With the Olympic games going on over the past couple weeks, it is no surprise that many of us have found our attention stolen by these amazing athletes. In fact, if you’re anything like me, my sleep has been majorly affected by the late night highlights! I am looking forward to getting my regular schedule back, although I will miss watching the competition.
A consistent theme I have witnessed during sessions with my clients while the Olympics has been underway is body image struggles. Many individuals have found themselves in comparison mode with the athletes we’re watching on TV, creating guilt and shame about themselves. While comparison is a normal human experience, there are many situations where comparison can be detrimental to our own health and wellbeing. One of which is body comparison. Not only is body comparison not healthy, especially if you struggle with food and body concerns; it is also not fair to you. Here a few points to remember when you find yourself in body comparison mode:
You are a unique human with a distinct genetic code
We can’t change our bone structure, which is what creates our body shape
Lived experience influences your body and your lived experience is different than every other human
The athletes you’re seeing on TV are often getting paid to take care of their bodies in a way that will ensure they perform at their best. Most of them do not have jobs, school, and other responsibilities as you do!
If remembering these points is not enough and you’re still finding yourself in comparison mode with others, see some tips and ideas below to help create more neutrality around your own body.
Continue doing intentional body image work with your therapist and/or registered dietitian. Getting to the root of the body image issues is key to recovery and creating more neutrality.
Consider joining a body image support group online or in person. Organizations like The Eating Disorder Foundation, NEDA, and ERC have groups paired down by specific populations.
Revamp your social media feed so that you are seeing less triggering content and more positive and diverse bodies. Look for individuals invested in body positivity and health at every size.
Put on a body positive podcast when you’re having a particularly difficult day. Some of my favorites are: Eat the Rules with Summer Innanen, Yes& Body Politics, Generation Body Positive, and Break the Diet Cycle with Melissa Landry.
Pick up a body positive book to start learning more about where body discrimination comes from. It will most likely surprise you and piss you off! Some of my favorite body image books include: Reclaiming Body Trust, More than a Body, Practices for Embodied Living, Body Kindness, Anti-Diet, and Raising an Intuitive Eater.
Negative body image comes from discrimination, racism, trauma, social conditioning, familial beliefs and behaviors, and body dysmorphia. We can all work on body inclusivity and continuing to heal our own wounds. The work is worth it. Your body is the only one you have in this life. Take good care of it and learn how to accept where you are right now. Our bodies are constantly working to protect us. My dream is that each person feels connected to protecting their body the same way it is working to protect them. This is a reminder that you were born with this body and you will die with it too; it might just look quite a bit different. This is part of the shared human experience of the life cycle, if you are so privileged to experience a long one.
If you are struggling with body image and/or food concerns, reach out to our practice manager to get a session scheduled with one of our eating disorder specialized registered dietitians. You can always reach us at Sofia@untamednutrition.com or 831-200-4124.
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