How to Stop Body Checking

Can I share something about how my body image used to be?

Summer used to be such a stressful season for me.

Wearing less clothing, swim suits, and exposing more skin felt like crippling anxiety. But I also loved the sun and warm weather. I would feel so frustrated for not feeling comfortable in my clothing and wanted so badly to wear the cute crop tops I saw others wearing.

My body image held me back from so many things in life. My mind was occupied with stressful thoughts of:

"What kind of food will be at the party?"

"Does the restaurant have an online menu with the calorie content?"

"Is this outfit flattering?"

"Is everyone staring at my right now and judging me?"

It was exhausting. Whenever I was around people who didn't experience these consuming thoughts, felt neutral in their body, wore the clothes they wanted, and enjoyed food...I was jealous. It didn't seem real!

It wasn't until I started learning more about body image and gaining tools to feel more accepting/ neutral of myself that my own body image improved. 

Over the next couple blog posts, I'll be revealing some of my top tips for improving body image.

Tip #1: Reduce body checking

Body checking can look like:

• Studying yourself in the mirror
• Comparing your body to other’s bodies or on social media
• Focus in on certain body parts
• Pinching your skin in an effort to detect fat
• Measuring parts of your body
• Repeatedly assessing the fit of clothing
• Frequently weighing yourself 

How to reduce body checking:

1. Bring awareness to and determine the extent and frequency of your body checking.
2. Identify which checking and avoidance behaviors you’d like to work on.
3. Set 1-2 specific goals. Examples:
   1. Reduce the # of times you look in the mirror by 25%
   2. Limit the number of outfit changes or time allotted to get dressed
   3. Postpone checking behaviors to a certain time of day (i.e. after work, between certain hours)
4. Start with a goal that’s easier and gradually make changes

P.S. I'm hosting 2 separate one-hour, FREE workshops at the end of this month. 

Thursday, July 27th at 6pm PST - Improving Body Image

Monday, July 31st at 6pm PST -  Healing Uncomfy GI Symptoms for GOOD

If you are looking to feel at home in your body, ditch diet culture's influence in your life, and feel more comfortable in your body: Sign Up here! Let me know which free workshop(s) you're interested in to receive more helpful information and tips leading up to the workshop! Sign up here.

Your dietitian bff,

Abbey Roberts, MS, RD

Connect with me on Instagram! @fork.diet.culture