So you’ve smashed your weight-loss goals and looking great, but you’re still not feeling confident about your body. Body image distortion is a common thing to experience after significant weight loss, especially if you’ve never been in love with your body before.
It also takes your brain time to adjust to the new you. Here are a few suggestions that might help kick the self doubt to the kerb and have you embracing your fabulous body.
1. Positive self talk
It might sound a little mumbo jumbo but actually talk to yourself and say nice things, make sure the kids hear you so they know it’s good to be nice to yourself and maybe they’ll love their body from the get go. When those old negative thoughts creep in stop thinking them immediately, it will help your mind adjust to your new physical reality.
2. Look at what you can do now
Sure looking good is a fabulous side effect of weight loss, but it’s the feeling of great health and wellbeing that most of us really notice. Being up to leap up a flight of stairs or muck about with the kids in the backyard without breaking puffing are incredible milestones so don’t dismiss these. You’re strong, fit and healthy and being able to appreciate this will go a long way towards improving your body confidence.
3. Try new things
There’s bound to be things you didn’t want to do, or couldn’t do, but now you can thanks to your weight loss. Try something new and take that class you were too scared or embarrassed to attempt before. Maybe step outside of your comfort zone and do something really different, this will help boost your confidence.
4. Don’t rush it
You know a Lego masterpiece wasn’t built in a day so it will take time to embrace how you look. For years you’ve probably worried about covering up certain parts of your body or have spent mornings staring at yourself in the mirror and not liking what you see. These habits die hard so be gentle and kind to yourself, you’ve got a lot of positive self talk to catch up on.
If you’re not convinced, try these pick-me-up tips:
- Buy yourself that pair of skinny jeans or strappy dress you’ve drooled over for years, you deserve it.
- Take photos are compare them to old ones and then stick them on the fridge.
- Spend some time putting on your old over-sized clothes; this will give you some incredible perspective on how far you’ve come.
- Ask someone you trust implicitly to point out someone from a crowd that they think is similar in size to you. This will show you how other people see you and might help to change the way you think.
- Embrace and accept those compliments that you get every day, you’ve earned them.
Loving your body is so important and at the Healthy Mummy we whole heartedly support ALL mums of all shapes and sizes to live a healthy and happy life. If you are wanting to lose baby weigh or any weight we encourage you to do it in a healthy way