Re-Defining Body Image
A few weeks ago we talked about what body image is. We discussed how complex body image can be and how instrumental it can be in influencing how we interact with food, ourselves, and others. We also used the definition from a peer reviewed study by Eagon, Fish, and Varns (2018) to separate body image into 5 parts:
Body attitude
Body checking
Appearance orientation
Perceived body size
Perceived body space
This week, we want to take this definition to help us understand how to define and influence these parts of your body image to help you experience your body in a more positive way.
Influencing Body Image
When starting body image work, people tend to want all of their body image distortions and troubles to go away. Unfortunately, it doesn’t normally work this way. Yes, there are some negative aspects of your body image that may go away through education and counseling. But it is important to realize that just as our lives are continually changing, so are our bodies and our view of our body. However, just as our body image is always changing, so can our relationship with our body image. Instead of expecting all of your body image struggles to disappear, focus on relating to each aspect of your body image better. That way, whenever you do struggle with negative self-talk, poor self-confidence, or adverse body image you will have the skills you need to move past it. Let's talk about what this can look like in all 5 aspects of body image below.
Body Attitude/Beliefs
Take a moment to reflect on beliefs you have about your body. What are things you believe about yourself, how you are built, what size you are, and what you want to look like. Next, ask yourself why you believe those things. Overall do you feel as though your beliefs allow you freedom from food and exercise? Or make you feel chained to them? We cannot begin to relate to our bodies in more positive ways until we first define what we believe about our bodies to begin with.
Once you define your core beliefs about your body, ask yourself where those beliefs come from. Do they come from facts or from the media? Do they come from what others have told you or from what you inherently believe? We all deserve to have body attitudes that affirm the unique way we are built, encourage us to enjoy eating, allow us to provide our bodies with adequate fuel each day, and exercise freely and healthily. It is only when we identify why we believe what we believe about our body that we can begin to build a positive body attitude from the ground up.
Body Checking
How does body checking influence your day? People often allow looking in the mirror, trying on clothes, or seeing their reflections to lead them into mental cycles of obsessing over their body image. One thing to do to combat this is to prevent body checking whenever possible. If we can learn to discipline our mind enough to avoid scrutinizing parts of our bodies unnecessarily, then we can prevent mental preoccupation with specific aspects of our body to begin with.
However, sometimes body checking feels automatic and inevitable. So when body checking does happen, we have a decision to make. Will we linger and allow ourselves to chase every thought about what we look like that day, or will we move on with our days? Sometimes it’s not even about preventing negative thoughts about your body from happening, but it is allowing ourselves to note how we feel and move on. Your feelings at a specific moment in time don’t have to dictate the rest of your day. Instead, we can acknowledge negative thoughts, set them aside, and allow ourselves to revisit them when we are in a constructive mental space to address them properly. It’s all about the decisions you make and how you decide to interact with your own emotions and thoughts- body checking doesn’t have to define you or your body image.
Appearance Orientation
Again, we cannot hope to grow in our relationship with our body image until we define it for ourselves. Take time out of your day to really define how you feel about body image. How would your value of food, weight, and exercise line up with other values you hold? Be honest. So often I talk to clients and although they desire to value other things more than weight so much that they have convinced themselves that their appearance orientation is not an issue. However, in reality they spend more time, money, mental consumption, and value on the number on the scale than anything else. We cannot expect true growth to happen until we are brutally honest with what consumes our minds, thoughts, money, and more. Only when we have a true understanding for where our own values fall can we begin to reshape and rebuild our beliefs to form a healthy perspective of our bodies based on truth, health, and love.
Perceived Body Size and Body Space
How do you perceive your presence in the world? Oftentimes our perception of our body size and space is greatly influenced by our relationship with ourselves outside of our bodies. If you struggle with self-confidence, panic attacks, anxiety, or depression these will often dictate how much space you feel like you actually take up in the world AND how much space you feel as though you deserve to take up in the world. Addressing the root cause of why we perceive our body size and space in specific ways is important. Body image is often secondary to deeper problems. Without addressing core beliefs and struggles within our own lives we will never be able to improve our relationship with our body image.
When To Know You Need Help
So how do you know when your struggle with body image is too much for you to handle on your own? More than likely, if you are even asking that question then you could benefit from meeting with a licensed therapist and/or registered dietitian (i.e. us) to discuss your body image further. Other things to help you know when to seek outside help include (but are not limited to):
Mental obsession with weight
Anxiety around food and exercise
Excessive weighing (weighing yourself every day/multiple times a day)
Avoidance of social situations due to food
Inability to move past body checking experiences
Limited food acceptance
Extensive “food rules” you follow every day
Helping people work through their relationship with food and their body is something we love. Improving your body image and finding freedom from food rules is possible! To learn more about what you can gain from working with a dietitian email Natalie@Nutrition502.com or go to www.Nutrition502.com to schedule a FREE discovery call today.