3 Steps to Stop the Body Comparison Game

As I sat to write this week’s Intuitive Eating Wednesday blog post, I paused to think about what was on my mind. I tend to pick a blog topic by considering what’s going on around me in relation to food, body image, or questions I get from clients or prospective clients.

Today I want to address body comparison. This is when you compare your body to other people’s bodies, and it starts to make you feel bad about your own body. This in turn leads you to start another diet as your desire to be “thin” overcomes you. Yet, the restriction brought on by the diet causes you to feel deprived of your favorite foods which ultimately leads to overeating/binge eating. Then the cycle starts again.

I think it’s understandable to a certain extent that you compare your body to other women’s bodies. This is a side effect of the diet culture we live in. Especially now that the summer is quickly approaching, you can’t go far without seeing an advertisement with a bikini clad female or commercial for a diet to get you in beach body shape, quickly! And now that the weather is nice, people are out in skimpy outfits only to add to the pressure you put on yourself (“I need to do something, now!”)

Enough is enough. I know you don’t want to continue to put this pressure on yourself. It takes up your brain space and prevents you from enjoying each day to the fullest.

Here are 3 steps to stop the body comparisons!

1)Just stop! Promise yourself that you will no longer compare your body to other women’s bodies. Think about the fact that you have no idea how she got the thin body she has. Perhaps she’s on a quick-fix diet and is miserable inside. Perhaps she’s suffering from a medical condition (or mental health condition) and weight loss is a side effect. It’s a dangerous game to wish for what other people have, the grass is not always greener on the other side.

I know of a situation where a woman was complemented for her weight loss and was asked how she did it. The answer? “Anorexia”. Enough said.

2)Praise and thank your body every day! Your body is miraculous. I think people take for granted all the amazing things your body does to keep you alive, keep you moving from place to place, and being able to see the world around you.

I can tell you firsthand this is true. If you’ve been following me for some time, you probably know that I had eye surgery last year. This was a bit traumatic for me on many levels. But one of the most eye opening (no pun intended) experiences for me was during recovery after the surgery. My vision wasn’t the same, my eyes needed time to heal. I couldn’t see clearly, it was hard to read, hard to see my computer, hard to do everyday things and of course I couldn’t drive. It was then that it hit me how we take for granted things that our bodies do for us on a daily basis.

So please, give praise and thanks to your body every day, from the top of your head to your tippy toes.

3)Dress for the body you have now! I cannot stress this enough. If you are wearing clothes that are tight on you, you will be uncomfortable and feel upset, sad and hopeless. That’s when body comparisons happen the most. Take yourself shopping and buy clothes that you love that fit you. Who cares what size the label says? Those aren’t accurate anyway, and mean zilch! When you dress in clothes that feel good, you feel awesome and powerful and can accomplish anything!

Without a doubt in my mind, body comparisons will hinder your intuitive eating journey! Let’s stop this now so you can keep moving forward.

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