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Body shame begins with what our doubting mind tells us about our body, not our body itself.

Challenge body shame by amplifying the voice of your real self and core values.

Shift into body neutrality, focusing on the life your body allows you to live and the good you can do.

You don't have to love every part of your body to have a good relationship with it.

"I can never be thin enough," my 88-year-old mother said when I told her I was writing about body image. "I was 85 before I wore white pants," she further confessed. "To be honest, it's only because I lost weight. I still have issues."

I can't tell you how many of my clients carry years—or a lifetime—of body shame, just as my mother does. They're even ashamed to talk about it. Healing body shame must begin with talking about it.

While body shame is a year-round affliction, body shame and anxiety tend to heighten in the summer. On top of the swimsuits and shorts that leave us feeling more exposed, we also have vacations, reunions, and the inevitable photos that bring our lurking insecurities to the surface.

For most, their physical insecurity started in childhood, whether those around them were naturally thinner or their parents made critical comments. For others, it grew out of romantic rejection, childhood teasing, or exposure to fat or diet talk. Social media is now one of the biggest culprits of appearance anxiety by reinforcing the ties between approval (likes) and unrealistic body ideals.

Caring for our bodies with exercise, healthy food, grooming, and style is an essential expression of self-love and........

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