Do you sometimes feel upset when you wake up to check on your boobs and realize they did not get any bigger or smaller overnight after that one-day intense muscle workout? Have you ever been called anorexic or obese as an insult? Have people laughed at your “thin, sick-looking legs”, or simply been given negative comments regarding your weight? If you’ve ever felt a similar way, you get the point.
This might be a different kind of topic on my blog, but as a site with a ‘lifestyle’ section, one of the things I am extremely passionate about is sharing with you some of the ways I managed to deal with life issues in addition to dealing with body image comments.
The highest weight I had ever been was 95 pounds. While most people want to be skinny and fit, I want to remind you that being healthy and happy is what really matters.
Usually between 89-95 lbs at age 22, I used to get sick all the time. I got so unhealthy, I ended going in and out of hospital visits a few times. My issue was that I had no appetite. This means that I never felt the need or desire to eat. I found food boring and tasteless. I felt so light, the wind would blow me to different directions.
I have received some of the worst comments anyone could ever give. Heck, I was even asked if I had AIDS at 11 years old and told I looked anorexic at 15 at 79 pounds. I could go on and on, but I would like to focus on the ways of dealing with a weight you are unhappy with and handling negative comments while deciding to work on the body you want for yourself and no one else. So lets get in it, shall we?
1. Do Not Let People’s Negative Comments Get To You
As lovely as being skinny may seem, it does not mean healthy or unhealthy. However, there is the biggest double standard towards thin people, women in particular, as many assume it is no big deal to tell skinny people that they need to eat more, or that they look sick. As easy as it seems, EVERYONE CAN’T SIMPLY ‘EAT MORE’ TO GAIN WEIGHT. Although food is a huge part of it, it takes more work to gain weight for some people. Why can’t people just be quiet and not say anything at all? As hard as it is to tell someone they are FAT, it’s as painful for a thin person to be told that they are ‘too skinny, because they are usually implying something else. Being asked if I had AIDS at 11, and told my legs looked sick at 15 was so hurtful. While my class mates were growing, I had someone in class tell me I was ‘too flat’ for him to see me as cute. I felt pretty excluded at some point. Almost everyone I knew said something about me being too skinny; family, friends, strangers, you name it. It was tough, and I know it’s tough for you too, but you just shouldn’t give up.
Do not let this get to you. Spend some time learning about your body, and wear clothes that compliment your body for the mean time. Find some temporary ways to distract your mind from focusing on people’s negativity. If you spend a year working on your body for your own self, you will start to notice a difference.
Try developing a thick skin so the negative comments won’t get to you. Even sometimes, reciprocating an awkward compliment makes the person realize you dislike their unwanted comments.
If you have to ignore people’s negative comment, DO IT. Start finding that inner-peace with your body to help you use negative comments for something good.
2. Think Positive about Your Body Before You Decide to Transform It
This is probably the most important thing focus on before planning your workout routines. It is important to notice that our happiness sometimes connects to how good we feel about ourselves, both internally and externally. Personally, I would often feel down when I noticed that I had lost weight, because I had the fear of seeing and needing to accept my old self again; I would feel like a skeleton, and simply disgusting, causing me to stress more.
Get your mind ready for a body transformation, but let it embrace the old one first – if that makes sense. If you make a hasty decision to change your body, you will soon lose that motivation. You may be shocked how much these emotions limit us from reaching our weight goals.. Focusing on how far you are from your goals can slow you down. Trust me, your body hates when you are stressed.
There will be times where you may not be able to work on your goals; you may eat too much or too little, and that’s okay. But don’t give up, time will tell
3. It Takes Time. Be Patient
I know how exciting it is to finally decide to work on your body goals, but please be patient. Almost every day counts, so be sure to put in the work for some interesting results. As long as you are consistent, you will see progress and better results. Stay focused. This is a process.
4. If You Don’t Want to Change Your Body, Don’t!
I would honestly say this – Do not change your body because others want you to…change it because you want to, or need to. If you lose weight or gain weight for society, you aren’t reflecting on what makes you happy. This is why you need to handle people’s comments before working on this.
I had to gain weight because I needed to. I didn’t want my body to constantly feel paralyzed and sick. I needed more energy in everything I did as I got older. And of course, I wanted my new, lovely clothes to fit me the way I wanted them to.
Once you have reached your goal, you will still receive judgement and weird comments from people. If you focus on that, you will never be satisfied. So you might as well just focus on your happiness, darling!
How have you dealt/are you dealing with your body image and people’s judgement? Leave your comments down below. Thanks for stopping by.
XX
Barbara
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