“Your mother didn’t spend 9 months forming your body in her womb just so you could hate and destroy it.”
Let that quote soak in. The majority of girls today are unhappy with their bodies. This unhappiness can lead to multiple problems with self-esteem, eating disorders, overall mood and can interfere with other aspects of life. In a time where body perfection is stressed by society, I think we need to be more positive about the body we were given. I’ve come up with a few reasons on how each of us can work on building a more body positive life:
1. Stop comparing your body to your friends’ bodies.Comparing yourself to your friends is one of the most common reasons why girls get upset about their own body. We’ve all had that one friend who can eat whatever she wants, never workout and still look amazing. Everyone is different. Everyone has different metabolisms and genetics. What works for one person may not work for another, and that isn’t a reason to get down on yourself! Someone out there is probably wishing they looked like you and you don’t even realize it.
2. Stop comparing your body to models on Instagram/TV/magazinesComing from someone who has their own fitness Instagram account, I can 100% say that the majority of models online only post their highlight reel. Do you think a model would rather post an airbrushed picture of her on the beach or a picture of her on the couch eating ice cream after she had a rough day? Everyone breaks down and falls off track sometimes, models included. On TV and in magazines, the amount of airbrushing and retouching is unreal. It’s not even worth comparing yourself to a photo that has been idealized to fit our current standards of societal beauty.
3. See your body for what it can DO rather than what it looks like on the outside.Tired of your big legs? Well those legs carry you from place to place and not everybody is lucky enough to have the use of their legs. Your arms jiggle when you wave to someone. Think about someone who is paralyzed and can’t even wave to say hi to his or her family. Mad at yourself that you’re not in perfect shape? Be grateful that you can do the things you do every single day. A lot of times we take for granted being able to run on a treadmill or do push ups or jump rope. Our bodies keep us alive and house our souls. It is the one place we will always live in, so take care of it.
4. Don’t shame other girls’ bodies“She is so skinny it’s disgusting” “Yeah she put on weight” “Ew she has so much muscle that’s so manly” “Her legs are huge!” STOP!!!!! Bodies are beautiful no matter what they look like. That girl you just called “too skinny” may be struggling to put on weight and can’t. The girl with “too much muscle” works so hard for that muscle and wants her body to look like that. The girl who put on weight may have just gone through a rough break up and didn’t know how else to cope. It’s hard enough being a girl in this society with so much pressure on looks, so don’t be another reason to add to the struggles.
5. There’s more to life than what you look likeThis society is so concerned with how someone looks; how pretty they are, how thin or toned or muscular they are, if they have a flat stomach and big butt, the list goes on and on. Screw all that. What about being kind? Honest? A good friend? Studious? All those things will help you much more in life than just focusing on having perfect abs and a toned booty. Work on yourself as a person, because looks will always fade, but personality is forever. If you spend all your time in the gym trying to perfect your body and don’t have time for anything else, are you really living your life to the fullest? Just like with anything in life, you need to have a balance. Be happy with what you have while working for what you want.
These are just a few of the numerous ways we can start being body positive and start being happy with our bodies. Be grateful for what you have and try not to compare yourself to others or shame others for what they look like. Love the body you have, because it’s the only one you get in this life.