Body Image, Living Warrior Strong with Mary Ricciardi

Understanding Body Image and Maintaining a Healthy One

Embracing one’s body image is among the first few lessons imparted in Living Warrior Strong with Mary Ricciardi. Learn more about its importance here.

Body image or how you perceive your body plays a pivotal role in developing a healthy mindset. This is why when you learn about Living Warrior Strong with Mary Ricciardi, you will see body image and self-acceptance as recurring topics in our lessons and posts. You might have also come across many people reminding you of the value of embracing body positivity.

But what is body image or body positivity? Why is it so vital to have a positive perception of your body? How can it impact the lifestyle and fitness choices you make for yourself?

 

Body Image: A Scientific Overview

Pop culture has succeeded in oversimplifying body image development. However, in truth, it’s not as simple as it looks. Psychologists and philosophers claim that our perception of our bodies forms during the development of the “body self” or the three-dimensional structure that defines who we are as a person. According to Olga Sakson-Obada, the first to describe the body-mind phenomena, our body self consists of the following:

  • Sense of physical identity
  • Body representations or how we see ourselves
  • Functions or the interpretation and regulation of bodily experiences such as emotions and sensations

Essentially, the body self works hand in hand with your self-concept, the main influencing factor behind the decisions you make about yourself every day.

Now imagine what might happen if there’s an imbalance or disturbance between the body and self-concept? What do you think would happen to your self-esteem and social identity? Naturally, this will all lead to a destructive path, which can consist of self-hatred and self-doubting.

 

Your Body Image Depends on You

The narrow and limiting beauty and body standards perpetuated by mass media have been among the most significant contributors to body image disturbances among women. This is why many women today feel dissatisfied with how they look. Worst of all, thousands fall into a vicious cycle of self-blaming and self-loathing because they hate the body they are in.

Thankfully, in recent years, social media has been immensely helpful in spreading the #BoPo movement. Noticeably, brands have begun breaking away from old-school notions of beauty and body standards as influencers and millions of social media users champion body positivity.

In the Warrior Strong Lifestyle 365 Academy, we also talk about body positivity and its crucial role in helping you achieve your lifestyle and mindset transformation goals.

But beyond what’s happening online and on Warrior Lifestyle 365 Academy, it’s essential that you also take an active part in changing how you view your body image. Because at the end of the day, you are the one who takes control. You make the hard choices, and you have the power to lead a better, healthier, and happier life.

How to Develop and Maintain a Positive Body Image

To help you jumpstart your journey towards nurturing a more body-positive mindset, we have rounded up some of the best tips from Living Warrior Strong with Mary Ricciardi:

  • List the things you love about your body – This could include anything under the sun, like your ability to juggle work and personal chores or the many wonders of childbirth.
  • Embrace every part of you – When you look in the mirror, you should avoid focusing on every single aspect of your body. Instead, you should see yourself as the person you are – brave, beautiful, and Warrior Strong Forever!
  • Work with your body shape, not against it – As much as possible, you should opt for clothing that feels comfy on you. Your choices of clothes, shoes and other garments should also make you feel good about yourself.
  • Treat yourself from time to time – Do you remember the last time you had a ME time? If not, then it would help to schedule one soon. Spend it on the things you love doing most or perhaps on activities that calm your mind and make you feel nice.
  • Choose to be around supportive people – While acceptance about your body image should always start within yourself, it does pay to be around a supportive community of women.
  • Stop comparing yourself to other women – It’s easy to feel insecure when you see other women’s bodies because of social media platforms. That’s why we recommend putting your phone down and trying the following tips:
  • Spend time doing what you enjoy (like hobbies, sports, and crafting)
  • Challenge your self-doubting inner voice and unpack unhealthy thoughts
  • Keep track of your health, fitness, and lifestyle milestones
  • Compliment other women and celebrate their success instead of making comparisons

Living Warrior Strong with Mary Ricciardi

It’s not easy to fulfill your personal promises or prioritize your needs when you constantly perceive your body and self in a bad light. Unfortunately, it also keeps you from reaching your fullest potential, making better lifestyle decisions, and embracing a more fulfilled and centered life.

Hopefully, our tips on developing a positive body image can come in handy for you. We also hope that you get to use the things we shared above and begin transitioning to a Warrior Strong Forever Mindset. It’s about time you leave behind insecurities and self-doubts and push for a more confident and health-conscious life.

Ready to crush self-doubt and old notions about body image and embrace a more self-loving mindset? We at Warrior Strong Lifestyle 365 Academy can help! We provide the best resources on Living Warrior Strong with Mary Ricciardi to help you make your first strides towards a powerful self-transformation journey.

Join WSL

About The Author

Warrior Strong Wellness
Warrior Strong Wellness provides innovative and high quality transformational supplements and raises awareness and funds to fight childhood cancer by giving a portion of our proceeds to childhood cancer research. In our weekly blogs, we share wisdom about wellness and living a Warrior Strong lifestyle.

Back to blog