The feelings that you have toward your body develop throughout your life.  Childhood and adolescent experiences may be particularly important.  Factors that influence your body image may include what others have said about your body, what others have done to your body, how different your body is from the images you see in the media and from those that you interact  with on a daily basis.  And most importantly, what you tell yourself about your body-those internal thoughts and feelings. 

A poor body image may come from the constant media bombardment of images of young, very thin, tanned bodies, giving the message that we need to look the same way in order to be attractive.  People that have experienced physical or sexual abuse are less likely to feel good about their bodies.  People that experienced neglect as babies or toddlers may grow into adults that do not feel good about their bodies.  No matter what the source of a poor body image is, there is hope.  Hope for self-love.  Hope for self-acceptance.  Hope to move beyond the immobilizing effects of a poor body image. 

If negative thoughts are about weight, regular exercise and healthful food choices tend to make people feel better about themselves and more connected to their bodies.  For many, the answer lies in learning to love, accept and appreciate their body -with all of it’s imperfections- for all of the things it allows them to do.  Bodies allow us to walk, to work, to hug, to reach out to others, to dance, to skip, to hold hands, to pet a dog, to build, to smile, to laugh, to create.  A person’s value or worth is not contingent on the size of their midsection, the color of their hair or the absence of cellulite.  Accepting all that you are with kindness and love is an essential step to a healthy body image. 

A healthy body image and a healthy self-esteem often go hand in hand.  A positive attitude and a healthy lifestyle are an effective combination to boost body image and self-esteem.  You can train yourself to Reprogram the way that you look at your body and defend yourself from negative thoughts.  First, acknowledge that there are some things about our bodies that we cannot change, such as our height or shoe size.  Learn to accept those things.  Buy some new clothes that accentuate the parts of your body that you feel good about.  If there are things that you do not like and you are able to change, set a goal to work on that area and commit your time and energy toward making a change.  When you hear negative comments coming from within, tell yourself to stop.  Rephrase your inner comments in a positive way.  For example replace “I am such a loser” with “Oh well, I am human,” when you make a mistake.  Restrain your inner critic by giving yourself compliments every day and thinking about three things each day that gave you pleasure.  Focus on the positive aspects and change the way that you feel about yourself.  Replenish your reserves by keeping stress under control and providing your body with down time each day to relax.  

You may find it helpful to Reach Out.   If your body image is interfering with your enjoyment of life, seek support from therapy to discover what is keeping you from accepting your body.   You may need to acknowledge and then confront your negative feelings; realistically align your expectations with normal, healthy bodies rather than those in the media; increase confidence in other areas of your life; earn to manage stress and allow yourself to feel and express feelings.  Working with a professional may enhance your ability for emotional growth, self-love and self-acceptance.