When we obsess so much over how we look or on our body image it makes life miserable. It makes life miserable because God didn’t design us to obsess over ourselves, He designed us to be obsessed with Him and loving others. What I find is that when I’m most self-conscious about my body or myself in general is when I am not focused on loving others and loving them well. Love does by Bob Goff will most likely always be one of my all time top 5 favorite books.
An excerpt from the book is:: “Being engaged is a way of doing life, a way of living and loving. It's about going to extremes and expressing the bright hope that life offers us, a hope that makes us brave and expels darkness with light. That's what I want my life to be all about - full of abandon, whimsy, and in love.” ― Bob Goff, Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World
When our life is full of this abandon, whimsy, and love for other people and life and God we are too busy to obsess over how we look or feel. He is so right when he says that love is a hope that makes us brave and expels the darkness with light! Okay so this all sounds good, but its easier said than done.
First I wanna talk about health, fitness, body image in general. Ok, so yes I think fitness is super important and it is necessary to take care of yourself with good nutrition whether you are an athlete, a middle aged mom, or just a typical guy or gal going through life. How do we take care of ourselves without obsessing over everything we eat or drink and thinking it will make us feel even more insecure? Okay so this is where balance comes in. Heck yes, go out with your friends and get burgers every once and a while, get the sugary latte that you luuuuvvv at starbucks, but do it in moderation. So, learn to like salads (not to be "skinny" but because your body needs the nutrients from plants) or even just try eating some frozen veggies from the cafeteria to go with your dinner instead of the simpler option of french fries. Also with the latte try half the sweetener or almond milk instead of regular milk! I promise it’ll make a big difference in the way you feel if you cut some of those unhealthy fats and sugars out of your life! So anyways I don’t wanna keep lecturing on nutrition & such you can go on pinterest or the internet to find that stuff out haha.
By finding this balance in your diet and life without obsessing over it, body image issues will get much better because you wont be so concerned about what you are eating, rather how you are feeling.
Okayyyy so I know this was just a bunch of random stuff and not super helpful maybe, but its just a few little things that have helped me battle insecurities with my life/body! Focus on putting together a new cute outfit or a new style of makeup // hair that is out there and very you // cute instead of dwelling on the negative fact that your breakfast was a whole 500 calories (that's actually a healthy amount of calories for a meal)lol count blessings not calories;) And focus on being a blessing back to others instead of obsessing over yourself like it is so easy to do in our day to day lives.
Blessings,
Kat
side note: go listen to Ellie Holcomb because the lyrics to all of her songs will remind you how much he loves you and made you so perfectly and that we are living for him and for heaven so these earthly circumstances are of no importance in comparison.