How I’m Working on Improving My Body Image

You want to know something crazy? My body image has actually IMPROVED since becoming pregnant and having a baby. And not because I’m thinner or more toned than before (because I’m not!) which is why I’m a little shocked, too 🙂

Click here for jumpsuit details – I’m 5’3″ and in a Small

On the contrary, my body is different and at times seemingly far from when I was at my smallest and most in shape. I lost my baby weight somewhat quickly, but have since put a few pounds back on since I stopped pumping. The “girls” got huge while I was breastfeeding, but have now shrank back down to my pre-baby size. I no longer have an active baby bouncing and kicking around my belly, stretching my skin to its absolute limit, but my abs are definitely not as flat and pronounced as they once were. Certain dresses just.can’t.quite.fit around my rib cage anymore despite fitting elsewhere. I’ve never been overly fond of my thighs, and a few years ago wouldn’t have even thought about trying on a jumpsuit or romper. Dresses are my comfort zone 100%.

But you know what? I don’t care. Sure there are days I see old pictures of myself and wish my body could magically go back. But it’s only been 5 months since I gave birth and I’m pretty proud of what my body has done. It created, carried, nurtured, fed, sustained, and protected a tiny baby and then brought him into this world so we could do all of those things on the outside as well.

I’m learning to not be so hard on myself anymore. I’m happy and proud of my body and want to set a good example for Luke like my Mom did for me. I don’t want him to hear me bashing my body or putting myself down. I want him to see me as a confident mom who makes an effort to live a healthy lifestyle while still indulging from time to do because LIFE IS TOO SHORT not to.  And I genuinely am learning to love every part of my body. I don’t turn away from the mirror or get frustrated when I go shopping. I’m not a model, but I love my body and want to take care of it moving forward.

Below are five areas I’m really focusing on to create a healthy body image and goals I’m setting to go along with them:

Workouts – I’m not able to work out as much as I used to because of our crazy schedule, but when I do I am realizing more physical AND mental benefits. In college I used to use workouts as a punishment or as a trade-off (I ate too much this week, so I need to go work it all off…or I’ll go to the gym for an hour so I can eat that ice cream tonight). Now, I look forward to working out because of the way it makes me FEEL, not necessarily how it makes me look. I’m listening to my body and learning what it needs. Some days I crave a barre class, some days I just want to go for a walk to clear my head, and other times I crave weights to help build up my strength. I’d like to add in a few more days than I’m currently doing now since admittedly I’m only carving out time on the weekends right now. I’m going to make a goal of getting some type of physical activity in 3 days during the work week. This could be a family walk after work, a barre class at my local studio or a 30 minute workout in our basement before work or after dinner. When my I get my body moving, even on a quick walk around the neighborhood, I feel so much better about my body and what it’s capable of!

Watching My Sugar Intake – If you know me, then you know I have a MAJOR sweet tooth. I’ve cut out sugar completely from my diet in the past and it has made such a difference in creating consistent energy levels throughout the day. HOWEVER. I know that for me personally, completely cutting out sugar is just not realistic for me (or even something I want to do long term). I do know that I should stop snacking and grabbing candy from the candy bowl at work when it’s just mindless throughout the day. I’d also like to find healthy substitutions for after dinner desserts so that I’m not just fueling my body with an empty sugar bomb. My goal for this area is to cut out eating candy at work and to swap fruit for ice cream, etc for dessert during the week! I think warding off some of the sugar highs and lows will continue to help me feel better overall.

Reduce Negative Thoughts – Unfortunately I think the tendency for most people is to see a picture of themselves or look at themselves in the mirror and immediately pick out what they DON’T like. It’s so easy to focus on your flaws as opposed to celebrating your best features. I’m going to try to reverse this automatic habit by stating two features about myself that I like every time I catch myself thinking a negative thought about my appearance. I’m looking forward to seeing if this helps improve my confidence and body image even  more!

Healthy Meals – In general, Blake and I eat fairly healthy meals. Our dinners are typically chicken, fish, or beef with a side of vegetables and an occasional pasta or rice. Lunches can be hit or miss – if we take the time to plan ahead and pack our lunches, I typically eat pretty well throughout the day. However, I LOVE food and when I go out for lunch or dinner, I don’t like to hold back. I order what sounds good and enjoy every bite. I don’t want to totally change this mindset, because I think it’s important to not overly restrict yourself, but my 80/20 rule (eat healthy, clean meals 80% of the time and indulge the remaining 20%) sometimes gets a little out of whack when I have a lot of work lunches or celebration dinners. Therefore, I’m going to make more of an effort to make a healthy breakfast and pack my lunch (or order slightly healthier meals when I go out…like swapping my fries for a veggies or a side of fruit) during the week. When I am focused on fueling my body with healthy foods, I feel stronger and proud that I’m taking care of my body for the long run.

Put More Effort Into Getting Ready – Just because I’m a new mom does not mean I can’t take time to focus on myself! Some mornings I’m so tired and rushed that I end up just pulling my hair up and grabbing the first thing I see in my closet. This may sound superficial, but I definitely notice a dip in my confidence when I not feeling put together. On the other hand, when I take the time to focus on my hair and make up and wear an outfit I feel good in, I am more confident at work and take myself more seriously as well. I’m going to take a little time on Sunday nights to pick out outfits for the week and make sure they are ironed and hung in the front of my closet so I can still get ready quickly but can grab something I KNOW makes me feel good about myself. This is where “fake it till you make it” rings true for me – even if I’m not feeling my best, a hot shower, a little make up, and a polished outfit makes me feel 100x times better!

What about you? Anything you do to help increase your confidence and body image? Let me know below or comment on my most recent Instagram photo!