Editorial

How to maintain a healthy body image

PublishedSeptember 14, 2021

Having a positive body image is a mindset that boils down to embracing your appearance regardless of what others think. This in turn feeds into your confidence and self-esteem which unlocks self-love.

It is not a guarantee that you will love how your body looks all the time. However, maintaining a positive body image, even on bad days, is important. Here are ways you can achieve this:

Highlight your features

When dressing up, find clothes that compliment your best features instead of hiding them. Your clothes should make you feel comfortable and great in your body. Look at yourself in the mirror and appreciate the image you see in the reflection. Embrace all of you and commit to loving every part of your body and staying healthy.

Photo by De’Andre Bush on Unsplash

Accept compliments

Take compliments as genuine words and not just made up statements to make you feel good. Instead of replying to a compliment with “you are lying” or, “It’s not even that good”, simply try saying ” thank you” more often. Compliment others on their appearance too as this brings a sense of fulfilment and a feel-good attitude.

Do not compare

Comparing yourself to others pushes you to highlight what they have that you don’t. Recognize and appreciate what you love about your appearance and record the positives. Admire another person’s physical appearance without criticizing your own and understand that the presence of their beauty is not an absence of yours.

Image/iStock

Affirmations

Self-talk highly affects how you feel about yourself. Speak kindly to yourself and mention body positive affirmations often. Phrases such as ” I am beautiful” go a long way in building a lasting positive body image. Create gratitude lists of why you love your body and state all the good things it does for you to keep you healthy.

5 body positive affirmations to tell your child

With the media portraying perfection in almost everything, your child might have a misguided idea of what a perfect body should look like. As a parent, it is your role to affirm your child and help them be comfortable in their skin.

Parents MagazineWendy Gloria

Embrace self-care

Make a point to do something that makes you feel good. Create a self-care routine to pamper and treat yourself to the things you love. Read a book, take a walk, take a nap, and basically anything that sparks your joy and relaxation. This helps you create a loving relationship with your body that would be hard to break.

Surround yourself with positive people

Being around negative people takes a toll on your mindset and in turn, body image. Ensure your inner circle is made up of your greatest cheerleaders. Get close to people who support you and have your best interests at heart.

Even on social media, avoid following or engaging in posts that criticize a certain appearance. Consume healthy media for a healthier mind.

Image/ EveryEvery NG

Take home

Building and maintaining a positive body image starts from within. Take care of your mental health to create a suitable environment for positive thinking and self-love. The above tips will help in unlocking this!

This September, Parents magazine brings you an exciting new issue!

We catch up with Ben Kitili and his wife, Amina Mude as they tell us about their love story and interreligious marriage; as you get to know how they are navigating the intersection of social media and the limelight in a candid account.