Promoting Healthy Body Image

Body confidence is an important stepping stone to building self-esteem. When a person improves their body confidence, they may find themselves more empowered to engage with the world around them and achieve their goals.

Tips for Improving Body Confidence:

• Consider using your mirror solely in a functional way (checking if your clothes match, for example).

• Be aware of when you are using negative language to talk about yourself.

• When you catch yourself being self-critical, remind yourself of something you like about yourself. Ask a loved one for suggestions if you need help thinking of something lovely about yourself.

• Bodies change size–wear clothes that fit and make you feel comfortable and confident.

• Avoid comparing yourself to your past self or other people.

• Don’t criticize others’ bodies.

• Focus on taking care of your body (not making changes to it).

• Let your loved ones know you are trying to avoid critical language. Ask for their support in avoiding conversations about body image or weight or language about themselves that is critical.

• Express gratitude for your body and everything your body allows you to do.

• Reset your internal narrative. When you look at yourself in a mirror, challenge yourself to say at least one positive thing about your appearance. If positive things feel out of reach, aim for neutral comments.

• Accept compliments, and compliment others.

• Write affirmations about yourself and place them in your home where you will see them. 

• Participate in photos, even if you feel self-conscious.

• Look to those around you to reflect reality rather than unattainable standards of media, celebrities, and advertisements.

• Remember that social media is curated and not an accurate picture of what people look like in everyday life. Consider taking a social media break. Or, unfollow accounts that may be triggering.

• Pamper your body (take a bath, for example).

Helping Your Child Have a Healthy Body Image: 

Words matter. How we speak builds scripts and patterns in our heads that inform how we think and feel. A crucial part of helping your child to have a healthy body image is recognizing how we talk about our physical appearance, the physical appearance of others, as well as food.

• Listen to your child’s concerns. It can be tempting to jump in when your child says something critical about themselves like “I don’t like how I look” with something like “but you are beautiful!” Try to avoid this impulse, which can shut down conversation, and get curious about their point of view.

• Model body acceptance and confidence. Avoid speaking negatively about your body, even if your child isn’t around (as this can become a habit).

• Emphasize meals as time for nourishment and enjoyment. Allow your child to come back to a meal later or take a pause if they feel full. Allow them to get seconds if they still feel hungry.

• Don’t shame your child’s food choices, and don’t label foods as “good” and “bad.” Make nutritious options available but let your child make choices. Educate your child on the importance of getting vitamins and minerals.

• Focus on and celebrate your child’s inner-qualities, and encourage your child to participate in activities, explore their personhood, and find what’s important to them.

Sources:

https://childmind.org/article/how-to-help-your-daughter-have-a-healthy-body-image/

https://www.mhanational.org/blog/how-teach-your-child-body-positivity

https://familydoctor.org/building-your-childs-body-image-and-self-esteem/

https://patient.info/news-and-features/how-to-deal-with-negative-body-image-in-the-summer

https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/information/body-image/body-image-and-summer

https://www.centralcoasttreatmentcenter.com/blog-1/eating-disorders-body-image-summer-seasonal-affective-disorder

https://welldoing.org/article/5-ways-deal-body-image-anxiety-in-summer

https://clementineprograms.com/positive-body-image-tips/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/body-dysmorphic-disorder/symptoms-causes/

https://wellbeingtrust.org/bewell/10-ways-to-practice-body-positivity/

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/self-esteem/tips-to-improve-your-self-esteem/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/calmer-you/202004/7-steps-body-confidence

https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/learn/general-information/ten-steps

https://free-being-me.com/support-leaders/body-confidence-self-esteem/