Boost Your Body Confidence

By Anonymous -
"You can do amazing things-
Here's how to feel great about yourself, every step of your journey"

During today's meeting we discussed how negative body talk gets in your way of your weight loss journey.  It crushes your confidence and sabotages you before you even begin!  Some of the key points mentioned in this weeks' handout are:

Breakout that full length mirror and grab a pen and paper!

1.  List what you love!  Close those eyes and think about the features you do love about yourself.  Everyone has at least one thing they love about themselves  But try to find at least two.  Write them down!

2.  List what you don't.  Sounds counter productive, I know.  But close those eyes again and think of 4 to 5 areas you are least satisfied with.  Write them down!

3.  Rank Them!  I can hear you now "this is getting worse!". Trust the process.  I'll post my list below.  Promise.  Assign a number from 0 - 10 for each feature you listed.  Zero meaning "most content" and 10 "least content"

4.  Examine your body.  Stand in front of that mirror.  It's time to re-frame your thinking. Close your eyes and take some deep breaths.  Visualize the body part you are most satisfied with for about 15 seconds, then re-focus your breath.  Open those eyes and look at that part for 15 seconds.  Resume your relaxed breathing.

5.  Think about it!  Open your eyes.  Look at that body part again, consider what it does for you.  Take a moment to appreciate what it does for you. 

6.  Neutralize Negative Thoughts!!  If it's hard to feel thankful for an area as you make your way through your list, shift your reaction.  So instead of saying my stomach is disgusting, turn it neutral, focus on the shape, my stomach is round.  Then close your eyes and focus again on your breathing.

7.  Go down your list.  Repeat steps 4-6 for each body area.  Treating each area with care and respect.  Its ok to spread this activity out over a few days if its just too much for one day.  Take time to give your body the positive attention it deserves.. 
 (Taken from Weight Watchers Weeky February 26-March 4, 2017) 

So...my list.  Here it goes.   
0. Lips
1. Eyes
2. Hair
3. Chin
4. Hands
5. Stomach
6. Butt
7. Legs (in general)
8. Thighs
9. Calves
10. Arms

It's hard.  It's hard to appreciate your body, especially when you're feeling awful about yourself.  But making a list like this allows you to focus on what you feel to be "good" qualities.  Many times one of the things you hate the most about yourself is what someone wishes they had.

I read a story on Facebook on a page that I follow about two women attending a yoga class.  Each with very different body types.  The teller of the story says to the other woman how envious she was of her strong legs.  After the class the other woman came up to the storys author and said " I've always hated my legs, I've never received any positive feedback about them in my life.  I've always wanted legs like yours".  The author replies "You mean this chicken scrawny legs?  Like two sticks walking?  I'd give anything for a full booty and legs like you have".  They both laughed, hugged and left the conversation feeling newly empowered about a body part they both hated about themselves.This is a great example of how the very thing you wish you have, someone else is wishing it away.



  

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