10 Tips for Better Body Image Days
10 Tips for Better Body Image Days
We all have bad body image days. You know, the ones where nothing seems to fit right. The light always hits in an unflattering way. You feel bloated and/or puffy and you can’t help but be aware of the space you do or don’t take up.
You feel too much — too fat, too skinny, too curvy, too soft, too muscular. Face too round, lashes too short, feet too big, hair too frizzy.
You feel not enough — not thin enough, not womanly enough, not thick enough, not strong enough, not tight or toned enough. Not tall enough, not short enough.
But not all days are bad body image days. Some days we wake up feeling hot as hell, and we love the skin we’re in. I’m hoping that the tips for better body image in this post can help you turn those bad days into not-so-bad days. They might not instantly make you feel like the baddest biddie in all the land (though you are 😉 ), but hopefully it’ll make your day just a little bit easier to get through.
Some tips for better body image
The tips I’m about to share are things that have helped me in the past. This post is a reminder for you (and for myself) to take a little time to love yourself a little more. Some of them only take 1 minute, others might take a little longer.
Pick and choose what jumps out at you. Pin this image to Pinterest (so more people can see it). Write your faves on a sticky note. Heck, make it your wallpaper … Do what works for you.
1. Close your eyes for a quick meditation
Even if you don’t meditate regularly, this can be a really easy way to refocus and appreciate your body for the strong vessel it is. You only need a minute or two, but feel free to take a little longer with each step of this quick mindfulness exercise if you wish.
Start by getting in a comfortable position, preferably sitting or lying down. This works best in a quiet area where you won’t be disturbed for the duration of the exercise.
Close your eyes, and take a few slow and deep breaths. Focus on breathing with your diaphragm.
Next,take a moment to focus on and appreciate each body part. Start with your toes and slowly work your way up until you get to the top of your head. Focus on the sensations you feel in each part.
Take note of any thoughts or emotions you feel as you perform the process. Don’t judge or criticize yourself for these thoughts, but notice them and acknowledge them, and let them pass.
Finish this exercise with a few more deep breaths. When you’re ready, open your eyes. Note your thoughts and the emotions that you feel.
Try doing this exercise every day, and see how these thoughts and emotions change over time.
2. Focus on one intention for the day
Sometimes, Most of the time — It’s nearly impossible to do all the things. To love every part of yourself. Maybe you can’t love your belly rolls and your stretch marks and your acne and your ingrown hairs today.
That’s okay.
The second of these tips for better body image: Just pick one thing, one goal, to focus on for today.
Maybe it’s to appreciate your thighs, or to not pick at your skin. Maybe it’s to drink more water because you felt a little dehydrated yesterday. Setting these little goals for yourself, one day at a time, will be easier to tackle than trying to do everything all at once.
3. Give your body parts a mini photoshoot
Ready to get your ~ aesthetic ~ vibes on? Do a little photoshoot for your body! Take a close-up shots of different parts. Some that you’re confident about, some that might make you feel a little more insecure.
Pop these photos into VSCO, Tezza, Lightroom or another photo editing app. Throw some pretty filters on there, and put the photos together in a collage.
Here’s the kicker: Do this shoot for yourself. Not for the ‘gram, not for comments from other people. Let this be an exercise for you to see your body in a different light — an ~ artsy ~ one.
4. Write to your insecurities
Consider your insecurities as another person or object, and write to them. Put your emotions about your insecurities down on paper. What do you feel? Sad? Embarrassed? Apologetic? Loving?
How do you feel about your body? How do you wish you felt? Why do you feel what you feel?
Most importantly: How can you change how you love your body without changing the way you look? When it comes to body image and self-love, change comes from within. Just because you change your outward appearance, does not necessarily mean that how you feel about your body will also change.
5. Compliment others of diverse body types
It can be easier to see beauty in others than it is to see it in yourself — even if they have the very characteristics which you yourself are insecure about.
Oftentimes, I look at other people and just see how beautiful they are. Maybe it’s the brilliance of their smile, their radiant confidence, or how they just exude good vibes. Ironically, sometimes it’s those who have body types that look most similar to mine that I tend to find most beautiful.
