All tagged body image

What Are You Really Seeing in the Mirror?

Daryl
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Hey there. When you hear the term “body dysmorphia,” what comes to mind? For a lot of people, especially those going through a weight loss journey, it gets tossed around quickly. But body dysmorphic disorder is a real mental health condition, and it needs to be taken seriously. I’m not a therapist or a doctor, and most people you hear using this term online aren’t either. Still, I want to talk about the emotional side of this because how you feel about yourself matters.

From Self-Criticism to Self-Connection

Daryl
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What do you see when you look in the mirror?

I’ve asked myself that question more times than I can count. And for years, the answer wasn’t great. I would pick myself apart, zoom in on every perceived flaw, and walk away feeling worse than I did before. The worst part? I thought that was normal.

My Self-Worth Was Not in the Mirror

Daryl
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Hey there. For years, I never felt like enough. No matter how lean I was, how defined my muscles looked, or how much my body changed, it was never enough. I remember being obsessed with body fat percentages. I carried one of those handheld testers around in the early 2000s when I worked at a gym, and I would check my readings constantly. Even when the numbers looked good, even when I knew I was walking around at a pretty lean ten to fifteen percent body fat, it still wasn’t enough. There was always someone leaner, someone more muscular, someone I thought looked better than me.

Your Worth Is Not in the Feed

Daryl
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Hey there. I’ve been thinking a lot about how social media fits into our health and fitness journeys. Not just as a place to find workouts or get motivation, but how it actually affects the way we see ourselves. The scroll can feel endless. And most days, it's filled with reminders of what we’re not, what we’re not doing, and what we should be chasing.

Practicing Body Neutrality Daily

Daryl
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Hey there. I’ve spent years unlearning what I thought I had to believe about my body. It used to be that every glance in the mirror became a chance to tear myself down. I’d start with my reflection and work inward, picking apart what made me different and assigning value—or lack of it—based on how I looked. But what if you didn’t do that anymore? What if you could quiet those thoughts instead?

How Fitness Marketing Skews Our Body Image

Daryl
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Hey there. Fitness marketing has a way of making us believe that we should be constantly chasing an ideal body. The industry thrives on making us feel like we are out of control and then selling us solutions to fix that feeling. Whether it’s a diet plan, a workout program, or a supplement, the message is always the same, you need this to finally achieve the body you want.

Why You Should Curate Your Social Media Experience

Daryl
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Hey there. Social media can be a tricky place when it comes to body image. With so many curated photos, highlight reels, and fitness transformations filling our feeds, it’s easy to feel like we don’t measure up. If scrolling makes you feel self-conscious, frustrated, or just not good enough, you’re not alone. But here’s the good news, you have control over your experience.

Becoming Your Own Body Standard

Daryl
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Hey there. Body image should be personal. You should be your own body standard, not an idea created by someone else. Yet, throughout life, most of us have tried to conform to different beauty or fitness ideals without even realizing it. Where do these standards come from?

The Ghosts of Body Dysmorphia

Daryl
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Hey there. Body dysmorphia is like a ghost that lingers, no matter how much you try to move forward. It’s something I’ve seen over and over in the fitness space. People lose weight, transform their bodies, and yet, when they look in the mirror, they still see their old selves staring back. It’s not just a passing thought. It’s a deep-seated perception that refuses to let go.

Appreciating Your Body Starts with Loving Yourself First

Daryl
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Hey there. Here’s a truth that might be hard to hear but is absolutely essential: You can’t truly appreciate your body until you love yourself first. I know that sounds cliché, maybe even frustrating, especially if you’ve been working hard on your fitness journey and aren’t seeing the results you want emotionally. But it’s the foundation of real, lasting change. Everything starts from the inside out.

How I Learned to Appreciate My Body

Daryl
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Hey there. Every body is unique…every single one. While we all share certain physical traits, it’s the little differences, the so-called "wrinkles," that make us who we are. Ironically, these are often the very things we fixate on and critique the most. If you’ve spent any time in the fitness and weight loss space, chances are you’ve scrutinized your body to the point of exhaustion, tearing yourself down over perceived imperfections.

Hating your own body is wrong

Daryl
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Hey there. For years, the fitness industry has convinced us to hate our bodies, criticizing how they look, perform, and measure up to impossible standards. But here’s the truth: success isn’t about tearing yourself down to achieve a goal. It’s about building a strong relationship with yourself and trusting in your abilities.