Many people equate body image with self-esteem. To them, thinner means better, and weight gain is associated with a negative self-perception. Challenging our definition of a “good” body is a crucial step towards a healthier attitude. Here are some ways to achieve that:
#1 Get the skinny on happiness
Think skinny women are happier? This skinny = happy formula does not add up. Losing weight is not a ticket to lasting happiness. Thin women also feel insecure and unsatisfied with their lives and appearance (that goes for guys, too).
Good thing Oprah Winfrey didn’t think the only path to success was to be thin. Oprah is successful because she’s engaging, interested, and authentic.
When you feel good about yourself as you’re losing weight, that weight loss is more likely to be permanent.
Tip: What aspects of yourself do you appreciate?
#2 Wear clothes that make you feel good
Clothing can both reflect and affect your emotions. Researcher Karen Pine, who specializes in the psychology of fashion, found that 57 percent of women reported wearing baggy clothes when depressed, but only two percent wore baggy clothes when happy.
Conversely, wearing clothes that make you feel good can impact your mood. One study (Slepian, et al., 2015) found that wearing nice clothes makes people feel more creative, and they are perceived by others as more successful.
Don’t wait to be a certain size to get clothes that fit and that make you feel stylish and happy. Wear what you like, and your mood will follow.
Tip: Buy clothes that fit and make you feel your best
#3 Practice body image positivity
Consider what determines the standards for an attractive body. In the era of the painters Rubens and Titian, voluptuousness was the preferred body type. By today‘s standards, we would consider Marilyn Monroe to be plus-size. Body image is highly subjective.
Find something you like about your body. Maybe it’s your eyes, your hair, or your strong legs. When you feel good about your body, you feel good. Feeling positive also makes you less likely to eat for comfort.
Tip: Focusing on the positive makes you feel better
We don’t gain self-worth by losing weight. By changing your perspective, you’ll feel better about your body as you take healthy steps towards weight loss. When you develop a more positive body image, you’re less likely to eat for comfort and to reach a healthier weight naturally.
References:
Pine, K. (2012). Happiness: it’s not in the jeans. University of Hertfordshire.
Retrieved from http://karenpine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/PR-Happiness-its-not-in-the-jeans.pdf
Slepian, M. L., Ferber, S. N., Gold, J. M., & Rutchick, A. M. (2015). The Cognitive Consequences of Formal Clothing. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 6(6), 661–668. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550615579462
About the Author:
Dr. Nina Savelle-Rocklin in a psychoanalyst and psychotherapist who helps women and men recover from disordered eating. Her personal experience gives her a unique understanding of what it’s like to struggle with this issue, and she knows that recovery is possible. Nina provides empathy and understanding, as well as professional and clinical expertise, in the treatment of eating disorders. If you or someone you love has an unhealthy, unhappy relationship with food, she can help!
In addition to her private practice based in Los Angeles, she hosts a radio show on LA Talk Radio and she writes an award-winning blog, Make Peace With Food, and offers “food for thought” on her video series, The Dr. Nina Show. She has contributed chapters in two books on psychoanalysis, and her own book Food For Thought: Perspectives On Eating Disorders is an Amazon bestseller.
The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of weight management. These are not necessarily the views of Weight Hope, but an effort to offer a discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.
We at Weight Hope understand that weight issues result from multiple physical, emotional, environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from a weight concern, please know that there is hope for you.
Published on April 16, 2019
Reviewed by Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on April 16, 2019
Published on WeightHope.com