5 Body Images Tips That Will Change the Game
Today, we are diving into a topic I haven’t talked about much lately: Body Image. I know this is a topic that we need to continue to come back to time and time again as SO many of us struggle with it. And honestly, for many of us, it’s something we’re going to constantly have to work on and that’s okay!
So if you have been looking in the mirror and felt less than, if you’ve been picking apart your body instead of appreciating it, or if you’ve been thinking, “I’ll feel better when I lose five pounds,” this episode is for YOU.
What I discuss:
The mirror is not reality – Your perception is distorted by emotions. AND you need to stop body checking.
Rewrite the narrative of your “flaws” – Your body is not an object, it’s an experience.
Social media is warping your perception – Unfollow anything that makes you feel “less than.”
Stop using your body as a before and after – You are so much more than a number on a scale.
Your body is the least interesting thing about you – Who you ARE is what people truly love.
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Transcript:
00:00
Hey there, beautiful human, you're listening to Embrace your Real with me, julie Ledbetter, a podcast where I empower you to just be you. With each episode, I dish you a dose of real talk and actionable advice for building your confidence, honoring your body and unconditionally loving your authentic self. Stay tuned. If you're ready to embrace your real, let's get it. Let's go. Hello and welcome back to another episode on the Embrace your Real podcast. Five body image tips that will change the game.
00:35
We are diving into a topic that I haven't really talked much about lately, and that's body image. I know that this is a topic that we need to continue to come back to from time to time because so many of us and I'm saying us myself 100% included in this. It's something that we're constantly having to work on, especially in the different seasons of our life, and that's okay. So if you've been looking in the mirror and feeling less than lately, or if you've been picking yourself apart or your body apart, like instead of just appreciating it, if you've been thinking you know I'll feel better when I lose five pounds, this episode is for you because, let me tell you, it is not your body that needs fixing. It's the way that you've been taught to see it, and today we're going to be flipping the script on that. I have five super actionable mindset shifts that will help you start seeing your body through a completely different lens. And, trust me, these are not the generic just love yourself tips. We're getting real, we're getting deep and we're getting practical, so let's dive in.
01:31
Before I do, though, I wanna share this review. It comes from Maroski Mariski. She gave a five-star review and said loving Julie's podcast. I found Julie's podcast on Pinterest Hey-o love that, loved her demo workouts, but also noticed some podcast snippets and really enjoyed them, so I came here. Naturally, she has so many great episodes and I'm excited to listen to them. So far, my episodes that are my favorites are 256, episode 37, and episode 18. I believe that is the order that I listen to them in. So sending you so much love to all of those who read this and also to Julie for all of the love and authenticity she shines forth. Oh my goodness, love this so much. So grateful for my Pinterest crew man. You guys are amazing. Love y'all so much. Thanks so much for heading over to the podcast app from Pinterest. I really do appreciate you also taking time out of your day to send in this review. It genuinely means so much to me and our team. Just kind of know how these podcasts are helping you.
02:27
All right, so let's dive into these five actionable mindset shifts that will really help you start seeing your body through a completely different lens. Number one the mirror is not reality. Let's start here. Like the mirror, it's a liar. Yes, you've heard me right, the mirror is a liar.
02:43
The way that we see ourselves is not how others see us, and it's definitely not the full picture of who we are. Did you know that our brain actually distorts our reflection based on our emotions Like? There is research showing that when you feel insecure or when you feel anxious, your brain literally alters the way that you perceive your body, and so even the tiniest dent or warp in the mirror can subtly and subtly very distort our reflection, making us look shorter or wider or stretched Like. The tricky part is, though, that the flaw in the mirror is often too small for us to even notice, so we assume that the reflection is an accurate representation of how we actually look, when it's not so. The next time that you catch yourself in the mirror spiraling, just take a step back and remind yourself that it's not the truth. And also a fun challenge is to try to avoid mirrors for a day and just living in your body instead of constantly checking how it looks. You would be shocked at how much lighter you feel when you're not micro-analyzing yourself all day, every day, in the mirror. And this is also called body checking, like the constant habit of grabbing or pinching or looking in the mirror to kind of assess your body. Does that sound familiar? Studies show that body checking actually fuels negative body image and keeps you stuck in the cycle of self-criticism. You would be shocked at how much lighter you feel when you stop micromanaging your body's appearance.
04:06
Number two rewrite the narrative of your quote unquote flaws. I want you to let that sink in for a second Like. How often do we let a number on the scale, a filtered Instagram post, some arbitrary beauty standard decide how we feel about ourselves? And who even made these rules? Like? The truth is, beauty standards constantly change. What was considered quote unquote ideal a decade ago, or even last year, is different today. So why are we measuring our worth against something that isn't even real or stable or universally agreed upon? Like?
