How to Love Your Body (Even When You Feel Like a Deflated Balloon)

Let’s be real—having a healthy body image in today’s world is about as easy as assembling IKEA furniture without crying. Everywhere you turn, there’s some fitness influencer telling you that celery juice will fix your life, or a skincare ad that suggests you’re basically a swamp creature until you buy their $200 serum. It’s exhausting. But guess what? You don’t actually have to hate yourself just because society profits off of your insecurities. Wild concept, right?

First things first, let’s get one thing straight: your body is not the problem. The real problem is the absurd beauty standards that change faster than my commitment to a gym membership. One minute, thick thighs save lives; the next, everyone’s injecting their knees with something to make them skinnier (probably). If you spend all your time chasing trends, you’ll just end up broke, tired, and questioning whether you really need both kidneys. Spoiler: You do.

So, how do you maintain a healthy body image when your brain insists on being a jerk? Step one: stop comparing yourself to photoshopped Instagram models. That’s like comparing your Monday morning face to someone who has a full glam team and perfect lighting. Of course, they look flawless—they have an army of filters working harder than my WiFi when I try to stream in HD.

Step two: talk to yourself like you would a friend—unless you insult your friends, in which case, work on that. If your bestie said, “Ugh, I feel gross,” you wouldn’t respond with, “Yeah, you should probably fix that.” No! You’d hype them up, tell them they’re a radiant being of stardust and that one zit doesn’t define them. So why not extend that kindness to yourself?

Step three: move your body because you love it, not because you hate it. If you dread exercise because you think it’s punishment for eating a cookie, congratulations, you’ve been brainwashed by diet culture. Exercise should be fun—dance like a chaotic muppet, do yoga that mostly involves lying on the floor, or go on a walk and aggressively judge people’s landscaping choices. Just find something that makes you feel good.

At the end of the day, your body is doing its best to keep you alive, despite the fact that you probably survive on caffeine and questionable food choices. Be nice to it. Wear the outfit you like, take the picture, and eat the cake. Your worth is not defined by a number on a scale, a clothing tag, or the opinions of someone who peaked in high school. You’re doing great. Now go forth and be fabulous.