Understanding Body Image and Eating Concerns

Have you ever wished you could change how you look? Do you constantly look in the mirror and wish that you could be skinnier? How often do you tell yourself, “If I could just lose 5 kilos, I would be happier”? Unfortunately, a lot of people are dissatisfied with their bodies, and many go to extreme lengths in an attempt to change it. 

A study showed that most participants identified weight as the key factor to determine how they felt about themselves—more than their family, education, or career. They regarded size, much like weight, as a definitive element of their identity. Some assume there is something wrong with their bodies when they cannot fit consistently into the “standard” size.

People step on the scale to determine their self-worth. Being able to lose weight makes them briefly feel good about themselves, but if the numbers increase, their self-worth decreases by the time. Body image has now become intertwined with one’s weight; therefore, if people are not happy with their weight, they cannot possibly be satisfied with their bodies. 



We are now living in a society where we believe the one way to definitely feel more confident is to lose weight and become thinner. This is why a lot of eating disorders flourished and have become an alarming concern in society. These disorders developed because people believe that starving themselves is the fastest and easiest way of cutting down the numbers on the scale. 

But what we do not realize is that a good body image does not necessarily mean a perfect hourglass body without any trace of fat. A good body image is when you learn how to like your body as it is and embrace all your features no matter the size, shape, or color.  

The road to fully accepting your body is not an easy one. With the common misconception that being skinny equates to being healthy and beautiful, loving your body takes a lot more than positive thinking. 

To fully accept your body and learn how to take care of it, here are some tips.

Stop body-shaming and self-comparison. When you look at yourself in the mirror, instead of putting yourself down with harsh comments and negative thoughts, learn to appreciate what you have. Take notice of the things that you love about your body and what you think your greatest assets are. Flaunt your strengths and focus on what you’re good at. 

Keep in mind that we are not all built the same. We have strengths and weaknesses; it is only up to us if we look at it as a glass half-full or a glass that’s half-empty. Listing down the things you like about your body and what it can do might do the trick in reassuring you whenever you feel so down about yourself. 



Never starve yourself. We’ve been made to believe that starving oneself is the surefire way to lose weight. This often results in crash-dieting and avoiding food for most of the time because we think of it as the number one enemy.  

In doing so, the body is denied the nutrition and energy that it needs in order to function properly. People who starve themselves end up feeling weak and even developing certain medical conditions that are detrimental to the body. 
 
So instead of starving yourself, eat the right amount of food needed. You can count your calorie intake for each day, which you can now easily do using mobile applications. Stick to lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables. You can also still eat the food that you love to eat but in moderation. Remember, having too much of everything is not good. 



Stay active and do the things that you love. Your body needs to move to be strong, fit, and healthy. You can be active by playing a sport. You can run, walk, work out, do yoga, swim, or dance. Engage in activities that you like. Have fun by going on adventures. 

Staying active also results in good-night’s sleep, which helps keep your stress levels low and boosts your energy levels for the following day. Staying committed to your daily exercise routines helps you achieve or maintain a healthy weight that's fit for you. Moreover, working out gets you in a good mood, resulting in feeling good about yourself at the end of the day. 

With workout routines and your quest to stay on top of your health, you’ll be needing a reliable fitness partner like Garmin’s wearables to help you strike balance and keep track of your wellness.
 
Why Garmin is good for you

Garmin’s Fenix 6s smartwatch features a stunning high-performance health-tracking technology that keeps you going and helps you stay active and healthy for your new adventures. This smart wearable paces you to reach optimum wellness. It boosts your performance to a whole-new level. It comes with preloaded sports applications, animated workout routines, and body statistics that keep you up to speed on your wellness goals. 



It also offers different sports lifestyle features for skiing, surfing, cycling, and even golfing. Pursuing new hobbies and interests is also good for your body image. Doing the things you love promotes a good sense of self, so strap on your gears and get ready to take on the wildest adventures of your life! Ride a bike to the toughest routes or even climb the highest mountain. Do not limit yourself to the possibilities of new interests and adventures.



The journey to improving your body image and embracing the skin you’re in can be long and tough. But the first step in this challenge starts with you. Accept your body for what it is. Work out because you love your body and not because you hate it. Adopting this kind of thinking makes it easier for you to achieve those fitness goals. And with Garmin’s Fenix 6s smartwatch, you can take on any adventure that you love to explore with a positive attitude.