When you think of your body, do you have positive or negative thoughts? Is it something you avoid thinking about? Don't worry, you aren't alone. Women typically don't like the way they look. And when I say women, I'm talking about over 90% of women. Definitely not an easy pill to swallow, right?
It's part of everyday struggles, with constant barrage on social media telling us how we should look, how big our boobs and butt should be. It's not just on social media, it's in the pages of your favorite magazine, it's on the commercials even on your smart TV, and you scroll through it daily, if not hourly. It's easy to see how the images we see can effect our own idea of body image.
So what is body image? You've heard it thrown around. Body Image is “…the perception that a person has of their physical self and the thoughts and feelings that result from that perception.”
Perceptual body image: how you see your body
Affective body image: how you feel about your body
Cognitive body image: how you think about your body
Behavioral body image: the way you behave as a result of your perceptual, affective, and cognitive body image (NEDC, 2017)
So it's individual. Good news, is it's UP TO YOU! That means YOU get to CHOOSE! Your OPINION is the ONLY one that matters. If you struggle with your self-esteem and your body image, because they go hand in hand, . . .you are in luck! I am partnering up with a therapist who is apart of the Cardio Couture tribe to really hit this home on just how important this topic is.
It shapes EVERYTHING. Your entire world! How you act/treat others is a reflection of how you feel about yourself. Who you choose as a friend, lover, husband/wife, is a reflection of how you feel about yourself! It's a direct reflection.
Let's start with Perceptual Body Image, . . .in the next blog: Fake it Til You Make It.