10 steps to Get You Loving your Body for Life

18 September 2015

I spent much of my teenage life, obsessing over my body. I would compare myself to other girls constantly - critically analysing what needed fixing, and driving myself insane with figuring out how I was going to improve – what was I going to do differently this time to be better. The sad part is, no matter what I did, or how thin I was, I was never satisfied – I always had to be better, thinner even leaner than before. Not realising it at the time, I had entered into a game I was inevitably going to lose no matter how I chose to play.

Looking back, I can’t believe how much energy I wasted in working for a perfect body – what is a perfect body anyway – an airbrushed, heavily edited magazine cover body? – one that isn’t even real because it’s been so touched up?

It’s crazy to think that so many women get caught up in striving towards an ideal that does not, and will not ever exist! With the media constantly telling us what “perfect” should look like, it’s nearly impossible not to get sucked in. But we have to force ourselves out of it!

For me, the first step towards healing my body-image was to focus more on my health and less on the shape of my body. It is incredible how well the body responds to some TLC. Hating on your body is not going to make it better believe me! It drains you of energy and hones in on negativity. When I started appreciating what I have, and looking after my body with love, proper nourishment and kindness, my body responded with love straight back, and I began to feel amazing.

I’ am going to be real with you and tell you that I do still find myself engaging in the occasional comparison, and trust me I don’t feel amazing every day – sometimes I still feel the “need for perfection” creeping back in – but now I know how to deal with it and to nip it at the bud before it gets out of control.

So…

• Be kind to your body
• Feed it with healthy, delicious wholesome food
• Stay away from the processed stuff
• Stretch
• Meditate
• Appreciate the body you have
• Get your body moving – dance, gym, hiking, walking, swimming – anything that works for you and that you enjoy
• Find ways to reconnect with your body in a healthy and positive way
• Treat yourself  - it promotes balance in your life and is good for your soul
• Do not deprive yourself – life is too short to live behind the walls of perpetual restriction

Just try it….truly, when you love your body it will love you straight back!

Yours in Health Always,

Cara-Lisa

xoxo