How to Love Your Body

It's hard to go a day without being bombarded with messages that our bodies are less than perfect. Nearly 80 percent of American women are now dissatisfied with their bodies, a boon to cosmetic, pharmaceutical and fashion industries that feed off this dissatisfaction. How can you learn to love your body? Here are some simple ways.

Instructions

• 1

  Take off your clothes and look at yourself in a full-length mirror. Focus on your assets. Maybe you have beautiful skin, or lovely shoulders. Maybe your calf muscles are cut, and you're proud of your toes that are in perfect descending order.

• 2

  Show off your body's strengths by wearing clothes that flatter those areas. Throw out anything that doesn't fit well, or has been "on deck" for a time that you will weigh less. The time is now to find some clothes that you love and work for you, even if you have to buy a bigger size.

• 3

  Figure out where you're picking up negative messages about your body. Exposing ourselves regularly to TV shows that only show "beautiful people" can lead us to think there's something wrong with us if we don't look like them. Likewise, the magazines in the grocery aisles don't help us feel any better about ourselves.

• 4

  Change only what you can change. If you want to, resolve to drop the 10 pounds you've been complaining about by losing in small increments, cheering yourself on as you lose. Don't make a change for anyone but yourself.

• 5

  Accept the rest of your body for what it is. You can't change the length of your legs, but you can build up your leg strength so you're faster than any long-legged racer in the next lane. Instead of straightening your curly hair every morning, find a hairstyle that works with your hair type.

• 6

  Treat yourself well. Avoid tobacco, drugs, alcohol and junk food that can harm you. Get on an exercise program and set reasonable goals for yourself. And have fun as you're learning to feel great about yourself.