Perhaps it inspires me to see people be happy in bodies that I — for some reason or another — am not happy in myself. Perhaps it just feels good to compliment other people, regardless of what they look like.
Nevertheless, appreciating the beauty in others makes me feel better about my own.
6. Make a list of things you like about your body & your personality
Often, bad body image days are focused on exactly that: the parts of your body that you see as bad. Let’s counter that negative energy with some POSITIVE VIBES!
Make a list of the parts of yourself that you actually love! Here’s an example, from me:
Context: I’m having a bad body image day. I feel like my face is too fat, my jawline is too soft/weak, and my waist isn’t small or skinny enough. Instead, I try to focus on what I love about myself.
Parts of my body I love: I think my eyes are really pretty, and my nose is cute. I love how I can see gains in my back and my lats from the work I’ve been putting in. My hair is thick, black, and healthy. I love how strong my thighs are, and how my quads and bum look in booty shorts/leggings.
My personality traits I love: My love for learning, my passion to create and explore different art forms, and my sense of humour. I love how I can carry a conversation on a variety of different topics. I love how I do my best to make those around me feel loved.
7. Move your body, if you’re able
First of all, isn’t this cartoon so cute! I love this artist.
Sometimes, having a tough relationship with your body is coupled with a tough relationship with exercise or working out. On one hand, it might be used as a tool to compensate for particular eating behaviours for those undergoing disordered eating or an eating disorder (such as bulimia nervosa, or anorexia athletica).
If you’re comfortable, do a home workout, a yoga routine, or go to the gym. Take a group fitness class. Maybe go for a walk with friends/family, and surround yourself with nature.
Moving your body can help you appreciate it better. Your body is a beautiful vessel that carries you through life. My body allows me to walk, to smile, to hug my loved ones, to paddle, and to bake.
8. Wear something that makes you feel cute
Most of us are guilty of trying to feel good about ourselves in clothes that just don’t fit anymore. Maybe it’s because we’ve built some muscle. Or maybe we’ve just put on a little fat recently. Or maybe our body doesn’t look like it did at age 16 — so it doesn’t fit into the same clothes, either.
The next of these tips for better body image is to put on something that fits you properly. Something that looks good. Something that makes you feel good. Clothes that make you feel like a ~ bad bitch ~ or a cute ass nugget. Something that makes you feel like you can tackle the world.
Maybe it’s your favourite t-shirt and jeans combo, or a pair of leggings that make your booty pop. Perhaps it’s some pretty lingerie that you can put on for yourself and not someone else. Maybe it’s your partner’s sweatpants that just feel like a warm comfy hug when you wear them.
So grab that outfit, snap a selfie, and blow yourself a kiss ’cause you’re cute af.
9. Write to your past or future self to reread on a better day
Think about where you were a few years ago. What was on your mind? Is there something troubling you? What was going well, and what was challenging? Write a letter to yourself then, giving some advice based on what you’ve learned. (Maybe a couple tips for better body image you’ve picked up since then.)
Alternatively, think of what’s tough right now. Write it out. Describe your emotions, your frustrations, your highs and your lows of late. Write down what you hope for in the future — where do you want to be? How do you want to feel?
Store it somewhere you’ll stumble upon in the future. An old yearbook, a box of blank envelopes, or maybe a dedicated folder where you keep these letters to yourself. On a good day in the future, open it up and read it, and reflect on how far you’ve come.
Appreciate how good days and bad days come and go. Hopefully, the next time a bad one comes around, it’ll be a little easier to appreciate that it’s only temporary.
10. Dive (or dip) into a #bopo rabbit hole
I love these cute little body positive illustrations that creators around the world have made. Check out the artists that I’ve featured in this post (no affiliation, I just really like their work)! Links to their Instagram profiles are included in the image captions.
I really hope that these tips for better body image can help you out! If you enjoyed it, or if it helped you, please share it with others. Hopefully more people can benefit <3
Header Image: GoodStudio / Shutterstock.com
Looking for more? Check out this post on Intuitive Eating and ED Recovery in Quarantine.
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