Improving Body Image with the Help of IFS

We aren't born hating our bodies.  We learn to.  The constant, unrelenting messages from our culture ensure that pretty much all of us have an issue with our body.  

I wish my stomach was flatter.  I wish my butt was smaller.  I wish my boobs were bigger.  I wish I had washboard abs.

It never ends.

For some, negative feelings toward their body is a mild distraction from an otherwise ok day.  For others, it's a non-stop barrage of negativity.  It's avoiding social events because you don't want to be seen in public.  It's avoiding intimacy with your partner.  It defines who you are.

And if all of that isn't bad enough, it can also have a huge impact on your eating patterns.

Think about it. If you loved your body or even just accepted your body as is, how would your eating be different?  Or really, I should probably say, if you grew up getting the message that all bodies are good bodies.  All bodies are valuable.  And your body is wonderful just as it is, would you have ever had an issue with food?  

On this week's podcast, we're looking at body image from an IFS perspective.  We start by talking about the four aspects of body image:

• Perceptual:  the mental representation you have of your body
• Affective:  how you feel about your body
• Cognitive:  how you think about your body
• Behavioral:  how you treat your body

And we move into what to do about it.  And, if you've listened to the podcast for awhile, you know what I'm going to say:  you get to know your parts.  

We all have parts of us that have taken in the cultural messages about bodies.  Those parts carry feelings and beliefs about our bodies that are very often negative.  With the help of IFS (Internal Family Systems), we can get some space from them (meaning instead of just believing what they're saying, we can listen to them with some distance) and we can get curious about them.  We can show them compassion.  It's not their fault that they believe and feel these things.  They learned to.  

We can also help these parts let go of the beliefs and feelings they're carrying.  Yes, that is possible.  I've seen it happen over and over again.  And when we help these parts, it can truly change our relationship with our body, with food, with ourselves, and with others.

Take a listen for more!

Unsure what leads you to–or away from–food?  Let’s get to know your eating parts!  Check out my FREE Eating Parts Cheat Sheets to start understanding what (or should I say who?) leads you to food!

Don’t forget to sign up for my FREE webinar series, “Finding Peace with Food and Your Body.”  When you attend these three webinars, you will understand what emotions lead you to food, develop alternative coping skills, practice body kindness and respect, and begin your journey away from dieting.  Head to https://bit.ly/eewebinarseries for more information and to register!

Want to stop dieting but don't know how?  Grab my FREE E-Course, "Diets: Why They Don't Work and How to Quit Them for Good" here!  

Where to find me:

yourweightisnotyourworth.com

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