So you’ve decided to ditch diets for good. So that means you’ll never have a bad body image day, right? Oh if only that were true!!
I just wanted to write a quick blog post about what I do and how I coach my clients when these days happen… because they will happen.
First of all… Why does this still happen? If you decide to ditch diets, why will you still have days where you get tripped up by the image in the mirror or have thoughts about how you should look different?
Sadly, we live in a world STEEPED in diet culture. It is hard to leave that world completely behind or ignore it every time that it comes up. But, I promise that it does get easier to recognize and to handle it.
I have noticed for myself, when I have a thought that my body should look different or perhaps I should do something to make my body look different (through exercise or diet changes) I know to follow the following steps:
1. Stop and get curious. The idea to engage in disordered eating or over-exercising is a result, not the cause.
2. Ask myself “What are the thoughts that are creating this idea?” Inevitably, I can find some thought I had that triggered my sudden desire to change my appearance.
3. Determine what was the circumstance that triggered my thought. This could be something as simple as a photo, or a reflection in the mirror. It could also be words said by someone else. These are all things out of my control….
4. Decide how I want to change my thoughts around those things in #3. There will always be photos of you tagged in social media. There will always be words said by a relative or friend, etc. There are things out of our control at every corner. But YOU can decide how you want to think about those things. For myself, I know that choosing bad body image thoughts DOES NOT serve me. I will not go back to disordered eating again. So, I consciously choose different thoughts now. I change my root cause, so that my actions and result are different.
5. Practice a mantra that is full of self-compassion that helps me on the days when the bad body image thoughts are knocking at the door. My current favorite mantra is “I love and accept you, Brooke.” This mantra is easy to say and it is true. It does not try and solve any problems, it just reminds me that I do love myself and that accepting myself is the best motivation for lasting change.
I hope this helps you on the road to better body image days. Click here to set up a free mini coaching session when you are ready to get on the road to healing your relationship with food and your body!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Brooke Spendlove
I’m a certified Intuitive Eating Counselor and NASM Certified Personal Trainer, and the owner and creator of Spendlove Coaching.
My own wellness journey led me to getting my Master’s Degree in Health and Wellness Coaching from Creighton University – Go Blujays!
I help my clients discover that they are the experts of themselves. Using the tools learned inside my program and during coaching sessions, clients learn how to shift their mindset, taking back the power they have lost to dieting and diet culture
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