![]() ![]() That means not simply ignoring it, but not spiraling into attack-mode, either. Be assertive-not aggressive or passive-if people comment on your body, says Lana Banegas, a therapist based in Marietta, Georgia. Doing so will help normalize your shape, while delivering a sense of belonging-and lots of outfit ideas.Īll it takes is one thoughtless comment to derail the inner progress you’ve made. If you’re a size 12, for example, follow other people who use hashtags indicating they wear that size, too. ![]() Then, focus on following accounts that are inclusive of all body types, especially those that are similar to your own. You can also report and block ads featuring weight-loss content. Unfollow social-media accounts focused on diet or “fitspo,” or that make you feel bad about your body, Herstich suggests. Ask yourself: “Do I not want to be in these pictures at all? What does that say to my kids and friends and loved ones, who are going to want photos of me one day?” They’ll be grateful to see you in any form, she adds-and wouldn’t want you to wait to take photos until you’ve landed the “perfect body.” Diversify your social media feedsĮxternal messages about weight can be difficult to escape-but do your best to mute them. It can also be helpful to envision who might treasure photos of you in the future. “Think about the full human experience of that time,” she says. Are you celebrating a special occasion? Enjoying a beautiful place you’ve never visited before? Maybe you’re standing next to someone you love. Nisbet suggests a couple ways to overcome such an urge.įirst, consider what’s happening in that very moment. Perhaps you’re tempted to forbid people from taking pictures of you, lest there be a visual record of this new, uncomfortable iteration of your body. Would she be willing to go through all that again to feel fleetingly happy about how she looked? Not a chance, she says. ![]() What the images don’t reveal is that she was spending a fortune for a gym membership and drinking protein shakes so disgusting, she had to pinch her nose to consume them. Here’s What HappenedĬampos has reached a point where she’s able to appreciate how she looks in old photos-yet she also remembers ”that I was miserable.” There’s one set of pictures, for example, in which she’s smiling in a pastel dress at a wedding. “When I’m missing my body, I have to remind myself what it would cost me to look like that,” she says-financially, physically, and emotionally. Going back in time isn’t possible, so instead, aim to rejigger your perspective, advises Bri Campos, a licensed professional counselor and body-image coach in New Jersey. If catching a glimpse of an old photo of yourself ruins your day- my arms used to be so toned!-that’s a clear sign of body grief. Consider the cost of maintaining your previous body This exercise, which is an example of mindfulness meditation, can help you feel more connected to your physical and emotional self-and cultivate a positive relationship with your body, Nisbet says. Then “think about what feels good in your body, and what feels bad. Start by sitting on a comfortable chair with your feet on the ground, and close your eyes. When that happens, “we’re disassociated from it and can’t process our emotions, because it’s like we’re viewing something from far away.” She encourages her clients to get in tune with themselves by conducting a body scan. We often think of our body as an object outside of ourselves-something to be managed and contorted into an ideal shape, Nisbet says. Nisbet suggests you might say: “I’m really sad that my body doesn’t look the way it used to, that people don’t treat me the same way, or that I can’t move through the world as easily as I once did.” Those feelings are all valid, and recognizing them can be a powerful step in the process of moving forward. Sit with your discomfort, and acknowledge what you’re feeling and why. The more time you spend trying to pretend it’s not happening, the longer you’re going to keep experiencing it, and the more intense it will be.” “I always tell people that body grief is the same as any other kind of grief. Immersing yourself in your grief might sound counterintuitive-but it’s necessary, says Meredith Nisbet, a national clinical response manager and certified eating disorders specialist with Eating Recovery Center. We asked Herstich and other experts to share their best strategies for coping with body grief. ![]()
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