How to Love Your Body (When You Don't Like it Very Much)

What if hating your body isn't actually helping you change it?Most of us have something about our bodies we don't particularly like. And it's tempting to believe that once we lose the weight, build the muscle, or finally change that one thing, then we'll feel good about ourselves.But what if we've got it backward?In this episode of Meet Me at the Gym, we're talking about the difference between liking your body and loving your body through the way you care for it.We'll talk about:Why you don't have to love every part of your body to treat it wellWhy changing your body doesn't necessarily change the way you think about itWhat research on self-compassion can teach us about exercise and consistencyWhy self-compassion and accountability aren't oppositesHow to interrupt negative body talk without replacing it with affirmations you don't actually believeHow to start appreciating your body for what it does, not just how it looksPeople have probably been hating their bodies since the beginning of time, and I've yet to meet anyone who became physically and emotionally healthier because they finally hated themselves enough.So why not try something new?Research mentioned in this episode:Zhang S, Roscoe C, Pringle A. Self-Compassion and Physical Activity: The Underpinning Role of Psychological Distress and Barrier Self-Efficacy. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2023;20(2):1480.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9859314/If this episode resonated with you, send it to someone who could use the reminder.I'll see you next week.