Body image boosters

Feeling a bit bloated? Or living the fab life and want to keep it that way? Check out these great tips for feeling awesome about yourself:

1. Get a head-to-toe grooming session: mani/pedi, bikini wax, hair blow-out. Whatever you need to feel fresh, pretty and brand new!

2. Wear sexy matching bras and undies. Throw away anything de-elasticized and stained and slip on some sassy red thing under your business attire.

3. Go shoe shopping!

4. Sign up for a 5K or 5-mile race with a friend. You’re setting a goal and working together to achieve it.

5. Take a yoga class in a studio with no mirrors, so you can concentrate on how powerful your body feels, rather than obsessing over your figure “flaws.”

6. Think about all your body is capable. Recently gave birth? You made a baby! On steroids for asthma or another illness? You’re fighting a disease! Turn a negative into a positive.

7. Wear clothes that FIT. Fuggedabout the size. If you force yourself to go too small, you’ll feel uncomfortable and spend the whole day thinking “my stomach is muffin-topping over my waistband.” If you go to big you’ll look schlumpy. Get a pair of pants that hug in all the right places and work it!

8. Accept compliments with a smile :-) We all too often reflect positive comments – relish in them and feel good about yourself. Because you are gorgeous inside and out and nothing a scale says will change that.

Adapted from the July 2007 issue of Redbook Magazine.

Comments

Number 5(no mirrors)- is my fave! In fact, I moved to Chicago 9 months ago and have been craving a way to blow off some steam after work, and I am bored to death with running on the treadmill – yuck! I just found out that the pole dancing work out called S Factor opened this week in Chicago right around the corner from my house - YAY! I heard that THEY HAVE NO MIRRORS IN THE STUDIO. I have seen it on Oprah a bunch of times and Teri Hatcher and Kate Hudson always mention the S Factor workout as a way to tone up and have fun at the same time. From what I have read on their website (SFactor.com,) it is "a unique, empowering striptease inspired and pole-dancing workout" (blush!). Think it's time to shake off my winter weight...and I hope that someone out there in virtual world has done it or knows someone who has before I spend the $. Has anyone heard of S Factor or done it?? I think they are starting classes this week – I wanna try it!

OMG Kim, not only have I taken an S-Factor class, but I have met Sheila Kelly!! The class is so awesome, I love the philospohy behind it and I've actually been meaning to post something about it but you beat me to the punch. I will definitely write something soon so we can get more women hooked but I say yes - GO FOR IT. I live in Chicago too, and I know beautiful new studios are opening. We're catching up with NY and Cali, baby!

Oh-la-la! Matching bras and panties are enough to put a skip in my step any day! And I only do yoga without mirrors, because I do it in my living room. Preferably at dusk with no lights. It is so calming.