If you're someone who struggles with negative body image thoughts, exercise can be a tricky thing to navigate. If you've ever felt like exercising will just make you look worse and feel worse about yourself, rest assured: You're not alone! There are ways to combat those nagging negative thoughts so that you can enjoy the benefits of exercise without feeling ashamed or discouraged. Here are some ways we've found helpful in tackling our own body image issues while working out:
There's no better way to boost your self-esteem than by getting your body moving.
Exercise is good for you. It keeps your body healthy and strong, releases endorphins that make us feel better, helps us sleep better, reduces stress, builds confidence (and a strong core!), improves posture and makes us look younger. Exercising outside is also more fun than working out at home because it's social!Join a sports team.
If you want to feel better about your body, join a sports team. Sports teams are great for so many reasons: they offer opportunities for exercise, socialization, and self-improvement. You can find a team that fits your skill level and interests, whether it's volleyball or rock climbing.You'll also meet other people who have similar interests as you do! This can be especially helpful if you're shy or scared of meeting new people because it provides an opportunity for friendship-building without having to go out of your comfort zone too much (if at all).Sports teams provide excellent opportunities for exercise--you'll get plenty of cardio as well as strength training from playing different sports every week! This will help improve your body image by making sure that even though we may not look like models on magazine covers yet there are still ways in which we can be healthy & happy with ourselves now rather than waiting until some future date when our bodies might look different than what society tells us is "normal."Sign up for a race
Signing up for a race is a great motivator. You can find discounts on sites like Groupon or Living Social, and races usually have different levels of difficulty so you can start with a 5K and work up to a half marathon.Take on a challenge, like running a half marathon.Challenges are a great way to keep you motivated. They can help you achieve your goals, and they're often fun, rewarding, and exciting. Challenges can be anything from running a half marathon or joining a yoga class to learning how to make homemade pasta from scratch or taking up photography as a hobby.If you're struggling with low self-esteem due to having than ideal body image, taking on challenges that involve physical activity will help improve both aspects of your life at once! For example: if running is something that interests you but it's hard for you because it makes your thighs rub together awkwardly when they touch (which may cause chafing), then maybe try swimming instead. Swimming is an excellent form of exercise because it works almost every muscle in our bodies while also being a low impact on joints--meaning there's no risk of injury while still getting an effective workout!Exercise outdoors.
Spend time in nature, even if it's just a short walk around the block. Nature has been shown to have positive effects on our mental health, physical health, and emotional well-being.Take your workout outside! Exercise can be as simple as going for a run or bike ride with friends or family members who share similar interests in staying active together.Get your sweat on in the great outdoors! Exercising outside helps you feel better about yourself and can help you see how beautiful nature can be.Exercising outdoors is a great way to improve your body image. You'll feel better about yourself, and it can help you see how beautiful nature can be.Exercising outdoors has been shown to have a positive effect on mental health and physical health. It can also make exercising more enjoyable than indoor workouts because of the variety and challenge of working out in different environments.When you exercise outside, you're helping contribute to the community by reducing pollution from cars driving on roads or driving up power consumption at gyms (or even just turning off lights). This benefits everyone!Be around others who belong to your community, like at the gym or on a sports team.When you're working out, be around others who belong to your community. Whether it's the gym or a sports team, being around people who share your interests and have similar goals can help keep you motivated. You'll learn from each other and push each other toward success. It's easier to stay motivated when there are others around who support your goals!And when it comes down to it, feeling good about yourself is essential for achieving any goal--and that includes exercising regularly (or at all). Having a support network of friends and family members who care about how healthy and happy you are will help keep things in perspective when things get tough during workouts or sports practices (or even just life in general).Find a workout buddy who challenges you to push yourself harder than you thought you could go.
If you're struggling with body image issues, find a workout buddy who challenges you to push yourself harder than you thought you could go. If no one is available, set up a training schedule and workout routine for yourself. Start small--20 minutes at first--and increase it as your confidence grows. If running or cycling aren't options for whatever reason (maybe they make your knees hurt), try walking instead!- Set goals that focus on what your body can do rather than what it looks like (e.g., running five miles instead of losing ten pounds).
- Set goals that focus on what your body can do rather than what it looks like (e.g., running five miles instead of losing ten pounds).
- Make sure your goals are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely (SMART).
Create rewards for each goal you reach--it will keep you motivated! For example, if you want to run a 5K race in two months' time and then reward yourself with a new pair of running shoes when this happens. Or maybe set up weekly workouts with friends who also want to lose weight so that they can keep each other accountable?
- Exercise can help boost your self-esteem by improving your physical health and strength, but negative body image thoughts can still creep in if you're not careful!
- Exercise can help you feel better about yourself
- Exercising can boost your self-esteem by improving your physical health and strength, but negative body image thoughts can still creep in if you're not careful!
- Exercise is an effective way to build confidence
It's important to remember that exercise is not just about looking good; it's also about feeling good. When we exercise regularly, we are building up our stamina and strength--and that means that over time, we will be able to do things we never thought possible before (like running a marathon!). This sense of accomplishment will reinforce the positive changes in our bodies while also making us feel proud of ourselves for achieving them.
Exercise is a crucial part of any healthy lifestyle
Exercising is a great way to boost your self-esteem and feel better about yourself. It can help you lose weight, get stronger and more fit, as well as improve other aspects of your health like blood pressure and cholesterol levels. But if you're not careful, negative body image thoughts can still creep in when exercising! That's why it's so important to find an activity that makes you feel good about yourself; whether that means joining a sports team or signing up for a race where there will be other people cheering for them too.
