4 tips to help you feel better about your body

There are obviously a lot of health and fitness programs on the market and I definitely believe that any program that helps people become happier and healthier versions of themselves is great.

What I believe sets 28 apart is my true connection to our 28ers, and making sure that we aren’t just working on growing muscles and reducing body fat but that we are giving equal importance to our head and heart.

I’ve spent 17 years working with people who want to transform their bodies, but there are definitely times when the focus is not on wanting to improve health and fitness, but desperate attempts being made to change hated things about themselves.

This is when those people need a body-image bootcamp. I first heard the term from our 28 psychologist and body image expert, Sarah McMahon, and it is something that I think all of us need from time to time.

A body image bootcamp involves shifting the focus away from changing your body to changing how you feel about your body.

From my experience, even the fittest and leanest people have insecurities and something about themselves that they wish to change.

When these insecurities begin to have negative impacts, on your work, relationships or other important parts of your day-to-day life, it’s time to work on building your body confidence.

When reaching weight-loss goals isn’t enough or you practice negative body-checking behaviours (such as excessively weighing yourself), then you need to improve your body image.

Trust me, I know that this isn’t easy and it’s certainly not going to happen overnight. For some people, this can be quite a long journey, particularly if you’ve had years of negative self-talk or hurtful comments from people around you.

Here are some top tips I’ve learnt from Sarah about how to start to improve your body image:

1. Celebrate what your body can do

Your body does so many amazing things for you, never forget that. Ask yourself, what are some things that your body can do that you are grateful for?

2. Do not compare yourself to others

This is something we all do, myself included. Someone else’s victory is not your defeat. Focus on the qualities about yourself that you are proud of and own them.

3. Don’t get caught up in social media

This is huge, particularly for younger people. Something we often forget is that Instagram is not real life: you see the best parts of people’s lives and what they want you to see. Follow things and people that make you feel inspired, not disheartened or anxious. If you find yourself mindlessly scrolling, comparing yourself to others, take a social media hiatus!

4. Talk to yourself the way you’d talk to a friend or your daughter

We are our own harshest critics. The negative thoughts that bounce around in our head are so often something that no one else would think about us. Know that with every bit of self-love you practise you are one step closer to body acceptance. This will take time. You need to be patient, be kind to yourself and don’t let your mind bully your body.

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