When I struggled with dieting and my weight, being asked that question would immediately trigger me into a frenzy of “I need to lose weight asap!”.
I’ve always squirmed with discomfort as to why clothing has to be separated by ‘small, medium, large…”. Why can’t it be letters, symbols, or even made-up words?
Naturally, we associate our body image with those sizes and eventually feel a victim in our health journey. It can propel our self-talk into creating unrealistic stories; “small is better”, “I’d be happier in a size ____”, “I cannot let myself ever be a size ____”. Not true, but the stories we tell ourselves become our truth. Then, the deflation that comes when the size ___ is snug (thanks to that specific brand) and you are forced to “size up”. *Que frenzy mode*. It makes more sense to disconnect the clothing scale from a descriptive word. Instead, imagine saying “Please grab me a size Fronte”. Totally made up that word. Or what about, “I’m a size N’?
I’m talking about this because labeling yourself according to a size or a reference to a size (BMI, obese, extra..) can really play with your mindset and be toxic in your health journey. It can also encourage you to do drastic, unsustainable, and even unhealthy measures…pulling you further away from a healthy relationship with food and your goals.
So here are my tips to help you disconnect from labeling yourself by size or body image:
1. When you’re shopping, if possible, don’t even look at the size. Just purchase the one that fits amazing!
2. Remember that health is not entirely in size. I know plenty of “smalls” that are far from healthy. And in some cases, they stepped into extreme measures to be there…feeling the farthest from a sense of freedom. Health is your journey. Health is your mindset. Health is your habits.
3. Don’t create your health goals around a size. Create your health goals because you deserve to be taken care of. And because you love being taken care of by incorporating more joy in your journey.
4. Next time you grab your size, give it its own name (made-up word) and see what comes up for you! Ha! Start the disconnection process and feel better in your clothes. So often when talking to clients I hear, “I just want to feel good in my clothes”. Hard Truth: Your clothes only look as good as you feel in them, no matter “the size”.
If you want to create a journey on your time, on your terms, and all while finding happiness in your health, join the Wholesome Community and be surrounded by a tribe of women who are in it with you!
P.S. Friendly reminder; YOU are not your “size”.
Hannah Koschak, RDN, CD
Wholesome Endeavors LLC
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