Body Confidence Tips

I want to take a moment to reflect on something that’s important to me and what my message stands for: body confidence.

I've noticed that women in the military have a hard time losing weight after having a baby, and lack of motivation with weight gain during deployments. I've spoke with many close military friends, and they always ask me about how do I stay motivated and confident about my body and the way I look. I do it by wearing trendy fashion statement pieces that someone with my body type typically doesn't, with confidence.  

I receive emails on a daily basis from readers asking how I achieved confidence, and how I stay body positive, in a world where we’re made to feel as if we don’t deserve to be stylish and beautiful, due to our size.

I have friends who are built in all sizes, and yet still have a few major body issues. I started thinking about the term body confidence, and reflect on the ways I’ve been able to build my own confidence through the years. After pondering my own personal struggle to accept my natural curves and history behind it most of my life, which contributed to a teen excessive exercise, constant weight loss and weight gain (more on this in a post to come), I thought it was time to share.

So without further ado, here are my top 5 body confidence tips:

1 - Spend more time in the mirror.

If you’re like most women who aren’t comfortable with their bodies, you try and avoid yourself in the mirror - especially while nude. Here’s the harsh reality: the mental effects of seeing yourself in the nude more often can actually change your perception of your body, drastically!

For instance, if you make an effort to do your hair and makeup in the nude just once per week, it will start to change the way you see your body.  Focusing on something other than your naked body - in this case, your hair or makeup, will help you become more comfortable facing yourself in the mirror more often, naked or not.

While at first this may be uncomfortable, after forcing your naked image to be in your head more often, you’ll soon get used to seeing your reflection without looking away or picking it apart.

2 - Change your inner dialogue.

No you’re not a crazy person - we all talk to ourselves! But instead of nagging thoughts and whining about what you want to change, focus on what you like about yourself, by replacing negative thoughts with positive ones.

Tell yourself how proud you are that your body can do x, y and z.

Maybe you’re a new mom and although there are things about your post-baby body you’re still trying to accept, be proud that your body carried and gave birth to an amazing little human being!

Instead of being consumed with the fact that your thighs are bigger than you’d like them to be, be happy that those thighs help carry you through life, and maybe even make you an awesome speed walker or runner.

Maybe you don’t like showing your arms, but you’re a kick-ass cook, so you should be thankful for those strong arms that can whip up a meal like nobody’s business! By now I’m sure you’ve gotten the point.

Whatever your body hang-up is, find a way to change the negative into a positive, and over time, the positive thought will outshine the negative one.

3 - Surround yourself with body-positive people.

We’ve all heard that misery loves company, and it’s true! If you’re friends with someone who constantly rags on their own body, their self-hate may be affecting the way you view your own. The next time your friend brings up her body hang-up, tell her why she should learn to love and accept it, and turn the conversation around.  

Discuss the things you love about your bodies vs. the things you loathe, and the positivity will spread like wildfire.  Remember: the effect of a positive thought is so much greater than a negative one.

4 - Look good, feel good.

Instead of looking for flaws, give yourself a compliment, and mean it! 

Over time, you’ll start to compliment yourself vs. putting yourself down. Truth be told, no one’s perfect, but that doesn’t mean we should look for imperfections. 

Feeling good about yourself is so much more than the clothes you wear, or making sure your roots aren’t showing. For most of us, making the effort to look good, makes us feel good internally, thus boosting self-esteem and confidence. 

For you, that might mean going all natural on the daily, or never leaving the house without a full face of makeup. Either way, make an effort to take care of yourself in the ways that make you feel good. Go the extra mile and paint your nails, get a weekly blow out, learn to do a perfect top knot - whatever it is that makes you feel amazing, do that!

5 - Smize more.

Quoted by the one and only legendary Ms. Tyra Banks herself. When I catch someone looking my way, I smile with confidence, even if I don’t necessarily feel confident at the moment.  

Forcing yourself to smize can trick your mind and body into thinking you feel confident and amazing, and eventually the feelings of insecurity will go away and you will feel confident and amazing.

  Sometimes you have to fake it until you make it!

I would love to hear from readers and my fellow bloggers on what body confidence means to you and some tips you would like to share.