
“With body acceptance, you are not always cool with how your body looks but being ok with it. It’s about accepting what you see when you look at yourself in the mirror,” says Josephine Atluri Mindfulness & Meditation Coach.
Here are some actionable steps you can take!
Understanding health and weight aren’t the same things.
The idea that the bigger the body the less healthy you are is simply not true. In actuality determining someone’s health based on their, BMI is misleading. “Body Mass Index’ biggest flaw is that it does not take into account the person’s body fat versus muscle (lean tissue) content,” says Medical News Today
Create a body road map.
Write down all things you love about your body making note of what your body does for you too. Need help? Try this worksheet from Plant, Love, Grow.
Make a deal with your body.
Start making promises to your body that you will try your best not to break. Keep these promises in a journal and recite them daily, here are a few examples to get you started.
- I will refuse to compare you to others.
- I will no longer insult you.
- I will appreciate all that you do for me daily.
Ask yourself how you already love your body? What changes can you make? This takes time but the benefits are worth it.
