Getting ready for that family holiday event?

Worrying about what people may say about your body weight because you’ve previously been greeted at a family event with, “Hi. Oh, you gained/lost weight since I last saw you!” ⠀

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Over time, these greetings and conversations about your weight can feel demoralizing, leading to negative body perceptions. ⠀
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You are not alone. In the U.S., about 84% of women are unhappy with their bodies and desire to change them. Body dissatisfaction comes from beauty standards supported by culture, such as pressure to obtain the ‘thin’ ideal. Adopting these ideas can promote body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. ⠀

What is body image dissatisfaction?

A few questions to ask yourself: Are there aspects of your physical appearance that you really dislike? Do you spend a lot of time worrying about what others think about your looks? Do you avoid particular activities or situations because you feel physically self-conscious?

Overcoming body shaming, especially with family members, can be difficult. And although we can’t change people’s opinions and thoughts about us, we can’t worry about what people may say about our body weight.

But, we can change how we think about ourselves. ⠀

• Practice self-love: Have compassion for your body as it is today⠀
• Free yourself: Leave the beauty and diet culture standards behind⠀
• Find your value: Seek validation within yourself and not from others⠀

 

Want to learn more? Check out the free quiz!
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Wishing you all a joyous holiday season, body shame-free. ⠀
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With gratitude,⠀
Tara⠀

 

Is body shaming prevalent in your life? Check out how body shaming negatively affects mental health in my “Body Shaming in the Filipinx Culture” post.