You Can Love Your Body

You Can Love Your Body and Still Want to Change It

Yes, really.

One of the most common things I hear from women in recovery from food addiction is, “Is it wrong to want to lose weight?” or “Am I not body positive if I still want to look better in clothes?”

Let’s clear this up right now:

It is 100% possible to love your body and still want to change it.

These two things are not mutually exclusive.

It’s not fat-phobic to want to feel stronger, to have more energy, to reverse disease, or yes—to fit into a smaller pair of jeans.

We’re allowed to want better for ourselves while still showing love, care, and respect for the body we’re in right now.

So now that we’ve kicked that guilt to the curb, let’s talk about how to shift your mindset toward a healthier, more compassionate relationship with your body:

8 Ways to Work on a More Positive Body Image

1. Practice gratitude for your body daily.

Keep a journal and jot down the things your body lets you do. Maybe you walked a little farther today without getting winded. Maybe your joints hurt less than they used to. Celebrate those wins, even the tiny ones.

2. Remember: your body is unique—and that’s a good thing.

No one else has your exact body. You’re not supposed to look like someone else. Stop chasing someone else’s reflection and start appreciating your own. This one was a big battle for me, covering other women’s bodies, and wishing that I looked like them. Anymore, but I mostly stay in my own lane and try to appreciate my body where it’s at.

3. Focus on what you’re gaining, not just what you’re “losing.”

Too many women obsess over the finish line instead of celebrating what they’re already achieving. Strength. Mental clarity. A better relationship with food. THAT is progress and deserves celebration.

4. Name the things you do love about your body.

Yes, physically. It’s ok to admit you like your smile, your hair, your legs, or that your butt is looking especially cute in those jeans lately. This is not vanity—it’s confidence. Confidence isn’t the same as egotistical - do get over that and learn to call out things you like out your body.

5. Movement is not punishment.

You don’t have to “burn off” what you ate. Move because it makes you feel alive, strong, empowered—not because you’re trying to make up for food. That mindset keeps you stuck in the shame cycle.

6. Surround yourself with people who get it.

Find a community that’s focused on real health and healing—not just aesthetics. Being around others who are working on their mindset and making positive changes can help shift your own perspective.

7. Fill your brain with encouragement, not shame.

Books, podcasts, blogs—consume content that lights a fire in you to take care of your body instead of hating it into change.

8. Curate your social media feeds.

If you’re constantly seeing filtered, unrealistic bodies and it leaves you feeling like crap—unfollow. Seriously. Protect your peace and your progress.

Listen—it is not egotistical to feel good about yourself.

It is not shallow to care about how your body looks while also caring deeply about your health, healing, and food sobriety.

You are allowed to want to feel good in your body and about your body.

So yes—focus on your health. Stay rooted in recovery. But if you also want your butt to look cute in jeans? That’s ok too.

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