Breaking Through Negative Body Image

Yesterday I posted about my "body image transformation" {and also shared a few 10 second transformation pictures}. I'm not a doctor or counselor...nor do I claim to be but I do want to share what worked for me with the hope that it helps at least one person. I would love to see women all over learn to love themselves first - where they are - while continuing to improve in whatever aspect they are working on!

I'll say this again (I mentioned it in my "How I Achieved My Dream Body" post)...

It doesn't matter what is or isn't on your plate or what is or isn't in your training routine. It's what is in your mind that matters most.

5 Ways to Break Through Negative Body Image

1. Stop Browsing Social Media for Motivation and/or Inspiration

I know it sounds weird coming from me as most of you probably found this website through social media (and you can still continue to follow us since we are positive ;-)). I'm glad you did find us but there are so many out there now that only focus on looks (with a million selfies) or post things that are not attainable for most people (whether it is stick meal plans and/or "perfect" body parts). Although I would have considered myself a strong person, the comparison on social media sucked me in so I quit browsing social media. Hard? Yes but SO worth it. I obviously still post on our accounts but then I log off. I also cleaned out my Instagram quite a few months ago. I did fine motivating myself for years without "fitspo" so I decided that I would become my own motivation again. Browsing social media (Instagram especially) only made me feel worse (except for those few fitness accounts that I still follow).

Right now you might think that you are on social media for motivation but have you met your goals? How does it really motivate you? Do you spend more time browsing for inspiration than you do actually working on yourself? Become your own motivation.

2. Think and Talk Positively

I covered this in my post on Building Up Your Confidence with Positive Thinking but it's also very important in the context of body image. If you are constantly thinking and/or speaking to yourself negatively you will only believe that negative talk. Once you change the way to talk to YOURSELF your entire life will start to change. It's true - your body hears everything your mind says so stay positive!

3. Develop Healthy Habits to Replace Unhealthy Habits

It's hard to develop good habits but it seems so easy to develop bad habits. Right? When you are trying to live a healthy lifestyle you develop new habits that replace your old habits. Now instead of ordering nachos with cheese, meat, and a load of other toppings maybe you order tacos or a burrito bowl with healthier toppings. The same habit changing techniques need to happen in order to combat the "bad" body image habits that have developed. For example, if I feel the urge to scroll through Instagram (I just use it as an example because that's the main one that affects me but maybe for you it's Facebook), I start reading a book. It becomes a habit. If I have time to scroll through Instagram than I have time to educate myself on another topic. Find a habit that will make you a better person and start doing that as soon as you find yourself doing something that negatively effects you.

Below are some ideas:

• Go for a walk
• Paint your nails
• Read a book
• Take a bath
• Cook something {healthy}

4. Focus on What Your Body Can DO Instead of What it LOOKS Like

Can you do a "real" push-up? Can you run a mile? Maybe you can play a game with your kids without getting out of breath. This will be different for everyone but if you can do things that you've never done before that means that you are improving and moving in the right direction. Focus on these achievements instead of critiquing yourself in the mirror. I quit looking at myself in the mirror and critiquing everything about me. I quit beating myself up for no reason. I went weeks without taking a "progress picture" or trying to gauge my progress in the mirror and the next time that I did look at myself in the mirror I was truly shocked at how much I had changed and it was all because I changed my mindset (more on that here). Stop gauging your progress on looks and focus on how you feel and what you can do.

5. Try a Relaxing Gym Class and/or Go Outside

Weight lifting is my absolute favorite thing to do. I love the way it changes and challenges my body and I don't get bored. However, when I decided to "snap" out of this trap I was in I started incorporating other forms of training by taking a few yoga/Pilates classes each week. If your gym doesn't offer these classes there are a lot of yoga resources online and also yoga DVDs available. Yoga didn't replace my weight lifting but it serves as almost a "rest" for me and my mind. Trying something different, even if it's just a few times, is almost always a good idea!

