It is really common during the holidays to wake up in the morning at one point, to think about all we have eaten, and to say, “Dear Lord. What have I done?”
Many people, especially women, have a freak-out point about their bodies during the holidays and become terrified about their weight, their appearance, and their life in general (because women often equate how they feel about their body with how they feel about their life).
To make matters worse, many diet and exercises companies begin aggressively marketing to people at this point of year, and so we are bombarded by both inner and outer messages that we must whip ourselves into shape.
On the other hand, many people just like to take the beginning of the year to take stock of their health and to set new intentions and goals for living a more healthy year.
No matter what is motivating you to start a new exercise and eating program, I want to invite you to adopt body kindness principles as the foundation of any new program you begin.
We often think that we have to be harsh to our bodies in order to whip them into shape and make them behave. Body kindness invites us to consider that our body is on our side and is our friend. It invites us to consider that if we nurture our body with kindness and listen to it, we are going to figure out exactly what we need to do right now. Here are some principles you can remember to start practicing body kindness:
If you would like to read some posts that develop some of these concepts, you might enjoy these posts
Five Things You Can Do When You Feel Ugly and Gross and Your Confidence Falls Into a Deep Dark Well
What To Do When You Hate Your Body
Why Your Body is Beautiful Right Now, No Matter What
Ten Things You Can Do When You Feel Bad About Your Body
Ten Things I Would Tell My Young Self About Bodies, Shame, and Love if I Could Travel Back in Time
Body-Anxiety and Body-Shame: The Epidemic and the Escape
So inspiring and I’m sure we all have felt thus way before. Thank you for sharing. Hugs
<3