I’ve spent a lot of time hating myself…
Hating my body, specifically! Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted so badly to get rid of my curves. I hated them! I didn’t like my legs, my hips, my waist, my arms, etc… Looking into mirrors only served to remind me of that disgust, so I mostly tried to avoid them! It’s a time of my life that I’m not proud of, but I share it openly because I know I’m not alone. I’ve worked with enough women to recognize that body confidence is probably something YOU struggle with too (even if once upon a time).
That was then! I’ve come a long way, and I don’t let a single day go by without taking the time to appreciate every inch of myself! I know what you’re thinking…
What changed? What’s the big secret? How???
It’s probably not what you’d expect…
When we talk about body confidence, the common misconception is that the solution includes dieting, nutrition, exercise, and eventual weight loss. It’s true, all those things can have varying effects on the way you look, but your overall health (and happiness) has a lot more to do with what’s going on in your mind than with what’s happening in your mouth and body.
There’s a strong connection between mindset and physical change! Your thoughts can have a tremendous healing effect on your body, and that’s where I focused my attention.
Now, I go into a more personal exploration of this struggle and how I’ve helped many overcome it in my book… But I want to share my FIRST THREE breakthroughs that helped me turn the relationship with my own body into a positive!
3 Tips To Help You Love Your Body
1. Approach Nutrition Realistically
There’s nothing harder than trying to give up eating your absolute favorite foods! They are your favorite for a reason! What about foods that you grew up eating because of your culture? Delicious and comforting, but probably not always the healthiest…right? Growing up in a Latino household, there was never a shortage of delicious, fatty, carb-rich, savory treats. I tried for a long time to figure out how to cut them out completely, but that always ended up back-firing in the end. So what did I do? I didn’t get rid of the foods… I just changed how they were prepared. I baked things rather than frying them, I substituted certain ingredients in order to make meals healthier, and I took a good honest look at my portioning. I still eat rice and beans, plantains, etc… but I prepare them in a way that doesn’t hurt me.
2. Accept Your Size & Shape
And keep accepting it no matter what stage you’re at! Not everybody is meant to be a size 4, so why do we obsess with that as an ideal? Think of it this way… no amount of self-hate or convincing is going to magically change things. You are who you are… so start loving that! Be unapologetic about how you present yourself to the world. Wear clothes that accentuate your shape (not too tight…not too loose). Take extra care in the little ways you use your gifts so that you feel confident no matter where you are. If your goal is to lose weight, you need to understand that it takes time! So while you’re working on it anyways, it makes the most sense to just love the hell out of yourself and rock that body with confidence!
3. Dig Into Your Motivations
You have to know that this journey is not going to be easy, but well worth it! You have to be 100% certain who you’re doing it for, what your end goal is, and why it’s so important to you. But here’s the thing, if all three of those questions aren’t answered with YOU as the focus… you need to rethink your approach. You can make progress when your motivation is impressing someone else, or fitting in, or changing to appeal to your partner’s wishes… but that will only get you so far. If you want to go all the way and make it a lasting change, you have to love yourself soooo hard that your actions are driven by crystal-clear intent.
Mindset breakthroughs only ever happen from a place of deep honesty with yourself. You have to learn to love your flaws as intently as you do your gifts. When you do this, all the paths to a healthier and happier you become clearer. This is the power of how your mind can have lasting effects on your wellness!
I look forward to helping you conquer your confidence in every way possible!
With all my ️heart,
Dr. Stephanie