What’s become clear over the years in my private nutritional practice helping women (and men) cease emotional eating, binging and overeating is that SO MANY people struggle with body image. Most of the time, regardless of their size.
After interviewing 200 women, Brene Brown found that negative body image was almost ‘universal’ with 90% of women saying they feel body shame.
Brene Brown concludes that ‘The long reach of body shame can impact who and how we love, work, parent, communicate and build relationships.’
Practising positive body image affirmations can be a powerful tool. You can learn how to create a positive relationship with your body, take charge of your health and become a more positive person. It might even help you make more positive food choices along the way.
And that’s exactly why I’m sharing 55 body image affirmations you can use today.
Body Image: Statistics and Influences
Body image continues to be one of the top concerns for women, although men also struggle!
A survey of 300 women by Glamour Magazine found that, on average, women have 13 negative body thoughts daily—nearly one for every waking hour. And a whopping 97% of women admit to having at least one “I hate my body” moment each day. That’s alarming.
But it’s not just women, who struggle with body image concerns and dissatisfaction.
In fact, the Australian Psychological Society estimates that body image dissatisfaction in men has tripped from 15% to 45% in the past 25 years!
With the social conditioning, media messages and internalised beliefs that are not necessarily based in fact, it’s no wonder so many of us struggle with an unhealthy relationship with our bodies.
Take one look at your Instagram feed and assess if your unconscious mind is being constantly influenced. Perhaps it’s images of perfect bodies, ‘what I eat in a day’ influencer plates, unrealistic body standards and impossible exercise goals.
No doubt that positive body image affirmations can be a useful tool to improve body positivity short term. Interestingly, daily affirmations can also help rewire the brain long-term for more positive thinking in daily life.
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What are Positive Body Affirmations and How They Work
Positive affirmations, particularly body positive affirmations, are powerful mantras repeated individually, aimed at encouraging a positive self-image and self-esteem.
These are not just simple made-up phrases, but they have a solid scientific base.
Research suggests that consistently saying positive affirmations can rewire our brains to believe these positive statements, making us more likely to act in ways that align with them.
This is due to a psychological phenomenon known as ‘self-affirmation theory’. Affirming your values can create a positive psychological response, thus reducing negative thinking and enhancing self-image and self-esteem.
What this means is that by repeating body positive affirmations, you are creating new neural pathways in your brain. That way daily affirmations lead you to develop a more positive mindset and act in alignment with that.
Isn’t it wonderful, that by putting a little bit of effort to start with, the mind adjusts to the new, more positive way of thinking about the body?
Equally, this confirms how daily saying and thinking negative thoughts lead us to believe it and adjust actions accordingly (not to mention feeling crappy along the way!).
Benefits of Practicing Body Image Affirmations
Making peace with your body and accepting can be tricky, especially if you have been batting with your body for years or the majority of your life.
The truth is if you don’t have a positive relationship with your body, even changing your body and feeling healthier may not help you to feel good about your body image.
However, practising body image affirmations can help break negative thought patterns and replace them with positive ones. That way you begin to see yourself in a more balanced light.
Research has also found that affirming statements about one’s physical appearance can lead to increased self-esteem and higher body satisfaction. This in turn can lead to improved mental health and greater self-acceptance.
Creating a positive relationship with your body is can also be great for physical health. Studies have found that people with a positive body image tend to be more likely to engage in regular physical activity. And it’s quite clear that regular (not excessive) movement is great for both physical and mental wellbeing.
In short, repeating affirmations can help finally create a healthier body image, leading to overall improved mental AND physical well-being.
Sounds like body positive affirmations are worth a try, right?
How to Practice Body-Positive Affirmations
If you are becoming curious about how regularly practising body positive affirmations could be useful, it’s important to know how and when to use them. Here are some tips for making the most out of these powerful statements:
- Say the affirmation out loud — this enhances the efficacy of using the mantras and helps them sink in deeper. Take a deep breath and make it a choice to say them out loud when possible.
- Place self-love affirmations on post-it notes or cards around your home or workspace as a constant reminder and encourgament.
- Keep a journal —Take the time to write down your favourite body positive affirmations in your journal. This way it can become a positive habit easier.
- Listen to affirmations — there are lots of audio recordings online that you can listen to while driving, at work, etc.
- Choose affirmations that really resonate with you — don’t force yourself into using words that don’t feel authentic. “I fully love and accept myself” may not work when you’re a really long way away from that. Choose the ones that create a fuzzy feeling insight or inspire you when you say them.
- Don’t give up — it takes time for body positive affirmations to become natural, so be consistent and patient with yourself. Choose to practice affirmations every single day to embrace a growth mindset.
