In these challenging times, body image struggles can get amplified fast. But, if you are prepared with practical ways to get through and understand a bad body image day, you can stop those gremlin thoughts in their tracks and reclaim the power you give your body.
Key Takeaways
If You Want To Stop A Bad Body Image Day In Its Tracks, You Should:
- Acknowledge your gremlin dialogue and question why you are allowing yourself to believe the stories diet culture has told you
- View body positivity as a social justice issue and embrace body positivity for all bodies
- Allow space for the grieving of what society celebrates and venture into the tidal wave of your emotions
- Give yourself permission to listen to your body and do what feels right for your body in the here and now
Body Image With Bri Campos
Brianna Campos, or Body Image with Bri, as she is known on Instagram, is a mental health counselor, therapist, and body image coach. Bri is passionate about helping others maneuver through their body image journey and heal the relationship that her clients have with their bodies.
Getting Over Your Gremlin Thoughts
Bri views the nasty thoughts or critical self-talk we engage with as your ‘gremlin voice’. These thoughts can often be messy and uncomfortable, which is why we cover them up with the stories we have been told by diet culture.
If you want to push through these gremlin voices, you need to acknowledge your inner dialogue, allow space for grief, and give yourself permission to be where you are right now, regardless of where everybody else is. By auditing your thoughts and focusing on the ones that align with your core values, you can choose to love yourself in a way that feels right for you.
Healing Your Body Image Relationship
Body image is not just about how you look. Body image encompasses everything from body positivity to privilege and your relationship with diet culture. The work begins when you start to question the stories that you tell yourself and take the leap into the tidal wave of grief and acceptance.
While it is not always easy, dismantling how we treat ourselves and our bodies is essential in healing your relationship with your body and getting over your bad body image days with grace.
How are you giving yourself permission to be where you are now during this holiday season? Share which of Bri’s tips and techniques you are going to implement with me in the comments on the episode page.
In This Episode
- How to stop having a bad body image day by acknowledging your ‘gremlin’ thoughts (9:56)
- Why you should view body positivity as a social justice movement (11:46)
- Acknowledging the downsides of diet culture and weight cycling (24:12)
- The importance of allowing yourself to leave space and truly feel grief (28:54)
- Tips for navigating the holiday season and the pandemic when having bad body image days (34:40)
Quotes
“People look to me not because I am perfect, but because I am vulnerable and I am honest.” (9:51)
“Body image is not just how you look. Body image is also how you believe others view you, how those belief systems have you show up in the world. And there is a piece of body positivity in society of how accessible life is for you in your body.” (12:31)
“I never believed that I could love my body until it looked the way I wanted it to. And it’s five years later, and I love my body. I don’t always love the way it looks or the way it moves, but I love my body, I love the vessel that it is and how it brings me closer to the values of connection and relationship and bringing good to the world.” (26:13)
“Grief is sort of like a tidal wave. If you resist it, it persists. It pulls you deeper and deeper. As opposed to if you just ride out with it, eventually, it puts you back onshore. Because that is what emotions do, we don’t stay in one place forever.” (31:50)
“I am going to honor my body, and this is how I am going to choose to love myself this holiday season.” (37:05)
Links
Join the Tune In Membership Here
Follow Body Image With Bri on Instagram
Unpacking the Knapsack of Privilege Article
Join the Listen To Your Body Newsletter
Check out the full show notes here! Follow Steph on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest
I'd really love it if you would take 1 min and leave us a rating and review on iTunes!
Related Episodes
LTYB 302: Finding Joy & Acceptance in Fitness for Every Body with Kanoa Greene
LTYB 183: Dealing with Negative Body Image with Beauty Redefined