04:41
Let's talk about the things that we've been told to see as flaws, stretch marks. They're proof that your body has grown, has adapted, has carried you through life or carried other life into this world. Cellulite it's a normal part of being a woman. Literally 90% of us have it. Belly rolls just your body existing as a human body. You are not a mannequin and you are not meant to just stand there, stoic, not ever moving. You are meant to bend. You are meant to sit. You are meant to move. You are meant to pick up your baby, whatever it is.
05:14
Instead of zooming in on what you don't like, try zooming out. What is the bigger picture? What does your body allow you to do? Does it allow you to move and hug and feel and experience, or, if you're in this season of postpartum, like I am, like literally feed my baby? Now here's a small but powerful trick. Anytime you catch yourself fixating on this flaw, I want you to immediately name one thing that you're grateful for about your body. Maybe it's the strong legs that let you chase after your kids or pick up your kids. Maybe it's your arms that hold the people that you love or carry your babies on one side while you're doing other things one-handed. Maybe it's your heart that keeps beating, even on the hard days. Really shifting your perspective in these moments does rewire the way that you see yourself over time, and that is a total game changer, which brings me to my next point, number three social media is warping your perception. If you've ever felt like everyone else looks perfect except for you, remember this.
06:12
Facetune is absolutely real, like what you see on social media, is often edited, airbrushed, smooth to perfection. Skin is not meant to be poreless. Bodies are not meant to be sculpted like marble statues, but with a few taps these apps can really erase every line, every dimple, every curve, every cellulite, whatever it is that makes your body real. Just remember that posing is strategic. These effortless selfies they're carefully angled. These flat stomachs they probably result in a deep exhale and well-timed twist. That sculpted booty pushing back, just right, all of these things. Like even professional fitness models spend hours learning how to pose to enhance their features, because the differences between an unflattering and a flattering photo, it's really all in the angles.
06:58
Remember that lighting changes everything Harsh overhead lighting, unforgiving Soft golden hour glow, instant abs, like even in these videos. Shifting a ring light, an inch, can completely change how defined someone's muscles look. The illusion is very powerful, but that's exactly what it is it's an illusion. Here's the truth. Comparison is a game where no one wins, because the images you're comparing yourself are not even real in the first place. Even the people posting them don't actually look like that all the time. So if social media is making you feel bad, please start really going through your feed and start curating it.
07:34
Unfollow people that make you feel like you need to shrink or filter or change yourself. You don't owe anyone your attention, especially not accounts that make you feel like you're not enough. And follow people that look like not accounts that make you feel like you're not enough. And follow people that look like you, who make you feel empowered, who celebrate real bodies. Representation matters Like when you see these diverse, unfiltered beauty, it really does rewire your brain to accept and appreciate your own reflection more. And, most importantly, remember this you don't exist to be viewed. You exist to live. Your body is not an aesthetic project. It's not a social media post. It's not an outfit hanger. It's the home that you live in, it's the vessel that carries you through life. So start treating it like that, with respect, with your appreciation and with love.
08:17
Number four stop using your body as a before and after. Okay, this one's big. How many times have you looked at old photos and thought, oh, I was so much smaller back then. I'm sure many of you guys look through these photos wishing that you could get back to X, y and Z size. Maybe you told yourself you know, if I just lose a little bit of weight, I'll feel this way again. But let me ask you this were you actually happier then, like?
08:38
I've worked with so many women who look back on their smallest body with nostalgia, only to realize that during that time they were absolutely miserable. They were obsessing over food, they were punishing themselves with workouts, they were skipping meals, they were overexercising and they were still not feeling good enough. Were they smaller? Yes, but were they free? No. Let me repeat that again. Were they smaller? Yes, but were they free? No. Here's the truth. Your body is not a before and after. It's not a work in progress or something that needs to be fixed. Your body is simply evolving. And the crazy thing is, even if you reach that quote unquote after body again, it still likely would not be enough, because if your happiness is tied to an image instead of how you feel inside the finish line will always move Like it's a never ending game, and so, instead of comparing yourself to this past version, I want you to shift your focus to what actually matters.
09:29
How do I feel today? Do I feel energized? Am I sluggish? Am I strong? Am I tired? What can I do to make my body feel strong? Nourish and love, and remember, hint, hint. It is not about punishment. It is truly about care. Your body deserves appreciation at every stage, not just when it fits some arbitrary standard. It's allowed to change. You are allowed to change. So the next time that you feel tempted to wish for a past version of yourself, I want you to remind yourself. You do not need to go backwards to find happiness. It is available to you right now, exactly where you are. And to my postpartum ladies, let that sink in, and let me say that again you do not need to go backwards to find happiness. It is available to you right now, exactly where you are.