Here are some of my favourite body image affirmations for you to explore, get inspired with and start using regularly. You can also come up with your own positive body affirmations that feel more aligned to you.
11 Body Positive Affirmations to Cultivate Body Respect
- I appreciate my body and its gifts.
- My body has given me so many incredible experiences.
- I am learning to love and accept my body fully.
- I respect my body regardless of societal norms.
- My body allows me to do all the things I love.
- I honour my body and all that it has given me.
- I accept and respect my body.
- My body is strong and resilient.
- My body is AMAZING.
- I am grateful for my body and the things it allows me to do.
- I choose to be grateful for my body.
11 Body Image Affirmations To Stop Comparing Your Body
- Comparison is a thief of joy.
- My body is a reflection of my own unique self.
- I am worthy of love and respect, regardless of my looks.
- I don’t need to reach perfection.
- I choose to focus on what’s positive about of my body.
- My body is a vehicle, not an ornament.
- I am not in competition with anyone.
- I reject societal standards of beauty that do not embrace diversity.
- My body is not a measure of my worth.
- I refuse to let others/ society dictate how I should look or be.
- I can be kind to myself even when I don’t ‘measure up’ to other people’s standards.
11 Positive Body Affirmations To Boost Your Self-Esteem
- I am strong and capable of achieving whatever is important to me.
- My worth is not determined by what others think of me or my body.
- I am more than just a body.
- My worth is not defined by how much I weigh.
- I am learning to love and accept myself fully.
- My body is the least interesting thing about me.
- I am enough.
- My worth is not defined by what my body looks.
- I am worthy of unconditional love, just as I am.
- Every day, I accept myself and my body a little bit more.
- My worth is not defined by how I look.
11 Positive Body Affirmations to Reconnect to Your Body
- I can trust my healthy body.
- I celebrate the beauty of my body and all it’s forms and expressions.
- My body teaches me every day.
- I trust my body and its innate wisdom.
- I am learning to fully listen and trust my body and to make healthy choices.
- I allow my body to rest when it’s tired.
- I am grateful for how my body moves.
- I am learning to be kind to my body.
- I embrace all the ways that my body serves me today.
- I am relearning how to be kind to my body.
- I am learning to move through life accepting my body.
11 Positive Body Image Affirmations for Body Acceptance
- I celebrate my body in all its glory.
- My imperfections make me unique.
- My physical body and appearance do not define who I am.
- I am beautiful just the way I am.
- I choose to be confident and happy in my body.
- I appreciate myself, my physical body and its beauty.
- I celebrate what my body can do, not how it looks.
- I will no longer allow other people’s opinions to control how I feel about my body.
- I accept and embrace myself fully.
- Every day, I am growing more comfortable in my body.
- I am learning to fully accept my body.
Final Thoughts on Positive Body Affirmations
Body positive affirmations can be just enough to help you change the negative self-talk and beliefs about your body. With a little bit of regular practice, positive body affirmations can start to feel second nature and can help you create a healthier relationship with your body for good.
With each reminder of how amazing your body you may start feel more empowered and confident, doesn’t matter what your body shape or size is.
Changing your relationship with your body can be a tough journey, especially, if it’s what you’re used to doing for years (or decades)! But important to remember that only you can change it. Treat it like a new skill you’re learning and use positive affirmations as a handy tool.
FAQs on Body image affirmations
- How can I improve my body image and feel better about my body?
Observe what triggers negative body image thoughts and adjust. Generally, make sure you stick to a routine, rest and make time and space for yourself. Try to only speak positively about your body. You can try positive body affirmations to help with that. - What are body image affirmations? Can they really improve self-esteem?
Body positive affirmations are statements that, repeated over time, can help you change your negative thought patterns and create a better relationship with your body. - Do specific affirmations promote body positivity?
Absolutely! You can find 55 affirmations that can improve self-acceptance, stop comparing yourself to others and cultivating body positivity and respect in the full article. This includes “I am relearning to be kind to my body” and “I choose to be confident and happy in my body”. - How I can silence the inner critic and practice self-compassion towards my body?
Notice when the inner critic is the loudest (perhaps during PMS?). Observe your negative body image thoughts and behaviours and start to challenge them. Body positive affirmations can be great to get started. - Can social media influence my body image?
Absolutely! It can make you chase impossible standards and compare yourself to others across the world (not helpful!). Do a spring clean of the accounts that don’t make you feel inspired and positively motivated. Also, limit screen time and instead focus on self-care and doing things you love.
Sources cited:
http://www.mothersmovement.org/features/body_image/b_brown_body_shame.htm
