I know it can be really frustrating having PCOS, when it feels like you and your body have different agendas. Due to this, many women with PCOS have a negative body image. I know I suffered from this for years.
And having a negative body image does absolutely nothing for us.
We somehow think we can criticise ourselves thin…and that’s a blog post for another day. In reality, hating on ourselves and our body only perpetuates the problem. It causes stress, which throws off our hormones even more. It causes a vicious cycle of trying to “fix.” And the main issue is, it doesn’t address the root of the problem.
So here’s the good news!
You can absolutely change your relationship with your body. It starts by loving it, even when you don’t like it…
This is how you can get started:
- Notice your thoughts:This will get you to the root of the issue. The only reason you aren’t satisfied with your body is because of the thoughts in your mind about it. Before we become aware of those thoughts, we just think they’re the truth. But they’re not the truth, they’re just thoughts. You can become aware of them by writing down everything you think or believe about your body. This exercise should be very insightful.
- Begin to change your thoughts:I recommend doing this as a daily practice. Consider how you would like to think about your body. Come up with a couple of sentences or mantras that feel empowering and believable. I personally like to search body positive quotes on Pinterest and see what feels good. Write it down, put it on your mirror. Say it often!
- Take really good care of her:This is one of the most loving acts you can do. This means getting back to the basics. It will have a tremendous effect on your mental, emotional, and physical health, and is an absolute MUST if you want to improve your PCOS symptoms. Things like getting eight hours of sleep, drinking your water, eating foods that nourish your body, exercising, and scheduling downtime. What area can you improve upon?
- Focus on what’s right as opposed to what’s wrong:If you think about it, our bodies are so freaking magical. I mean, they allow us to experience life for goodness sake! What if we began to focus on all that’s great about our bodies? Make a list of all of the wonderful things that your body does for you. Maybe it allows you to see beauty, allows you to carry a child, allows you to walk and hike and get around. Writing down one thing you appreciate about your body is a powerful nightly routine.
If you begin implementing these steps, I am totally confident that you can begin transforming your relationship with your body right away. This will have such an amazing effect on every area of your life and it’s so worth it!
I am rooting for you!
With loving,
Jamie
