How to Love Your Body This February
When you look in the mirror, what do you see? What emotions do you feel? What thoughts run through your mind? February is the month of love, and today we want to talk about how to love your body. When you’re able to truly love your body, and accept all of its quirks and its wrinkles and its uniqueness, the way you treat yourself changes. And out of that shift will flow so many benefits for your mental health, your physical health, your immune system and your overall sense of wellness and optimism.
Do You Love Your Body?
What if you changed your perspective, and saw your body as a trusted partner in life’s adventures instead of something that’s holding you back or something that’s “unhealthy”?
Many people do the right things for the wrong reasons.
And that often includes dieting, nutrition, exercise, weight loss, etc.
Unfortunately, many of us have bought into certain social ideals or expectations about what our bodies should look like, feel like or be like. We then embark on habits and diets and routines designed to beat our bodies into submission to achieve what we desire (or at least what we think we desire).
But rather than treating your body as something to overcome or change, what would happen if you instead learned to appreciate everything that your body does for you?
What if you changed your perspective, and saw your body as a trusted partner in life’s adventures instead of something that’s holding you back or something that’s “unhealthy”?
What if you truly learned to love your body?
The Benefits of Learning to Love Your Body
Studies show that people who score higher in self-compassion tend to experience less depression, increased motivation, more optimism, greater happiness, and higher life satisfaction.
“The research shows that many of us spend an astounding amount of energy beating ourselves up, saying things like ‘you’re terrible’ and ‘why do you even try,’” reports Taylor Kreiss, MAPP, in a column for Psychology Today magazine.
Does that sound familiar to you? Do you find yourself engaging in that type of self-talk or self-berating behavior when you step onto the scale in your bathroom, or glance at your reflection in the mirror?
Unfortunately, when we see our bodies as opponents or as something that we disapprove of, it might initially motivate us to want to be “healthier” or “stronger” or “fitter.” However true health and wellness isn’t just the physical, but also the holistic picture we paint for ourselves.
And our negative views of our bodies can often lead to reduced motivation (no wonder so many of us struggle to stick with our weight-loss goals) or even unhealthy habits (i.e., excessive exercise, or eating disorders) and unhappy emotions.
“It’s not helpful,” warns Kreiss. “In fact, studies show that people who score higher in self-compassion tend to experience less depression, increased motivation, more optimism, greater happiness, and higher life satisfaction.”
It’s time that we learn to love ourselves and accept our bodies, no matter what our body looks like or what our goals might be down the road. We can love our bodies, even while we strive to be healthier. We can embrace our flaws, even as we work to get stronger or fitter.
When you learn to love your body, you will:
- Notice a shift in how you treat yourself, including wanting to do things that support your true health and wellness (such as eating healthier)
- Experience more energy and sustained motivation to pursue your health goals for the long term (negative motivation, such as not liking your body size, might motivate you initially but will quickly cease to be a motivator)
- Unlock the joy that comes from nourishing your body and your mind from a place of true positivity and self-compassion
3 Ways to Love Your Body
1. Be Mindful Of What Your Body Does For You
Do you ever stop to contemplate how incredible your body is? How it can literally carry you up a mountain on a hike, or through a long day as a parent? Even right now, as you read this, there are millions of things going on in your body to keep your lungs breathing, your heart beating, etc. Your body is incredible.
Take moments throughout your day to recognize the amazing things your body does for you, and to simply say thank-you to your body.
2. Do What Feels Good
When you go to the gym, think about all the ways that exercise brings you joy. Perhaps you might appreciate how you always feel good after sweating it out, or how you get excited when you see yourself run an extra mile or lift a heavier weight.
Likewise, be more mindful of how good it feels to eat well and nourish your body physically with nutritious foods. Notice how much more energy you feel when you eat something that’s good for you, versus how you might feel when you cave in to junk food temptations.
You might even practice being more mindful of your supplements, and noticing how nice it is to love yourself by investing in vitamins, minerals and immunity boosters that support your vitality.
(As you invest in your health, don’t forget to stock up on BioPro-Plus 500. The five bio-identical thymic proteins in BioPro-Plus 500 will fire up your immunity and help restore your immune system’s strength, vitality and balance, giving your body some love and support from the inside out)
It’s about shifting your mindset to do things because they bring your body joy, and are ways to express love for your body, versus doing the same thing because you don’t like your body.
3. Engage in Rituals That Help You Be More IN Your Body
Too often, we separate the realms of mind and body and spirit. We think of ourselves as mental beings, when in reality, every single one of us experiences our journey through our physicality, too.
Show your body love by doing things that physically feel good. This might mean indulging in a relaxing massage, or treating yourself to a luxurious bath, or even engaging the erotic senses.
Reconnect to your body’s pleasure, and help your body to feel pleasure, joy and happiness.
As you explore this topic more, always come back to a simple question: Am I doing this because I love myself? And how can I do this in a way that shows even more love for my mind, body and soul?
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