5 Tips for Getting Through a “Bad Body Day”

First of all, there is no such thing as a “bad body”, but you knew I was going to say that right? That being said, I GET IT. Everybody has days when they just can’t find the positive inner dialogue, and can’t see the proverbial “silver lining”. Body acceptance doesn’t mean that you have to love your body everyday, but rather still appreciate it and consider it worthy on the days that you feel insecure.

Second of all, bad body days happen to everyone—celebrities, fitspo’s, influencers, models—nobody can outrun self-criticism. Body size and weight often have nothing to do with our “bad body days” (stay with me here, I know this sounds wild). Negative body image comes from a place of insecurity, discomfort, and low self-value. These are internal struggles—often created by external factors. Just like we can’t cure a head cold with sympathy cards, we can’t outrun negative body image by over-exercising and food restricting. Combating negative body image takes work—specifically work on ourselves internally—in the form of challenging negative thoughts around our self-worth, needs and sources of validation, and feelings of control over our lives and bodies. Body acceptance takes time—it is essentially re-learning and re-teaching ourselves that value comes from our internal selves, and no matter how we manipulate our bodies, self-love comes without punishment or shame.

That being said—

What can we do on days when we feel overwhelmed by the negative thoughts, and can’t seem to kick the exhausting inner narrative around food intake, body shaming, and weight anxiety?

1. Avoid body checking and tight, restrictive clothing.

Listen, we all have that pair of jeans that are too tight. Trying to squeeze into them every few months, and feeling a sense of disappointment when we can’t, is just punishment. Throw them out (or donate them). Get jeans that fit your body, as it is. When you are feeling especially insecure about your body, wear clothes that make you feel comfortable; flowy, loose, warm, cozy—these items are key.

Avoid body checking as much as possible—if you’re have a bad day, chances are no amount of body checking is going to fix that. It’s only going to make matters worse, by allowing your negative thoughts to manifest through picking apart your body. If you can’t help yourself, and avoiding the mirror seems too difficult—try to find one thing about your reflection that you value. This doesn’t necessarily mean you find it “perfect”, but rather you can appreciate it for what it does for you. Try to keep thoughts away from vanity and comparison, and focus on gratitude.

2. Stay away from the gym if it creates a comparative and insecure environment.

The gym can be a great place to feel healthy and enjoy movement—but it can also be toxic if you consistently compare your body to others, and leave feeling anxiety around yourself and your weight. Not to mention, gyms typically have a ridiculous amount of mirrors (seriously, why so many mirrors?), which can make you feel even worse on a bad day. If your body is craving movement, and the intention is not for punishment (this is a key reflection to explore pre-workout), then try going for a walk, a jog, dancing around your room, or stretching. Try to focus on finding movement that brings you to feel good in your body, rather than shame your body into exercise.

3. Eat regular meals.

I know your first instinct is probably to restrict—you’re feeling bad about your body, and likely you’ve used or use restriction as a coping tool to try to feel better. For some, restriction leads to feelings of mental exhaustion, physical fatigue, and low mood/depression. For others, restriction leads to a binge. In both scenarios, the outcome creates shame, guilt, and mental distress. Ask your body what it is craving, allow it to guide you, and honour it. I know this seems scary, and you likely fear that releasing control and listening to your body’s intuition will lead to weight gain and bingeing—but the low mood or already-existing binges created by restriction are not sustainable for mental health and happiness. Additionally, you have a much greater chance of bingeing if you restrict first anyways.

4. Get off social media.

I know you probably don’t feel like doing anything, and are lacking motivation as a result of feeling down about your body, so naturally you reach for your phone and scroll endlessly on Instagram. Unless your feeds are made up of body positive influencers and sloth videos, stop. It’s doing more damage than good. Sign off, and again, check-in with your body and see what it feels like doing. Whether it’s turning on Netflix and lying in bed, reading, going outside, or seeing/calling a friend-- do what feels best. Extra points for exploring a new hobby to replace social media—painting, knitting, astrology reading, baking—whatever.

5. Try a journal prompt.

This tip is when you might have to put in some hard brainwork, but can also be the most insightful. Journal prompts are questions to ask yourself, that spark reflection and curiosity into how you see yourself and your body. Creating that insight can really be the beginning of your journey with repairing your relationship to food and self. Some journal prompts might include:

• What has influenced you to feel negatively about your body today?

• What influences your decisions around weight, body and food?

• If weight gain were not in the equation, how would you choose to move your body if the goal was enjoyment?

• When did you first feel negative about your body, and what have you done to repair that relationship with yourself?

• What are you grateful for about your body? How do you show your body gratitude?

Remember, most of all, bad days happen. You are not an alien for experiencing this, or for feeling self-conscious about your body. Whether others admit it or not, we all have “bad body days”. When they happen, try to accept that these days come and go—challenge yourself when your first instinct is to shame and punish your body, and instead try to do what feels best to honour and appreciate it.