Making Space for Body Image — Registered Dietitian Columbia SC

The world we live in is full of triggers than can make you feel miserable in your skin. This blog post shares a simple exercise that helps you make space for body peace.

This blog post was written by Kate Bennett , associate dietitian at Rachael Hartley Nutrition. She is available to work with clients in person in our Columbia, SC office, and virtually.

There is no denying it, body image work is hard, and on some days it can feel impossible. I can hardly remember a time in my life when I wasn’t dealing with at least one thing that was negatively impacting my body image. In our society, the external messages of “you aren’t good enough” start early and extend through life with daily reminders.

Every day we’re exposed to triggers that can make us feel uncomfortable in our skin. Walk into the gym and read faux-motivational #fitspo on the walls. Open Instagram on your phone and see models who represent the <1% of our population (or are edited to look that way). See your family and hear comments about how your body has changed. Go to the grocery store and happen to glance at a magazine telling you how you can be hotter in 3 simple steps. We are constantly reminded of society’s beauty standards and how we fail to measure up.

With a lot of hard work and practice, these things can become less of a trigger. Maybe one day you’ll even be able to say “screw your beauty standards!” and really mean it. But for now, we can learn to recognize that the happiness that supposedly comes with achieving a “perfect body” is an illusion. After all, even people with the most conventionally attractive bodies are still finding new ways to alter their appearances!

What is Body Peace

When I ask clients what it means to have a positive body image, their initial response often has to do with liking their looks. However when you look at the research on body image, liking one’s appearance is just a very small part of feeling good in your body. As Rachael likes to say, while it might feel nice to look in the mirror and think “lookin’ good!!", it’s not essential for living a happy life.

When it comes to body image, body peace is a word that resonates with me. To me, body peace is a feeling of acceptance and comfort with my body. It’s not necessarily loving everything about my body, but feeling like I don’t have to fight it. It’s a feeing of comfort in my skin.

Making Space for Body Peace

Body peace sounds kind of nice, doesn’t it? So, how do we get there? That’s a much bigger question than I could answer in a single blog post, or than I even know the answer to! But I will share one exercise that may help you feel more body peace in your life.

First, think of the times and situations where feelings of inadequacy and body dissatisfaction become unbearable. For some, it’s their childhood home where those feelings were formed. For many it’s a dressing room. For others it’s a social situation where others engage in negative body talk, like by the pool, at work, or on social media.

These triggering situations might always bring up intense feelings, but there may be ways to protect yourself in those situations and reduce some of the distress you feel. For example, you might set boundaries around diet talk, go shopping with a close trusted friend, or listen to lots of body positive podcasts whenever you have to go home. For each trigger, can you think of at least one protective tool that helps you tolerate or limit contact with it? This can be a helpful tool to do with a therapist or non-diet dietitian.

Now can you identify places where you feel at peace with your body? A place where you don’t feel self-conscious and uncomfortable in your skin, but instead where you feel free, content, and in harmony with your body. Note, I am not saying you necessarily feel in love with your body in these places, and perhaps it’s easier to list places where you just feel less uncomfortable in your skin. Read Rachael’s old blog post on exploring body respect, acceptance, trust, and love for more on that topic.

Maybe you feel really confident when you are at work, because you know you are great at your job. Perhaps you feel more body peace when you are with your family, because you know they love you unconditionally. You might feel more body peace in certain clothes, especially ones that are physically comfortable or express your personality. Whatever those moments of body peace are, write down a list and add it to your self care toolbox. Recognizing these “safe places” where you feel okay, comfortable, and at peace with your body, and then intentionally spending time there may help you to carry over that feeling in other areas and spaces in your life. It can help you figure out how to spend your time in activities and with peace that make you feel good about yourself.

Need some examples? I’ll share a few of my “safe places”.

I feel body peace when I’m…

Riding in my car with my windows down listening to my favorite music, feeling my hair blowing in the wind.
Spending time with my closest girlfriends who (thankfully) don’t engage in negative body talk.
In my scrubs at job walking from patient to patient feeling confident about the care I am providing.
Dancing around in my house and feeling my body move in ways that remind me how much my body is capable of.

What about you? When and where do you feel the most body peace? Share in the comments!

Looking for 1:1 support in building a more peaceful relationship with food and your body? We work with clients virtually and out of our Columbia, SC office. Learn more about our practice philosophy and reach out to see if we’re a good fit to work together.

Making Space for Body Peace

What is Body Peace

Making Space for Body Peace

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