Body Image and Self Confidence

8 Ways to Adore Your Body More

Banish insecurity with head-to-toe tips for instantly upgrading your appearance, dressing 5 pounds thinner, and making your posture say “Watch out, world”
By Hollis Templeton fitbie
 

Paint a Prettier Mental Picture

While exercise and attention to appearance are important tools for building confidence, the best thing you can do is to start from the inside. Become more aware of the way you think about your body, says Sarah Maria, author of Love Your Body, Love Your Life: 5 Steps to End Body Oppression and Start Living Happily and Confidently. “When you’re thinking I’m not thin enough or I’m not young enough, become aware of that dialogue, then begin to realize, first, it’s not true, and second, you don’t have to listen to your negative thoughts.”

Instead of cutting yourself down in the mirror and making mental notes about your flabby arms or sagging stomach, turn negative self-talk into something more positive, even if it’s something you don’t believe right away, suggests Mansour. “Say I like my arms because they are strong, and if you start liking yourself and liking parts of your body, you will want to do good things for them, such as [a strength-training workout],” she says.

Mansour also suggests placing confidence-boosting sticky notes throughout your bedroom and bathroom. Looking at the positive statements will help ingrain them in your subconscious, even if you don’t believe them right off the bat, she says. And don’t limit your praise to you physical appearance. “Who you show to the world is your personality, sense of humor, intellect, sparkle, smile, even how you smell,” says Sokol. “It’s an endless list of things that go beyond shape and size.”

MORE: Psych yourself up for weight loss success! These 14 mental tricks make slimming down mind-numbingly easy.

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