Negative self-talk about your body sabotages weight loss and mental health. The speaker offers four steps: change how you talk about bodies, practice self-compassion when you slip, avoid people who fuel body criticism, and use daily affirmations to rewire your thinking.
Body dissatisfaction is at an all-time high in the UK, and it's reported that 60% of adults have negative feelings about the way they look. Around two-thirds of Brits are constantly on a diet, and just over a million people are believed to have an eating disorder. Mental health, happiness, and self-esteem are suffering hugely, and it's so much to do with the way we view our self-image and the body talk that happens happens as a result. It's really time we paid attention to the kind of things that we say to ourselves because it really does affect us. At Slimpod, we're all about body positivity and self-love. It's at the core of our programme and what our values are based on. It's not just the words that come out of your mouth that determine your life, it's the words you whisper to yourself that have the most power. Negative self-talk is a huge problem, and this has been labeled body talk. So what exactly does that expression mean? Well, it refers to the conversations we have with ourselves or others about our own or other people's bodies or bodily characteristics. The concept first emerged in the work of two researchers in the States who explored the interaction between language and body image in young young women. Through their research, they showed that women who discussed body weight and size often had lower self-esteem and body dissatisfaction and were more likely to diet and engage in disordered eating behaviors than women who didn't discuss their bodies. Body talk is also associated with body hatred, and I notice this in a lot of people who have had a bad relationship with food for many years. The issue generally begins when they're young and continues through to adulthood. If we keep using negative, critical, derogatory language to describe our bodies, then naturally we will continue to look at our bodies as enemies we have to punish and resent. But the great news is that we have the power to change that. Slimpod helps with that process because sustainable weight loss really starts inside your mind. But you can help yourself too, and this is a critical part of your journey to lasting weight loss. If you love your body, you will automatically begin to care about what goes in your mouth and how you look after your health. So we can watch our words and start a much kinder conversation with ourselves and others around us. So the first thing to pay attention to is your language. Be really aware when you talk about your body or when others around you do it. It's amazing how much we criticise ourselves without even knowing we're doing it. So notice what you say and how you feel when those things are said. Then work on checking negative words before you actually say them out loud. Number 2: Show yourself kindness and compassion. Now, I'm not saying it's easy to challenge body talk, especially if it's been ingrained, an ingrained behaviour since childhood. It's tough to change things, and of course there'll be times when you're still being negative about yourself. But as I teach people day in and day out, if you slip up, Don't berate yourself. Be compassionate. Reframe it by complimenting yourself for the progress that you've made so far and simply aim to do better next time. Number 3: Don't follow the crowd. Negative body talk happens in all sorts of communities. Diet clubs are obviously one place it happens, and it also happens online and in in the workplace. Some people feel that there's social obligation to join in, but if a friend starts criticising the way they look, or if a colleague makes a critique about their weight, you don't have to join in. You don't have to say 'me too' and share your own insecurities. You can simply do what's right for you and your own mental health and walk away from the conversation. If it's difficult to walk away from certain situations, then make a commitment to yourself to avoid all body talk. Let your friends know how damaging this is to your mental health and vow only to comment on positive things. Use positive psychology and remind yourself that you are so much more than a body. Turn it into an experience of appreciation, and this leads me nicely on to number 4. Affirmations. Affirmations are such a great thing to get in the habit of doing. They're far more than just self-help statements to make ourselves feel better. They can have a real, very real impact on our overall well-being and quality of life. Repeating the affirmations daily allows us to become more in tune with our thoughts and the way we think about ourself in general. When we're conscious of our attitude towards ourself, we can make a big effort to stop negative thoughts. When we become more aware of ourselves, we're able to be mindful of surrounding ourselves with positive things. And you know, the best thing is the more you practice, the more you notice what aspects of your life are most important to you, as well as things that may be holding you back from being happy. Affirmations also help you to keep in a consistently positive mood, and that then gets nature's happy drugs dancing around in your brain. And what's not to like about that? Now, talking about likes, I'd love you to hit the thumbs up button, subscribe to my channel, and comment below if you feel you resonate with anything I've said today. And I've helped you with my tips in some way. See you next time!
