Jennipher Walters is co-founder and editor of Fit Bottomed Girls, a website featuring fresh fitness content for real women and girls interested in improving their lives through physical activity and sensible eating. With the slogan of “Keeping a Lid on the Junk in the Trunk,” the Fit Bottomed Girls have fun incorporating workouts into their daily lives and hope to inspire other women to do the same. After all, fit bottoms come in all shapes and sizes!
All of us suffer from poor body confidence every now and again, but if you’re disliking yourself and your body more often than not, it’s time to learn how to love yourself. Follow these 10 tips to start looking and feeling your best!
1. Sit up straight! Want to lose 10 pounds in 3 seconds? Sit up straighter. Draw those shoulders back, tighten those abs and walk with confidence. Talk about a quick makeover!
2. Wear clothes you love. When we like what we’re wearing, we tend to think that we look pretty darn good. When we think we look good, you know what happens? We DO look good.
3. Focus on what you’re good at. So many of us focus on our weaknesses instead of celebrating our strengths. Each day recognize yourself for a job well done, whether it be rocking a presentation at work, kicking butt in Spin class, being there for a best friend or even folding the laundry perfectly. We are all good at so many things, yet we get caught up in the little stuff.
4. Shush the devil on your shoulder. Do you talk to yourself like you would a best friend? So many women have negative self talk and don’t even realize it! If you have a negative Nancy on your shoulder all day and every day, tell her to shut the heck up. And then revisit tip No. 3.
5. Stop the comparison trap. Comparison is natural and normal. After all, how would we know hot from cold? But, when it comes to comparing your size, weight, paycheck, car, house, etc., to someone else, it can get to be pretty detrimental to your happiness because you can’t be the best at everything. When you find yourself comparing your this or that to someone else’s this or that, stop and think about what you do have–not what you think someone else has.
6. Be present. We all spend so much time focusing on what happened years ago or what will happen in a few months. Be here. Be now. Love what you have right now.
7. Act positive. So you don’t like your thighs. Who cares?! You have a whole body that you can love–from your eyes to your strong arms to your feet that keep you walking mile after mile. When it comes to loving your body, learn to see the glass as half full.
8. Take three deep breaths. Whenever you’re having a bad body-image day, just breathe. Focus on how you feel and what you can do today to be healthy.
9. Do something active. If you’re down in the body-image dumps, get moving. There’s nothing like a workout (even a short one) to get those happy endorphins going and you loving yourself again!
10. Smile! Studies show that when you smile, you actually trick your brain into feeling happier. So when in doubt, or when you feel uncomfortable with your body, smile. That little frown turned upside down can do wonders for your confidence!
How would you describe your body confidence? What are your tips for staying confident?
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Smiling, and just learning to be happily content is what I can do. It certainly does help.