Okay ladies, we hear it all the time, we have to stop with the destructive habit of self-shaming our bodies. Although we all know this, we continue to say things both out loud and to ourselves that are negative and overly self-critical. Well, did you know that a poor body image can affect your health and cause physical harm? Published studies have found a correlation between negative body image and poor health. This practice is emotionally and mentally taxing and can even cause us to neglect our health and well-being. Below is a PHD researcher’s opinion on some of the ramifications of poor body image:“To look into this destructive mind-body connection, head researcher Jean Lamont, Ph.D., theorized that women who feel ashamed that their bodies don’t match the ideal also feel ashamed of natural bodily functions like menstruating, sweating, and eating. This then leads women to deny their bodies normal care for these things, making themselves sick in the process. Basically, Lamont is saying that if you don’t like your body then you won’t want to take care of it—a sad state that many of us have experienced firsthand.”
-Shape Magazine AUG 2015

To make matters even worse, there’s absolutely no evidence to prove that these negative thoughts actually motivate us to make our bodies healthier with better nutrition or exercise. So what should we be doing instead of criticizing ourselves in mirrors on a daily basis?

Start with complimenting yourself EVERY SINGLE DAY. Just as negative thoughts are bad for us, positive thoughts are actually very good for our health. We all have something beautiful about us, remind yourself of those unique parts of you that are gorgeous. Next, commit to daily physical activity to boost self-esteem and improve your mood. Remember, it’s not about changing your body but instead changing your mind. Movement makes us happy and less likely to want to body shame ourselves. Finally, compliment other women. Seeing the beauty in others helps us see what’s awesome about ourselves. Besides, it just feels great to give someone a compliment. It’s a win-win scenario every time.

And now we offer you a challenge- can you go 30 days without body shaming yourself?? We’re going to try and we’d love to hear how you do. Post your challenge results in the comments section below- thanks for sharing!