Guest article by the Urban Sports Club editorial team

In today’s digital world, body ideals are presented to us much more frequently and directly. As soon as we pick up our smartphone, we are bombarded with trends trying to tell us what we should look like. Flat stomach, narrow waist and well-defined muscles. You don’t want to support abstract trends like “Thigh-Gap” or “Bikini Bridge”? Excellent! Because these body trends, which are sometimes dangerous, portray an unrealistic image of what a healthy body should look like. Nevertheless, many people are following these trends. They are particularly prevalent among young people, distorting their view of a healthy, fit body.

Your body perception

Who is familiar with this situation? You’re standing in front of the mirror looking at yourself. You discover many parts of your body that could use more exercise. The dents in your thighs, the wrinkles on your stomach, plus everything could be much firmer as a whole. Your good mood changes quickly and you start tweaking and tugging at yourself. Finally, you turn away from the mirror, annoyed, and start thinking about how you can get rid of these problem zones as quickly as possible. After all, you want to feel beautiful and fit. Maybe you even want to be admired by your friends.

This is the wrong approach. Have you ever wondered why looking slim and fit is considered to be more attractive? In the past, you were always happy with your body and enjoyed looking at yourself in the mirror. Now, however, things look very different. Why is that?

The biggest problem is that we allow external influences to affect us too much. Whether it’s social media, advertising or comments from other people. Their opinions cause us to waver and doubt ourselves. That’s when you can quickly lose your sense of reality. Not to mention your self-confidence. The effects of this problem become visible in various illnesses such as depression, anorexia and other mental illnesses. In particular young people often develop body image disorders, which are difficult to overcome. The omnipresent images of what they see as perfect bodies make it difficult for them to change their perception.

Your mindset

That’s why it’s even more important to develop a positive and healthy mindset. You already finished countless diets and hard workouts, but you’re still not satisfied with yourself and your appearance? Don’t be so hard on yourself! Even if you love chocolate and enjoy a day on the sofa just as much as a short run after work, you’re great the way you are. After all, what’s the worst that can happen? That your jeans no longer fit? Realize that this is your life. Your neighbour across the street most likely won’t notice that your favorite pants don’t fit you anymore. As long as you’re comfortable the way you are, that’s fine. Don’t put too much stress on yourself or your body by avoiding every temptation and working out excessively. It’s not good for you. You don’t have to be perfect and should love yourself the way you are. The keyword here is “body positivity”. Even if you feel too small, too big or too thin, you are good the way you are.

You can love yourself

So how can you improve your own body perception? First, ask yourself the following question: Do you want a supposedly beautiful body, or would you rather have a healthy one? Because of photoshop and other tools, the body image we are shown is often not very close to reality. In order to improve your mindset, try to find activities that allow you to really focus on yourself. It could be meditating, going for a walk or making music. What are the things you enjoy the most, that you can fully immerse yourself in? And completely forget about your daily life? Sports in particular is a great tool to help you clear your head and develop a sense of your own strength and uniqueness. At the same time, you’re doing something healthy for your body and mind. Regular exercise will improve your fitness and posture. This will automatically make you more confident and attractive. Being healthy, confident and happy is much more noticeable than having a supposedly perfect figure. As soon as you’ve managed to free yourself from other people’s opinions, you will be able to show your authenticity and charisma. And that is special, because it only exists once. To give yourself the best chance of improving your own self-confidence, try to find something that motivates you. For example, start your morning with a new set of beliefs to refocus your mindset, or make plans to go running with a good friend. Find the right approach for you and you will find that it’s possible to be comfortable in your own body.

Plan in time-outs

Before you set out on your new path to self-love, you should be prepared for setbacks. In order to avoid getting discouraged and giving up, it’s a good idea to take regular time-outs. Mindfulness training can be a great tool to support and accompany you on this journey. By helping you become more aware of your own body, mindfulness training can also strengthen your self-awareness. During meditation you are able to pay attention to your body and listen to its signals in total peace to learn exactly what it needs.

At the same time, don’t forget to treat yourself every now and then. Try to enjoy your snacks to the fullest – because that’s what they’re for!

Picture Source: Urban Sports Club