Not The Perfect Weight? Let’s Love Ourselves Anyway

Permanent Weight Loss: Dr. Barbara L Katz

Do you dislike how you look in your clothes but have put off buying new clothes because you first want to lose some weight?

The Perfect Weight:

Have you avoided going to the beach or pool or refused to wear a bathing suit because you’re ashamed of your appearance? Have you skipped parties, your high school reunion, or family events because of your weight or what you think others will say about you?

When you love yourself no matter what you weigh, you can enjoy your life today rather than waiting until you’re at the “perfect” weight. If you allow your weight to define how you live your life and put off your dreams until you’re at your “perfect” weight, you will miss out on many wonderful experiences. Even if everything in your life is not ideal, appreciating what’s good and reminding yourself what you’re thankful for will improve how you feel about yourself.

“Even if our weight is not where we would like it to be, we may love our hair, eyes, ankles, or smile.”

We all have parts of our bodies and qualities about ourselves that we like and dislike. Even if our weight is not where we would like it to be, we may love our hair, eyes, ankles, or smile. We may be the person our friends and family rely on for advice or the one who can fix anything. We may be excellent artists, writers, bakers, or athletes.

Self-Confidence:

What are your positive qualities? When you concentrate on what’s good and unique about yourself and spend time appreciating yourself and what you bring to the world, your well-being will improve. If you worry about what others think about you and then limit your actions, you’ll live a much smaller life. Often, what you think others think is really your thoughts.

The less you worry about what others might think, the more self-confident you will become. Self-confidence is a skill that can be practiced and learned. You teach other people how to treat you by how you treat yourself. 

One way to learn to appreciate your body is by frequently looking at yourself in a mirror naked or in your underwear. When you’re looking at yourself, notice something you like. Don’t allow yourself to dwell on the body parts you dislike. Get used to appreciating yourself and your uniqueness because how you feel about yourself starts with how you think about yourself. You are worthy of love just because you’re you!

Appreciate Something About Yourself:

Every day, spend several minutes appreciating something about yourself. Then, consider journaling for several minutes about what you’re grateful for. Think about the person you hope to be in six months or a year and practice thinking, feeling, and acting like her today. The more you act like your future self, the sooner you become her. 

“You are worthy of love just because you’re you!”

When you have a negative thought about yourself, ask yourself, what else could be true? What do you want to feel about yourself, and what do you need to think to start believing that today? Our brains are wired to pay more attention to negative thoughts, but that doesn’t make those thoughts valid.

When you love yourself and think about yourself positively, you will eventually become the person you want to be. You can be aware of your flaws, accept them, not love them, and yet appreciate yourself, your uniqueness, and your worth. 

Act Lovingly Towards Yourself:

Decide how you want to think and feel, and start thinking and feeling that way today. Focus on your positive qualities. Get used to looking at yourself and different types of bodies with love and compassion. When you look at a photo of yourself, instead of hating your protruding belly or wide hips, remember that future generations may cherish that photo as they see your smile and remember your kindness.

Your ability to be loved does not depend on how you look. It depends on how you care for and think about yourself. When you act lovingly towards yourself, you will become the woman you want to be. And come to understand, the perfect weight you seek does not define you.

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