Does this sound familiar? You look in the mirror, berate yourself for gaining weight and then give in to feelings of depression and hopelessness. If you’re an emotional eater, you might even turn to food to comfort yourself, thus perpetuating the problem.
Now imagine feeling great about your body—no matter what your current size or shape. No more getting down on yourself for your weight or putting your life on hold because of insecurities. Well, it’s possible. With just a little attitude adjustment, you can boost your body confidence, which is the first step to leading a healthier life. “When you feel better about yourself,” says Judith Beck, author of The Beck Diet Solution, “you have more energy and feel more motivated to initiate changes, such as starting an exercise program.”
Here’s how to turn that negative cycle into a more positive one.
Don’t tie your self-worth to the number on the scale. “Remind yourself every single day that your outward appearance is irrelevant to who you are inside,” suggests Beck. “Think about what you would say to a close friend if she were overweight and feeling badly about herself.” Chances are that you would remind her of all her good qualities and offer encouragement rather than criticism. Do the same for yourself. The positive feedback will help you feel more able to take control of your body and health.
Don’t put your life on hold. If you put off starting an exercise program or buying clothes until you lose weight, you will perpetuate the rut. Even a 20-minute walk can increase endorphins and other feel-good chemicals. You’ll not only burn calories, which can help you reach your long-term fitness goals, but also reduce depression and stress right away.
Ease up on the pressure. You don’t have to work out like an Olympian. Choose an activity you’ll enjoy. Studies show that moderate exercise actually does more to improve your mood than longer, more intense workouts. It also can help you to sleep more soundly, which will make you look and feel better. Concentrate on how great it feels to be doing something good for yourself rather than obsess about how far you still have to go.
Congratulate yourself on your efforts. Acknowledge the progress you’ve made. “After all, you could spend your day in front of the television eating ice cream, but you don’t,” says Beck. “Giving yourself credit for what you accomplish each day—even running errands—can boost your mood, make you feel better about yourself and help keep your difficulty with weight in perspective.” And that’s the first step to the kind of body confidence that lasts.
译文:
对你的身材更自信
这种现象听起来是不是很熟悉？你照镜子，责怪自己又胖了，然后只能沮丧和无望。如果你是个情绪化的食客，你甚至可能用美食来安慰自己，这样下去问题永远不能解决。
现在，想象你对于自己的身材很满意——不论你现在的体型怎样。不要再因为体重过重而减肥，也不要再因为局促不安而使生活搁浅。一切皆有可能。只要你稍稍调整一下生活态度，你就能增强自信，这是健康生活的第一步。“当你自我感觉更好了”《贝克饮食法》（The Beck Diet Solution）的作者Judith Beck说，“你就会更有活力，更积极地开始改变，比方说，开始一项锻炼计划。”
这里有一些建议，如何将恶性循环转变为良性循环。
不要依靠磅秤上的数字来衡量自我价值。“每天提醒自己：外表与内在无关。”Beck建议，“想一想，如果你的好朋友很胖而且没有自信，你会怎么安慰她。”可能你将提醒她她所有的优点，给予她鼓励，而不是批评。那么，也同样对待你自己吧。肯定的反馈能帮你更好地控制你的身体健康。
不要让生活搁浅。如果你直到要减肥时才开始锻炼或者买衣服，你将自食恶果。哪怕是散步20分钟也能增加体内内啡肽和其他带来良好感觉的化学物质。你不仅能燃烧热量，帮助你达成塑身的长期目标，而且还能立刻减缓沮丧情绪，减轻压力。
减轻压力。你不必像奥运会选手般地拼命运动。选一个你喜欢的运动项目去干。研究表明，事实上，适度锻炼相比长时间高强度的健身更能使人愉悦。同时也能帮助你睡眠更安稳，使你看起来更漂亮，感觉更精神。
将注意力集中在做有益于自己的运动时的良好感觉，而不要总是想着还要做多久。
为自己的努力而庆功。承认自己所取得的进步。“毕竟，你大可整天对着电视机吃冰激凌，但是你却没有这么做，”Beck说，“每天为自己所完成的运动积分——甚至只是替人跑腿——能增进你的情绪，使你更有自信，帮助你正确对待减肥过程中所遇到的困难。”这就是建立信心中贯穿始末的第一步。