Getting healthy. That is the whole point of my entire blog. It’s not getting skinny. It’s not losing weight. It’s all about getting healthy. Being healthy deals with a lot more than just the number that you see on the scale. To get healthy, you have to start by liking the person you see in the mirror everyday. If you don’t have a positive body image, there are some things you can do to help with that. If you like these tips, you can thank my wife for these tips. She is the one who taught me all of these tricks!
Words of Wisdom
Do Not Pick Yourself Apart Limb By Limb
You just stepped out of the shower. You happen to look in the mirror, and you start looking at everything you hate about your body. Next thing you know, you can’t find one thing you like about your body. The key thing to remember is that your body is not perfect and it never will be. There will always be things that you would prefer to look differently. Understand that, and only focus on those body parts when you are taking active steps to correct them. The rest of the time, focus on what you like about your body. If you continue to swear up and down that there is nothing to like about your body, at least try to find things that aren’t as bad as the other parts. Focusing on the negative all the time will make it seem like you are facing an insurmountable goal. Stay positive. It seems obvious to say that staying positive is essential to having a positive body image, but it can’t be reiterated enough.
Dress Your Body Appropriately
The biggest mistake most people make when they look at themselves in the mirror is they don’t wear clothes that make them look attractive. It is possible, regardless of what size you currently are. You may not think that is possible, but I promise you that it is. It’s all about picking out correct sizes and understanding what is going to look good on your body.
Don’t Wear Clothes That Are Too Big
A common misconception that many have who are trying to dress their body in an attractive manner is to wear clothes that are too big. I did this for years. The logic is that if I wear things that are too big, then people will think I am smaller because my clothes are so big. That couldn’t be any further from the truth. People are going to assume that there is more of your body there. On top of that, add in the fact that you look slouchy and unkempt when you wear clothes that are too big. Nothing about that is attractive
Don’t Wear Clothes That Are Too Tight
This is also true, but for the opposite reason. Clothes that are too big make people assume that there is more person under the clothes. Clothes that are too tight highlight areas that you don’t want highlighted, or they are going to squeeze parts of your body that don’t need to be squeezed. It’s not going to do anything for your self-esteem to see fat get squeezed into a ball because you wore a shirt that was one size too small. If you are trying to lose weight, I know you are probably wanting to get into smaller sizes, but getting into that smaller size too soon isn’t going to do anything to help you reach your goals. That brings me to my next point.
Don’t Be A Slave To Size
Every single clothes manufacturer makes their sizes a little differently. I like to think of sizes as more of a suggestion, not a hard fast rule. For example, I wear a size 32 for most of the pants I wear. There are a few brands where I need a larger size and some where I need a smaller size. Don’t let it get you down if you see that you lose weight and try on some brand new clothes, but your size according to the manufacturer hasn’t changed. It may just be they make their clothes smaller than most. Find something that fits, not a size you want to fit.
If you want to be successful, at some point, you are going to have to like your body. You can’t always hate it. There is nothing wrong with wanting to make changes, especially if your motivation is to get healthier, but if you are ever going to have a positive body image, you have to start thinking positively starting today. Changing that thought process isn’t easy. That’s the reason we have so many health problems related to our weight today. People just don’t like what they see in the mirror.
I hope this helps you to get the positive body image you need. Have a great day ladies and gentlemen, and may all of your fitness dreams come true.
Justin
Confessions of an Exercise Junkie 
A really positive blog full of good ideas to think about. When I talk to my son about weight and body size, I always use the phrase trying to be healthy. I discourage him from talking just about fat and thin. I also stress that exercise helps us keep healthy.