The spring season has a magical way of evoking emotion. Many people describe feeling excited, energized, hopeful, and renewed as sunlight returns and nature springs back to life.
It’s also very common (and valid!) to experience dread, fear, anxiety, sadness, and grief in anticipation of the warmer weather. We all know the drill – for many Ohioans, flip flops and shorts are donned the minute the temperature hits 50 degrees. The thought of wearing more revealing clothing, traveling, and attending seasonal events can feel daunting for folks struggling with body image. To help you navigate these concerns, I’ve compiled a handful of my favorite body image tips and skills.
For better or for worse, it’s a part of the human experience to feel a wide range of emotions. If this time of year is challenging for you, it’s likely that unpleasant, distressing emotions may be more prevalent. Believe it or not, there is power in the simple act of naming your current emotion. Give it a shot right now. HGHow are you feeling? Notice how it feels to put a name on it. Can you identify what information the emotion is signaling to you?
For some, labeling an unpleasant emotion can decrease its intensity. Even if this isn’t the case for you, remember that it’s necessary to identify an emotion in order to choose the appropriate way to cope with it. Try sprinkling “emotion check-ins” throughout your day to practice this skill, noting any patterns or shifts in emotion intensity.
Personal values, or desired qualities of behavior, vary significantly from person to person. If you haven’t already, take some time to reflect on and list your values. Does how you feel about your body align with these values? For example, does your body preoccupation make it difficult to stay present when you spend quality time with loved ones? Do you avoid traveling or engaging in other meaningful activities because of fear of how your body will be perceived? Practice shifting your focus to being fully present and pouring yourself into the people, places, and things that truly enrich your life.
Do you have clothes in your wardrobe that don’t fit your current body? For many, this can lead to unnecessary body image distress. Let’s take the guesswork and unnecessary suffering out of the daily task of getting dressed. Ensure that the clothes that fit your current body are the most accessible to you in your closet or dresser. Even better yet, donate, sell, or pack away clothes that no longer fit you. This process may take time, so be sure to pace yourself, take breaks, enlist your supports, and give yourself grace. It’s worth the initial effort.
Cognitive defusion is my favorite skill. I use it regularly in my personal life and in my work as a therapist. Cognitive defusion is the clinical term for responding flexibly to thoughts. You may be all too familiar with cognitive fusion – or the act of “hooking” onto thoughts. When we “hook” on to our thoughts, our thoughts dominate our actions, attention, or both. Can you identify unhelpful body image thoughts that “hook” you? For example, “Everyone can see how big my thighs are in these shorts” or “I’ll never get a partner at this size”.
By intentionally defusing, or “unhooking” from our thoughts, we can look at them with curiosity and openness. We can notice these thoughts, create space for them, and reframe them if needed. Remember that not all thoughts are facts and may not be useful if we want to live a values-aligned life.
There are plenty of techniques you can use to create this separation from your thoughts. These include imagining your thoughts rolling by on a conveyer belt, saying your thoughts out loud in a silly voice, singing your thoughts, or thanking your mind for your thoughts. Adding “I’m having the thought that …” or “My mind is telling me the story that …” to the beginning of your unhelpful thoughts can also foster defusion. Try out a few of these techniques and stick with the ones that work best for you.
I can’t emphasize enough that the problem here is not your thoughts or emotions – the problem is how you fuse or “hook” onto them. This skill is admittedly a challenging one, especially if you’ve learned to avoid, push away, challenge, or change your unhelpful thoughts. A therapist trained in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and loads of self-compassion can support you while you get the hang of it.
If body neutrality, acceptance, and appreciation feel completely out of reach at this time, body respect can be an accessible goal. Remember, you don’t need to like or accept something to treat it with respect. Think about what respecting your body could look like. A few examples include feeding it consistently and adequately, caring for its hygiene, taking medications as prescribed, and wearing comfortable, well-fitting clothes (including underwear).
If body respect means obtaining new clothes that fit your current body, give the following a shot. Try on each new piece of clothing before looking at yourself in the mirror. Notice how it feels, fits, and moves on your body. If it feels comfortable and well-fitting, you can look in the mirror. If not, take it off without looking and move on to the next garment.
Think of these tips and skills as the first components of your springtime body image “suit of armor”. If you need more support as you move into this season, our lovely team at the Intuitive Eating Center of Ohio is equipped and ready to help. You don’t have to navigate this alone.
We are a private practice in Ohio offering in person and virtual nutrition and psychotherapy services for Intuitive Eating and eating disorders.
216-395-4118
24500 Center Ridge Road, Suite 265
Westlake OH
855 S Wall St
Columbus OH
Virtual and in person nutrition & psychotherapy services in Ohio for intuitive eating & eating disorders.
You are welcome here regardless of age, race, ability, size and gender identity.
