Be Whole

I recently received a message from a woman who wanted tips on how to lose weight and feel whole again.

First, I thought, how sweet that she would want to take advice from me. I’m not a personal trainer or a nutritionist – I simply enjoy an active lifestyle and eat well. If anything, I’m an enthusiast.

What I do know, though, is that if an opportunity to take a dip in the ocean on a sunny day arises, the last thing on my mind would be, “what does my body look like?” I own every dark spot, bump, line, bruise, and kink like jewelry and that has very little to do with the way I look, it’s my mindset.

There was a time that I felt extremely self-conscious about my appearance. I was surrounded by people who were distinctly different to me and not knowing any better, I felt that there was a lot wrong my appearance. Not anymore – because of the 5 habits below that I’ve adopted.

I am at my heaviest weight, and I feel wonderful about it. None of us are built the same way; our bodies don’t digest food in the same way, and for goodness sake, our bodies are vessels that take us places – we aren’t bodies, we have bodies. Can I get an Amen?

I was at Woolworths’ pay point when a cashier (I forget her name) looked up at me and complimented my hair. She said, “It’s so long, are you mixed?” I said, “I know, thank you. I guess so. Does it matter?” “No,”she murmured. I didn’t feel offended that someone was trying to validate my race to explain the length of my hair – I thought, “Wow, people must wonder about me.” And that was it.

How much do you love your body right now? I slip in and out of love with my body – it happens to all of us. One way to truly love your body no matter what is adopting habits that promote your wellness. Take a look at these five things I’ve been doing that works for my body confidence:

Sleep early

Sleeping early has been a game-changer for me. When I get 8 hours of sleep, I perform at my best. Not only will you feel recharged and perform better, you will feel and look better. A lack of sleep slows the metabolism, increases emotional distress, and can literally cause you to become a negative person.

You may want to read: Sleep your way to the top says, Arianna Huffington

Write out your body confidence goals

Do you want to lose weight? Do you want to firm and tone, grow your hair or have clear skin? Write it down and be specific about why you want it, how you will try to achieve it, and also give yourself a deadline. When you monitor a goal consistently, you are bound to make progress.

Have daily motivation

Instagram is my go-to for motivation. I follow a bunch of healthy eaters, fitness models, and motivational pages, to continuously keep my mind focused on my ambitions. Find influencers that inspire you or talk to people who have achieved the goal that you’ve set out to accomplish. Motivation doesn’t work without action so keep that in mind as well.

 

Find a workout method that doesn’t feel like work

I have so much fun at my kickboxing and boxing training classes that I wish I could go every day. I train four days a week and because I enjoy it so much, it doesn’t feel like a chore. Find out which form of exercise turns you on. It could be dancing, running, cycling or swimming; try a lot of different things until you find the one that you thoroughly enjoy and suits your lifestyle.

Change your environment

One of the biggest mistakes we make when we want to change our habits is that we try to fit new things into an old lifestyle. If you’re trying to quit smoking but all your friends smoke, how likely do you think your chances of quitting for good are? A strong will can only move you as far as the influences around you. Once you get into the swing of adopting habits that promote your body confidence, people with similar interests will be drawn to you.

Can you think of any other tips that are particularly helpful for body confidence? I’d love to hear from you. Post your comment in the space below, or connect with me on Instagram.

Images: Pixabay CCO