Body Image Issues in December

Just when I think I can't find something to gripe about.....taa-daa! Body images issues.

I am having bad body image issues. Bad to the point that I want to eat an entire chocolate cake and make myself feel bad about it.

Isn't that awful? I have lost a great deal of weight in the last year, and now, here I am, in a size smaller than I ever thought possible....and when I look in the mirror I don't see any difference.

But then I look at photos and see a big difference.
Why, in the month of December - when I should be happy and joyous, am I letting myself feel crappy about how I look?

So I am goig to take the following steps to improve my body image....and then I am going to eat a Bocca di Nonna cookie.

How Can I Improve My Body Image?

Body image can be a hard thing to change. We get used to giving ourselves negative feedback about the way we look. Thinking negatively about one's self can become an addiction. Like smoking, thinking negatively about one's body is a habit that is hard but important to break. There is no sure-fire or easy way to achieve good body image and, once achieved, maintaining positive body image takes work and persistence! Some tips for improving one's body image include:

Consciously fight every bad thought about yourself: recognize when you are being critical of yourself and remind yourself to be kind.
Speak to yourself only as you would speak to a friend, family member or someone you love.
Consciously focus on the things about you that you like. Be proud of these things!
Criticize the images that make you feel uncomfortable with yourself; try to recognize why these images are being presented to you (what are they trying to sell?) and realize that your bad self image helps to sell a product or an idea