How to Balance Body Confidence and Weight Loss - Nosh Detox

How to Balance Body Confidence and Weight Loss

Everyday, we’re bombarded with media, advertisements, and other people’s opinions. Usually, they’re all telling us the same thing - You’re Not Good Enough. 


Magazines are crammed with ads, all marketed towards making us feel bad about ourselves so that we’ll buy their product. It can leave you feeling pretty down on yourself.


Yet, real body confidence means being happy with yourself and accepting your flaws. Of course, it’s easy to say it, but it can be difficult to convince ourselves it’s true.


But there’s another hurdle to self acceptance. 


Some people struggle with weight issues, and being overweight can have a huge impact on your health and happiness. 


Is it possible to lose weight while still being happy with yourself and body? 


Too many people don’t think so. They struggle through low moods and unhappiness, as well as health issues and feelings of self-consciousness. At best, they feel OK with themselves - sometimes. 


But you deserve better. You deserve to feel confident in each phase of life and in the skin you’re in. And here’s why. 

What Is Body Confidence? 

Body confidence is a skill. It involves creating a positive and accepting mindset towards yourself. 


Often, we’re much harsher towards ourselves than we would ever be towards our friends. We can be our own worst critic, picking apart our every word and decision, how we look, and how we dress. Forgiving ourselves can be so much harder than forgiving someone else. 


Cultivating body confidence is about genuinely believing that you are worth something, that you are good enough (and you are!).


Unfortunately, getting over ingrained feelings of worthlessness isn’t easy.


One thing that can seriously knock our confidence is feeling bad in our own skin. In a world focused on unattainable, photoshopped looks, it seems that the worst insult that can be thrown at anyone is the F word: Fat. 


(By the way, this isn’t true. Anyone who convinces you of that is not worthy of your time and attention.)


Far too many people waste years of their life feeling ugly and worthless simply because they don’t match up to what they see in magazines and on a TV screen. 


You might think that body positivity means that you can’t, and shouldn’t, try to lose any weight. Is that true?

Is Weight Loss and Body Positivity Compatible?


Weight loss and body positivity are compatible, so long as you tackle losing weight the right way. There is definitely a wrong way to lose weight. The wrong way can damage your health and make you feel absolutely miserable. 


If you decide that losing weight is something you’d like to pursue, go about it with a healthy dose of self confidence. You’re more likely to go through with your plans and improve your lifestyle if you believe you’re worth it. 


Firstly, it’s important to know that what you do with your body is your business and no one else’s. 


Any changes you make to your lifestyle should be something you want to do, to improve yourself. Body confidence doesn’t mean you can’t improve yourself and your life. Being happy with who you are doesn’t mean you can’t change anything, ever. 


Secondly, think about why you want to lose weight. Is it beginning to affect your physical, mental, or emotional health? 


Just about all of us could probably benefit from a slightly healthier diet, or a little bit more exercise. If your weight is making you feel miserable and you can do something about it, why not give it a go?


Thirdly, what are you aiming to change? Is it just your physical appearance? 


Flicking through a fashion magazine is not good weight loss inspiration. Being body confident is all about feeling good in your own skin, not chasing an impossible waistline. 


Remember, who you are on the inside is even more important as what you look like on the outside. A weight loss journey is about a lifestyle, not sticking to a strict diet to fit into tiny clothes.


How Body Confidence Can Help You Lose Weight 

Losing weight isn’t easy. Finding a strict diet online may seem to work, but that often isn’t sustainable. 


The key to staying healthy is finding a lifestyle you can live with. This means exercise, plenty of sleep, and a balanced diet. 


Body confidence can help you make good choices that fit in with your needs. For example, maybe going to the gym makes you feel uncomfortable. Instead of forcing yourself to go, look for a different kind of exercise. Maybe you like running, cycling, or swimming. Maybe there’s other classes you could attend with some friends, or maybe you can just workout at home. 


Body positivity is all about cultivating a good attitude towards yourself, not forcing yourself to do things you think you “should” be doing. 


Being happy with yourself is another key element to combining weight loss and body positivity. 


You may be thinking, “Well, I’ll be happy with myself when I lose weight”. 


There’s no denying that looking good makes us feel good. However, it’s best to be at peace with yourself and who you are before making major lifestyle changes. That will give you the best chance at carrying through with your plans. 


Having body confidence also hammers home the point that you are more than how you look. Looking good is great, but the person inside is what makes you special. That is the real you

Maintaining Safe and Healthy Weight Loss 

Being confident in your own skin, regardless of weight or appearance, will go a long way to keeping your level of weight loss safe and healthy. 


Extreme diets, starving yourself, and cutting out every kind of food you like is not a healthy way of losing weight. Diets don’t last, lifestyles do. For healthy, sustainable weight loss, you shouldn’t be losing more than a pound or two a week. 


Ideally, talk to your doctor first. Tell them about your weight loss plans, and listen to their advice.


You should never sacrifice your health and happiness just to fit a standard of beauty. Ideals of beauty change like fashion, but happiness and confidence will never go out of style. 


If you’re looking to make healthy changes in your life, check out the products and programs we offer at Nosh Detox. Lose weight in a sustainable way, and feel good while doing it!