But Harri Rose is here to put an end to it. Thehealthcoach and founder of the Anti-Diet Riot Club is on a mission to get people to accept and embrace their bodies exactly as they are, and to put an end to our detrimental diet culture once and for all.
Have you spent your lifetime battling with body image? Whether you’re putting yourself down on a daily basis, attempting every diet under the sun to no avail, or constantly comparing yourself to supermodels on Instagrams, the struggle to feel confident in your skin is real.
After struggling with her body image from a young age, Harri went on her first diet aged 12. This led to years of extreme dieting followed by periods of binge eating leaving her weight constantly in flux. It was not until Harri moved to London and trained to be a health coach that her mindset completely changed. “Learning about the anatomy of our bodies and how truly incredible they are was my lightbulb moment”, she revealed.
Now she’s here to share her tips on how she achieved full body acceptance. Hearty bowls of pasta at the ready, people!
Find your own blend of wellness
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution. What feels good for your body isn’t necessarily going to feel good for someone else’s body. It’s about re-learning how to tune into your body and eating from a place of what you want rather than what you should have. Focus on how you feel rather than what you look like. If you fancy a burger, have one. If you’re craving a salad, go for it. Nourishment is just as much mental as it is physical.
Don’t try and fight your inner critic
Your inner critic is often trying to protect you. If your mind is telling you to stop being lazy and go to the gym, it’s actually saying I want you to be healthy and energised. Your inner critic is a part of you and you can’t fight it. I jokingly say “tell the bitch to leave the room”. You need to be firm with your thoughts but deal with them with kindness.
If it’s making you feel rubbish, unfollow it
Social media can be a really empowering platform if you find the right community but it takes conscious awareness. If it’s making you feel rubbish, unfollow it. People have a misconception that following supermodels is motivating but it’s not. It’s just making you feel terrible about yourself. You’re in charge of the messages you’re feeding yourself.
You are more than your body
You are your hopes, dreams and ambitions. Your body is not the most important thing about you. Being thin was not the reason you were put on this planet. See the bigger picture.
Body acceptance is not giving up
There is a misconception that if you accept your body, you’re going to sit on the sofa all day, eat junk food and never leave the house but that couldn’t be further from the truth. It is the freedom to enjoy every moment in your life. Imagine how much mental freedom we’d have if we stopped thinking about food and our bodies all the time.
My top three self-care tips are…
Journalling, mindfulness and meditation. All three have equipped me with the emotional resilience to manage my thoughts. People bang on about them for a reason – they genuinely work!
Realise perfection doesn’t exist
Our society is obsessed with one beauty standard. Right now it’s all about big lips and curves. Prior to that, it was all about being slim and tall. When you realise the definition of perfect is a moving goal post, it highlights the absurdity of it all.
Be self-compassionate
There are three core components to self-compassion. The first is self kindness which is learning to become aware of your thoughts and understanding where they are coming from. The second is shared humanity which knowing that everybody suffers. We are all oppressed by diet culture and beauty standards, let’s stick together. The last is mindfulness. It is learning to look at your thoughts without any judgement.
You Are Enough: How to love the skin you’re in embrace your awesomeness by Harri Rose is published by Aster, £9. 99, www. octopusbooks. co. uk
