Most women have a complicated relationship with our bodies. Even if you don’t think of yourself as having any body issues, you probably feel some level of conflict. Like any relationship, the way we view ourselves changes and evolves. Not just through different stages in our lives, but day to day. We can all fall into body image traps without even realising it. So what are the body image myths that cause these conflicts to happen, and how can we banish them?
There is good food and bad food
The whole idea that you are what you eat is a nightmare on so many levels. Yes – what we put into our bodies is incredibly important. This stuff is fuel for you to do things and think things and live a fulfilled life. However, if you have a danish pastry this does not mean that you are a bad person. The way that we consume our energy should be so much more than counting calories and sculpting a physical image. Food should be something that nurtures us. Sometimes we have a busy day ahead and nurturing ourselves means starting with porridge and a banana so that we have the slow release energy to sustain us. Other times, we need nurture through comfort and if that means a massive chocolate bar then that’s fine.
Your size reflects your health
You can be fit and fat. You can be thin and unhealthy. The human body is so complicated, with so many different permutations that there is no ‘normal’. The path to fitness and general health should be something that enables a fulfilled lifestyle. Not to simply look a certain way. So from soaking up the countryside air to dancing all night at a festival to progressing through martial arts stages, your health should be about a lifestyle that’s fulfilling to you.
Shapewear is fatphobic
If you’re wearing shapewear to drop multiple dress sizes, then it’s probably not working for you. Shapewear is designed to support and shape a silhouette, not squash a whole body down. So when you choose a shaping cami, for example, the point is to smooth your waist and lift your breasts, not turn you into a stick. It’s about accentuating the curves that you have. All sizes of women use shapewear, since we can all do with physical support sometimes.
Confidence means brash
There is such a thing as quiet confidence. We’ve got to a point where to feel physically confident is seen as somehow brash. To feel confident about either your persona or your body doesn’t mean going all out in a corset (although that’s fine too!) True body confidence should be based on an acceptance that your body is capable of amazing things. You don’t even have to ‘love’ your body the way it is. You can still be confident and kind of hate your wobbly bits. The process of acceptance of those wobbly bits will instil a deeper confidence that can sit quietly.
The camera never lies
Oh but it does! Angles, lighting and even our mood all have an impact on how we look in photos. And that’s before we even get to filters, AI and image editing apps. We should all take the images we see online with a shovel of salt, especially when they’re clearly designed with aspirational intent. How about images of yourself? It’s easy to look at photos and criticise yourself. The way that we look at our own image can be our own worst enemy. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you have to love every picture of yourself. It’s OK to have mixed feelings, just accept that aspects you may be critical about may be really appealing to other people!
Ageing is negative
Remember when all you wanted was to get older? Whether it was so that you could drive or get served in the pub, we spend a number of years wanting to age and then suddenly time won’t slow down! It’s really important to remember that an ageing body isn’t a bad thing. Your experiences and life lived all go to make a body that’s pretty spectacular. And using a pair of shaping shorts to counteract gravity isn’t a weakness – it’s a support to keep on going with fulfilment. Age is the experience of the person within the body, not something to be physically judged.
At Elle Courbee, we want to provide shapewear that makes you feel great in your skin. Whether that’s sexy, supported or streamlined, all are valid!
Becky is a content manager who writes informed industry based articles for businesses and consumers. She’s written for Elle Courbee on women’s issues and fashion for a number of years.
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