10:16
Number five your body is the least interesting thing about you. Let's get real for a second. When people love you, when they cherish you, when they cherish you, when they think about what makes you special, it literally has nothing to do with the size of your jeans or how toned your arms or abs or legs are. Think about the people in your life that love you most your best friend, your partner, your mom, your sister. Do you love them because of their abs? Do you cherish them because of their body fat percentage? Of course not. You love them, and guess what? That's exactly how people see you.
10:50
The things that make you truly unforgettable have nothing to do with your appearance. People love you for the way that you make them laugh until their stomach hurts. How you listen and support them through their hardest moments or through their everyday moments. Your kindness, your humor, your warmth, your energy. And here's the thing your body is going to change. It just is. Aging is inevitable. Weight fluctuations, body shifts that is normal. But who you are, that's what lasts.
11:17
Your legacy is not about how you looked in a swimsuit. It's not a number on the scale, it's not whether you had visible abs or the perfect figure. Your legacy is how you made people feel. It's the late night talks, it's the belly laughs, it's the moments when you showed up for the people that you love. That is what people remember and that is what matters.
11:37
So the next time that you start spiraling about your body. I want you to zoom out and ask yourself how do I want to be remembered? What do I want people to feel when they're around me? Am I focusing on what truly matters in my life or am I getting distracted by the things that don't define me? Because who you are is so much bigger than what you look like, and you deserve to spend your energy on things that actually matter.
12:00
All right, friend, let me recap what these mindset shifts are real quick. Number one the mirror is not reality. Your perception is distorted by emotions and you need to stop body checking. Number two rewrite that narrative of your flaws. Your body is not an object, it's actually an experience. Number three social media is warping your perception. Unfollow anyone that makes you feel less than. Number four stop using your body as a before and after. You are so much more than the number on the scale. And last but not least, number five your body is the least interesting thing about you. Who you are is what people truly love.
12:37
And one last piece of advice if you feel self-conscious in your body, I highly recommend that you just start to move your body Like that alone will just start to psychologically change your mindset, like I can't tell you how many women when they just started moving their body. And you guys know my favorite form of movement. Well, my two favorite forms of movement are dumbbell workouts and walking, but dumbbell workouts in particular. I can't tell you how many thousands of women who have started my dumbbell only workouts inside my movement with Julie App, with zero body confidence. Then they really started to become consistent and then they became the most confident versions of themselves. Why? Because I truly believe that strength training is one of the fastest ways to go from I don't like how I look to wow. My body is actually incredible, not because it makes you smaller, but because it makes you stronger, more capable, more confident. And that's exactly personally why I created the Movement With Julia app because I want you to feel strong, I want you to build strength, I want you to feel amazing in your body, no matter what your size is, and I want it to be a real life solution to your life.
13:44
I get it. We are all busy working professionals, stay at home moms, whatever. We are all busy working professionals, stay-at-home moms, whatever we are anywhere in between that. I'm telling you that dumbbell-only workouts are literally the simplest solution because they're so convenient. You can literally do them anywhere. All you need is a few pair of dumbbells in a small space and inside my app. Every single week, I give you five brand new workouts a 30-minute and a 60-minute variation.
14:10
So whether you're short on time or want to go all in, I've got you, and the breakdown is you literally. If you just have body weight to work with, I've got body weight only workouts. If you have bands, I typically program resistance band movements throughout the week on a week to week, month to month basis, but I always give alternates. If you don't have, you know, resistance bands, but those can be very helpful in mimicking cable movements at the gym. If you have a bench amazing. I use the bench a lot in movements, but I always give a no bench alternate.
14:39
So, literally wherever you are, whenever it is, you can literally do these workouts anytime, anywhere, and you will start to see amazing results without having to spend hours and hours and hours working out, because moving your body shouldn't be punishment. It should be something that makes you feel good. So if you are ready to start loving your body for what it can actually do, head over to sale that's S-A-L-Emovementwithjuliecom, or find the link in the show notes. Again, that's salemovementwithjuliecom, or you can click the link in the show notes. Again, that's salesalemovementwithjuliecom, or you can click the link in the show notes.
15:13
But I hope that this was helpful for you. I hope this just gave you some encouragement. And just remember you are doing amazing. You are incredible and your body is incredible. The way that God designed our bodies is amazing. We are doing so much and our bodies are capable of so much and it's time that we start to actually see that and appreciate that. All right, capisce, I love you so dang much. I mean it, and I'll talk to you in the next one.
15:44
All right, sister, that's all I got for you today, but I have two things that I need you to do. First thing if you are not already following me on the gram, be sure to do so. Julie A Ledbetter yes, it's with an A in the middle For that daily post-workout real talk, healthy tips and tricks and honest accountability to keep your mind and heart in check. The second thing be sure to subscribe to Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. Thank you so much for joining me. It means the absolute world, and I'm going to leave you with one last thought. The most beautiful women that I have met in my life are the ones who are completely confident and secure in being authentically themselves. Remember that beauty goes so much deeper than the surface. So go out there and embrace your real, because you're worth it.