Jumpstart Your Fitness: Better body image = Better body reality

"The power of positive thinking." That phrase comes to my mind when reading about the power your body image has on your weight loss and fitness plans. Negative body image equals negative results, and so the opposite applies in that a positive body image will have a positive effect. The media today doesn't help anyone when it comes to fostering a good body image, with rail-thin models and actors everywhere wearing styles that only look right on specific body types. But I will say that I've heard more lately from the media about the media in relation to this negativity problem, so maybe it will start getting better in the future... (positive thinking!)

But "maybe in the future" doesn't help us now, today, does it? Plus, some people would be fighting negativity with or without that extra help from the advertising world, and sadly that bad body image is not only detrimental to your physical appearance but also your emotional health. So if you don't feel so great about you, try these suggestions to improve your body image, inside and out:

Your body is a gift

Focus on what your body allows you to do -- live, move, do things you enjoy. Be grateful for what abilities you have and count your blessings. Thinking and zeroing in on these positive things will help you see your body as less of an enemy.

Remember that your outside appearance is only skin deep

Fight the urge to let how you look determine who you are. Your personality should shine from the inside out, not the outside in.

Be realistic!

Very few, and I mean VERY FEW, people have perfect bodies. Or even nearly perfect, for that matter. Other people don't judge you half as harshly as you judge yourself. Remember that.

Surround yourself with positive people

Misery loves company, and negative-ness is a form of misery (in my book, anyway). So hang with people who are happy, positive, and supportive.

You can't judge a healthy body by it's cover

Health is a bigger picture than just how thin you are, it's not even a matter of your physical being alone. Your mind and spirit play a big part in your overall wellness, for some people it's the biggest part.