Are you truly grateful for the body you have? Training so many girls and women throughout the years, I have found that we are never as happy and content with our bodies as we would like to be, me included. We live in the “never enough” culture. We lose that last 5, 20, or even 100 pounds and it’s not enough, so we change the goal. We love that we fit into smaller jeans, but now we want an even smaller size. We never seem to be content with what we have—arms, legs, stomach, butt, calves, hands, face, you name it. It’s never “good enough.”

What if we stopped and realized that “good enough” needs to come from inside? Feeling not enough comes from our thoughts, words from others, or lies that we’ve believed about ourselves. We can focus on the exterior all we want and never be content and happy, no matter how skinny or fit we might look.

Did you know that we cannot worry and be thankful at the same time? It takes up the same space in our brain. It’s actually impossible. So next time you find yourself worrying or being negative about your body, stop.

Stop and give thanks for what it has done for you and what it does for you daily. Think about all the people in wheelchairs that would love to have our legs. We get out of bed without thinking about it. Pop into the shower effortlessly. Run around the house getting ready in the morning. We get into our car in a second and off we go. We move about our day bouncing from home, to work, to kids events, to the mall, to the grocery store, to the gym, etc. and don’t even realize how much our legs are doing for us. So next time you think about complaining or comparing your legs to someone else’s, stop and give thanks for what you have and what they have done for you.

How we feel about ourselves comes from what we think, no matter how great of shape we’re in.

Tips for a Better Body Image

Strengthen the mind and spirit.
I believe that fitness is far more than just the physical aspect. Having a fit and healthy mind and spirit creates greater appreciation for the physical and helps the physical become more of a lifestyle change or way of life. It all starts with the mind. Healthy thoughts create healthy feelings which then create healthy actions, ultimately leading to a richer life overall.

• Start thinking positively about yourself and your life.
• Say affirmations daily.
• Journal your thoughts.
• Pray. Prayer is scientifically proven to increase your intelligence and improve your overall health.
• Feed your spirit daily.
• Reflect daily on the blessings in your life.
• Spend time with people who bring you joy and happiness.

Celebrate all successes, large and small!
My clients have so many successes every week. If we didn’t stop and reflect on them, reaching their goals wouldn’t be as fulfilling. If we only focus on the goal, once we reach the goal, it’s not enough. We aren’t as happy as we thought we would be.

Celebrating the successes (saying no, getting more sleep, taking time to breathe, balancing meals, coming to strength class, drinking more water, speaking their truth, not eating the cookies at work, etc.) are all daily successes that so many of us forget about but are a HUGE part of our wellness journey. They do not have to be just fitness successes—they can be emotional and spiritual successes as well. Not reflecting on weekly successes does more harm to us than we might realize.

Retrain the brain.
Our negative thoughts are just bad habits, habits that we can change into good, positive habits. We have to believe we are enough and worthy—that has to come first!

Second, we have to choose to let in more of the good and less of the bad, meaning that we must take every thought captive and only let what is true, good, and lovely in.

Third, find some affirmations that work for you and pin them up so you can see them. Say them out loud every morning and evening. It sounds corny but it actually works. It helps retrain your thinking patterns and can change your core beliefs about yourself. We have the power to change our bodies’ energy from negative to positive, all by what we think.

There is always going to be someone who is prettier, thinner, has thicker hair, is more stylish, wealthier, smarter, funnier, more talented, more organized, and more athletic than us. As soon as we start focusing on all we have to be thankful for—the regular everyday things, our regular normal bodies—the happier we will be. Why do we seem to compare ourselves to the people that look better than us than to all of the people who have so much less?

Perception often equals reality. What are you saying to yourself?

Change your perception to one of gratitude. Over time, you might be surprised at how differently you see yourself and actually start to accept and approve of yourself. And who knows? You might even lose some weight in the process, I’ve seen it happen.

Shine On,

Ali

P.S. If you want to start retraining your brain, check out this positive self-talk.