If you want to successfully lose weight, then you need to understand the connection between weight loss and body image. Here are three ways to help improve your body image.
When did your body image problem begin?
Think of a time when you were at a good weight. Did you love your body then? Most likely not. Do you know why?
Could it be because the media has subconsciously programmed you to believe that unless you look like the heavily made up and PhotoShopped models and actors that you see every day in ads, movies and TV shows, that you are somehow not good enough or not perfect enough?
Is your body the enemy?
We see our bodies as the enemy and constantly judge it, and ourselves, because it doesn’t meet our standard of beauty.
No matter how much weight you lose, how many friends and loving family members you have, how shiny your hair is, how clear your skin is, how much money you make, how many “good deeds” you do, it is still difficult to love your body and love yourself. Being happy inside the body you have seems impossible.
What are you not doing because of your weight?
You may make excuses and put your life on hold because of self-judgement and insecurities. You don’t feel like you deserve to have relationship or are afraid to be seen in public in a bathing suit. Fill in the blank: I can’t have/do/be ________ because of my weight. What are you denying yourself and why do you believe that?
The truth is that you can look your best and still feel like it isn’t good enough, and that you don’t compare in the least to the “beautiful” people of the world.
Where did these insecurities and judgement come from? Did someone make a comment that cut deeply? Was a family member always on a diet and certain foods were a no-no?
Is this making sense to you? If yes, then your next question may be, what do I do about it?
Here are three ways to help improve your body image.
1. Instead of feeling like you have to lose the weight before you can be happy, decide to learn to love yourself and your body first.
If that seems like an impossible task, it isn’t. It’s all about your beliefs and the decisions you are making. Make a decision to find ONE THING that you can begin to love about your body. It could be as simple as everything it does for you. You can walk, you can talk, you can see, and hear, You can go on vacations to fun places. You can interact with family and friends in rewarding relationships. Identify one thing and then build from there.
2. Decide to shift away from the damaging limiting beliefs and judgements. Do you think things like “I’m so stupid, I have no self-control, I can never do anything right, or I’ll never be good enough”? What is the opposite of those beliefs? Begin to use “I am” statements. Decide what is a more empowering belief.
3. Repair the damage to your emotions. When someone criticizes your appearance by saying that you’re fat, that hurts. When you did something that you were really proud of and someone you respected criticized it, that hurts. When you have dieted and lost weight but then gain it all back and you feel disappointed and depressed, that hurts. As a result of repairing these painful emotions, it puts these experiences behind you and they lose their power over you. This leads to personal empowerment.
A powerful technique to help speed things up.
One of the best ways to affect these repairs is with EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques, also known as Tapping). EFT_Tapping is a powerful alternative therapy that reduces the emotional intensity of times in your life that were hurtful or traumatic. It is clinically proven to assist in helping you improve your body image, achieve successful weight loss, reduce stress and promotes peace of mind.
I am Christine Hunt, Life Wellness Coach with Hunt for Hope Wellness and a Certified EFT Coach with years of experience in helping people lose weight and overcome other emotional difficulties. I invite you to schedule a free consultation with me to understand how we can work together to help your weight loss efforts be successful and lasting. Go to ww.HuntForHopeWellness.com/contact and complete the form or my calendar at www.calendly.com/hfhw/meeting.
If you would like to give EFT a try, attend The Emotional Path to Lasting Weight Loss, my monthly, online group coaching sessions. You may learn more and register at this link: https://lasting-weight-loss.eventbrite.com
My wish is for you to be happy, healthy and in love with yourself.
In wellness,
Christine Hunt
Life Wellness Coach
Do you want to learn more about weight loss tips? Check out these other articles on my blog.
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Enjoy!