Another one of my favorite activities is to go hiking - preferably where my phone doesn't even work. It serves as a mind clearing time and some of my best ideas occur during our hiking trips (which you can read more about here). Spending time outside, even if it's just sitting or a walk around your neighborhood, is time well spent! Try it!

---

If you are struggling with negative body image please try these tips. They helped me immensely and I feel like a completely different person. Depending on the severity, you may also want to consider seeing a therapist/counselor. I know that for the short time that I was struggling, these negative comparison thoughts basically consumed my mind and it was awful. Good luck to all of you currently struggling. You are so much stronger than you think!

Body Image: A 10 Second Body Transformation

The pictures above show my real "body transformation" (not a 10 second body transformation) once I decided that I was no longer going to compare myself to other people or even waste time on social media. Believe me, I have plenty of other stuff to do (I am building a new website {sneak peek here} and we have some BIG news coming up about this one!) so I have very little time to waste yet social media was sucking me in. I decided after I posted my body image post

that I was serious about getting back to my "I don't care what anyone else is doing or what anyone else thinks of me" attitude I've had my whole life. All it took for me to change was that decision. I won't say it has been easy but life is so much better!

I know there is NOTHING wrong with the picture of me on the left but I was not in a good place mentally. I wanted to show what happens physically when your mind is in the right place. Although there isn't a huge difference in the pictures (you can tell by how my pants fit in the right pic), I feel 100 times better mentally and physically. [The pictures were taken less than one month apart.]

I almost didn't post the picture below on this blog (I did post it on Instagram) but I think it's important in the context of the next set of pictures. Before I go there you might wonder what I did to get back on track so quickly...I will go into the exact steps in another post soon but along with the fact that I quit comparing myself to others I also started eating more {healthy food - yes, even more carbs} and I also started working out less. You heard that right. I started eating more and working out less. I honestly started feeling like I did in the beginning when I would wake up and surprise myself at how positive I was and what my body could DO.

10 Second Body Transformation

The pictures below are also "transformation" pictures. These are a little different though. I wanted you to see how some people can manipulate transformation pictures. We all get so caught up in this online world that sometimes we confuse it for the real world and take everything as the truth.

The pictures below were taken within seconds of each other. All I did was push my stomach out in the "before" pictures. I didn't use filters but keep in mind that some people do edit them by using filters and/or photoshop so the difference appears to be even more drastic.

I also came across this one below on my phone (that was taken on June 15) that I never posted! I did filter the top right photo so you can see the difference. I completely understand (and agree) that some people just have really bad posture or bloating in their "before" pictures but you can usually pick out the ones that are real vs the ones that are not.

This should also convince you to not compare yourself to others because those selfies you see usually take some time to get the right one with the right lighting, standing correctly, etc. Bottom line: Just concentrate on you!

I wanted to share these pictures so that you know that it IS possible to take back control of your own thoughts and transform your life in more ways than you can possibly imagine. I say that I had a short - but intense - battle with body image. I am so glad that I finally did hit publish on that original post because without the comments, support, and encouragement I might still be in that never-ending trap!

Stay tuned for my tips on what worked for me! I really think that they will help many of you struggling with this!

---

6 Tips to Get Over Your Fear of the Weight Room

WANT A FREE HIIT EBOOK?

Join our newsletter and get the instant download. We never spam you - we only bring you the best workouts and recipes each week! Click here to join now.

Note: We're on Snapchat now! You can find us under hesheeatclean. We're also on Instagram and Facebook!

When I say that I understand what it's like being afraid of the weight room, I am NOT kidding. I am very shy and introverted. I didn't walk into a restaurant by myself until I was in my 20's. The thought of walking into a gym, mostly dominated by men, terrified me. I wouldn't even go into the gym to do cardio...I was terrified of the whole gym! So, I get it BUT I bet your fear is probably not even as extreme as mine was! I know I seem to be talking to you ladies here but some men are shy as well. Men typically don't like the weight area because of the "meathead" type. Although I do believe you can get an amazing workout at home (some of our best She Sweats transformations were made using our at-home plan!), having access to all of the equipment a gym offers is a great benefit! If you have access to a gym, make the most of it! Use these tips to slowly build your confidence to go into the weight room (or even gym for that matter!).

