Here is how you can change a negative body image:

•  Recognize what you don’t like about yourself. Pay attention to your thoughts. They will focus on the things you don’t like about your body.

• Identify the emotions that surface after the thoughts. Emotions are triggered by thoughts. Common emotions associated with a negative body image are shame, disgust, self-consciousness, and embarrassment.

•  Recognize what is behind that dislike. Are you comparing yourself to others? Is it something that others have criticized? Do you have unreasonable expectations for yourself?

• Work on rejecting the expectations that are unreasonable. No one is perfect. Let go of perfectionistic ideals that lead to you disliking your body.

• Stop comparing yourself to anyone else. One of the main sources of a negative body image is the comparison of yourself to someone who looks like you want to look.

•  Work on treating your body right through healthy living and good choices. Learn to value yourself by taking good care of your body. When you treat your body right, you begin to feel better about it and when you feel better about your body, you naturally want to take care of it.

•  Change negative self-talk. You have to change the thoughts that trigger negative emotions. If you don’t change your thoughts, you can’t change a negative body image. Replace them with positive thoughts about your body.

• Work on acceptance of your body as it is. As long as you actively reject your body as it is, you will feel bad about it. Identify the things you don’t like and embrace them as uniquely you. Work on being OKAY with your body.

•  Set reasonable goals for YOU. After you do all of the other things, you can then set goals that are reasonable for you. Change what you can about your body and think positively about the things you cannot change.

• Change your perspective.  There are many things that matter more than how you look. Focus on the things that are truly more important than your body. The more competent and confident you feel about the whole YOU, the more you will feel good about your body.