4 Strategies To Transform How You Feel About Your Body
It’s all about navigating our thoughts and focus.
Here is what I have for you…
1) Focus on Body Composition, Not Weight Loss
As we talked about last week: Don’t let the scale fool you — you can lose fat and still be the same weight, yet your body will look completely different.
Under the definition of “body composition” on Wikipedia, it says, “Two people of the same gender and body weight may look completely different because they have a different body composition.”
Healthy body composition is achieved when the percentage of lean mass is greater than the percentage of body fat. I wanted to give a reference range below to point out that an average and healthy amount of body fat is up to 30% for the average woman.
See guidelines below for healthy body fat percentages for women:
Female Athletes: 14-20%
Optimal Fitness: 21-24%
Healthy Body Fat Average for all Women: 25-30%
As a health coach for women physicians, I’ve seen firsthand how, when you change your body composition, you may still weigh the same but have a completely different body.
Would it surprise you to know that while you get fitter you may actually GAIN WEIGHT? This is exactly why we shouldn’t focus on just the scale.
But, how do you lose fat and gain muscle at the same time? This is what everyone wants to do, but I want to caution you. These are 2 very different goals that require 2 very different strategies.
To reduce your body fat, you have to eat fewer calories than you burn. But to build muscle, you have to eat more calories than you burn. However, if you have a mesomorph body type, you may be able to eat in calorie maintenance AND gain muscle slowly.
2) Stop Comparing Your Body to Unrealistic “Perfect” or “Ideal” Women
The unrealistic images in ads and online subliminally teach us that our natural body types aren’t desirable or attractive enough as they are, causing shame around our weight and issues with our confidence.
We are constantly fed images in the press of what society’s “perfect body” is supposed to look like. Social media feeds are full of overly-filtered influencers and magazine covers tend to only feature airbrush-perfect, photoshopped models whose bodies are touted as the “ideal.”
Yet, we often feel an overwhelming desire to look the same way as other women and we unfairly compare ourselves to unachievable images of “perfection” that aren’t even real.
Setting an arbitrary goal weight or trying to meet an imaginary standard that isn’t possible for your body type is only going to cause disappointment and frustration.
We must focus on working with our body, instead of fighting against it.
3) Learn to Love Yourself Through Body Positivity
I’m sure many of you have heard of the body positivity movement, but have you taken a minute to think about what that means and how it relates to you?
In reality, we are all built with different structures and have different genetic make-ups, so it’s pointless to compare ourselves to other women and feel like our body has to look a certain way to be “attractive.”
It is about self-acceptance and owning who we are, and that is so empowering! We can start the journey of self-acceptance by setting realistic goals and expectations.
The research-based fitness plan I use in G.O.A.L.S. Society® can be a tool for body composition change for busy physicians, but that is not the focus. The focus is on feeling confident in how you look, accepting your body’s natural structure and challenges, and learning how to get stronger and fitter despite them.
4) Discover Your Natural Body Type & Practice Self-Acceptance
This doesn’t mean we stay complacent and stop reaching for our goals; it just means we shift our mindset around them. Remember, you are a masterpiece AND you can also choose to be a work in progress.
There are 3 main body types or “somatypes” called Endomorph, Mesomorph, and Ectomorph. Once you know which body type you are, you can learn what kind of fitness training and nutrition strategy that your unique body type will benefit from.
5) Surround Yourself with Others Who Are Striving for the Same
You know what they say, we tend to reflect the group we hang around with. I have even heard things like, “you are the sum of the 5 people you hang around the most.” Even if this is 10% true, surround yourself with people who are working on body acceptance, body positivity, and a strong desire to move away from diet culture and into the space of intuitive and gentle approaches to optimal health.
We have MANY exciting things happening at Life Coaching for Women Physicians. I will shortly be announcing a special program coming August 1st, where you will have the opportunity to dive into understanding your genetics… and I may have secured the actual EXPERT of the genetic test I use to be involved in this programming. If you want to get on the interest list, you can do so HERE. You will be among the first to hear.
Want to learn more about how my coaching programs help women physicians achieve optimal health? Click HERE for a private info call with our Concierge team!
About Ali Novitsky, MD
Dr. Novitsky is certified by the Life Coach School, Obesity Board Certified, a physician speaker, and fitness enthusiast. Ali helps women physicians achieve their optimal health with scientific, yet intuitive, principles that work.
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