Below are the strategies I used (along with "fake it until you make it") to conquer my extreme fear of the gym. However, I still get anxious if we have to go to a new gym or go at a different time. Although I know what I'm doing, I like the familiarity of the same group of people and going at the same time!

6 Tips to Get Over Your Fear of the Weight Room

1. Join a Small{er} Gym

We live about 20 minutes away from a large gym, which is a good thing because I would probably STILL (to this day) never set foot in a large gym. Luckily, since I started my transformation we've been members at a small local gym (Anytime Fitness franchise). In some aspects this can be a negative thing, we do not have all of the fancy machines and equipment that a larger gym has and the gym doesn't offer very many classes or have any add-on options such as a pool. But for someone who is shy, I've found that this is actually a good thing. There isn't as much space to "learn my way around" and I pretty much know where everything is and how to use it. Just knowing where the equipment is that you need will be a huge confidence booster for you! If you can't join a smaller gym...don't worry...I still have some tips for you!

2. Go When It Is Not As Crowded

Although this may be hard for some people, getting to the gym while it's not very busy will definitely help because you won't feel like everyone is watching you (they aren't anyway!). When we first started working out we went later in the evening (around 9 PM) but then started going right after work. I think going late to begin with was good for me though because it wasn't as crowded. Peak times for gyms are usually before work, during lunch, and right after work. If your schedule allows, go late morning or early afternoon to beat the crowds.

3. Go at the Same Time Each Day

When someone asks "What time should I workout?" my answer is always ANY TIME! Any time that you can workout is the best time to workout. If this means that some days you go in the mornings and other days you go in the evenings that is fine as long as you get it done! However, for someone who has a fear of the weight room going at the same time each day is the best option. When you go at the same time you get to know the people who also workout at that time. Getting to know others around you will make you feel more comfortable and be even more open to asking questions, if needed.

4. Find an Empty Room

Even though our gym is small we do have one classroom. If it isn't being used I will get what I need (don't take all the weights though!) and go into that room to do my workout. When I first stared working out, our gym was in a different location and we actually didn't even have a classroom! There was a tiny area that had a wall that was probably 4 ft high where the trainer's desk, bands and exercise balls were located. Even though it wasn't an enclosed room this space provided me with the privacy that I needed in order to familiarize myself with the equipment and workouts in general. Take advantage of an empty room or space so that you can concentrate on your workout instead of worrying about other people (again, they aren't paying attention to you like you think they are!).

5. Take a Friend

I hesitated to include this one because sometimes a partner is not a good thing. I actually prefer to workout alone but having a friend with you might take some of the pressure off of you. You can navigate the machines and not feel like you are alone. If you do want a workout buddy, try to find one that has your same intensity, schedule, etc.

6. Take a Few Sessions with a Personal Trainer

I am a Certified Personal Trainer and I still do not believe that everyone needs a personal trainer. I honestly think that most people can do this on their own but understand that a personal trainer is necessary in some situations. A situation that comes to mind is someone who is shy in the gym! Even if you don't want to workout with a trainer all the time, see if you can purchase a few sessions so that they can show you around and explain how to use all of the equipment. This will help prevent frustration and possibly injury down the road. After your sessions with the trainer, having a plan in place is the best option so you don't wander around the gym wasting time trying to figure out what to do next. Try one of our She Sweats Workout Plans that lays out exactly what you need to do each day!

Are you scared of the weight room or gym in general? What have you done to overcome your fears?

Let us be your personal trainers with our detailed 4, 6 and 12 week She Sweats Workout plans! We guide your workout each day, telling you exactly what to do and what intensity to work at. We have everything you need! Find out more!