• I’ve been dealing with lots of stress
• I’ve neglected self-care
• I haven’t been drinking water
• Consuming way too much alcohol
• I’ve neglected family time
• I’ve been spending too much time on social media
• I’ve been running on caffeine and high-sodium foods
• Lately, I’ve been having relationship/family problems
• I’ve been comparing myself to others
• Feeling tired because of lack of sleep
• I haven’t been consistent with my workouts
• My diet has consisted of lots of processed foods
• I haven’t been eating a high-protein diet
• I’ve been focusing on the number on the scale
• I haven’t been doing my daily walks
• I’ve spent too much time sitting
• It’s been a while since I dressed up nicely

These are just a few reasons we might feel unhappy and uncomfortable. Of course, it’s easy to blame our bodies, but are we addressing the root of the problem? When we neglect the important things mentioned above, it is only natural for our bodies to react to stress. This will lead to other negative feelings.

We need to keep in mind that many times, negative feelings about the way we look aren’t always about our bodies. It’s very easy to focus on negative thoughts and reasons we’re not happy with our bodies than to address other issues we might be dealing with in life. For example, maybe you recently went through a breakup, which is causing you to feel unworthy.

The next time you feel tempted to talk badly about your body, ask yourself: what am I doing to care for my body? Am I consistently giving my body what it needs? Am I prioritizing sleep? Do I take time to go on walks and engage in physical activity? Could these negative feelings be caused by relationship problems?

When you have negative body image feelings, you need to do your best to surround yourself with things that make you happy. So what’s better than blasting a happy, empowering song and dancing to it? My suggestion: Girl on Fire by Alicia Keys. There is nothing like screaming at the top of your lungs, “This girl is on fire.”  

Listen to an upbeat happy song!

Research has found that listening to music triggers a release of dopamine in the brain. And if you don’t know, dopamine is a kind of naturally occurring happy chemical we receive as part of a reward system, and it’s also known as the “feel-good” hormone.

Here’s the interesting part: Dopamine is released not only during peak musical moments but also when we anticipate those moments. It’s like our brain is rewarding us for knowing a great chorus is just about to hit! So don’t underestimate the power of a happy song!

Your body is much more than a number on the scale. When you’re feeling negative about your body, take a moment to think about all the good things it’s capable of doing. Acknowledge everything it does for you daily. Thank your body because you’re able to walk, you can travel, can dance, the body is capable of producing a beautiful human, and you can move your arms and get work done. Unfortunately, these are things that we take for granted. Our bodies can do so much!

Accept that you will have bad days

Let’s face it, some days, we will have negative body image feelings, and there’s not much we can do. Just accept it. Look at what factors might be contributing to these feelings and remind yourself that not every day will be jolly. You’re entitled to have these feelings. Tell yourself; that today is simply one of those days. I feel bloated, I feel like a stuffed burrito, but tomorrow I will be better. Find some humor in it. Today we can accept things as they are, but tomorrow we can do better. Our brain is capable of doing this. Repeat after me: “Today is a bad day, it’s one of those days, but tomorrow will be better! I got this!