Do you love your body the way it is right now? Maybe you’re answering me with the side-eye. But seriously… what does it really mean to love your body? In order to answer the body-love question, we need to talk about what love is.

When you love something, you give it your attention, you care for it, and you want it to be in the best condition possible. If we love our bodies it means we give our body the right attention, we care well for it, and we want it to be in the best condition possible.

It doesn’t mean that when we look in the mirror, we see an image of perfection starring back. That’s not love… it’s admiration.

While you may have goals to achieve a higher level of fitness or lose those baby pounds still hanging on from ten years ago, finally loving your body means to care more about the condition of your body than how you fit in your skinny jeans.

The fact is, we only get one body… and when that one is done working – that’s it. As harsh as that may sound, it’s true. And what’s also true is we often put our physical needs at the absolute bottom of the priority list.

I don’t need to give you the car maintenance analogy here. You’re too smart for that. You know our bodies need preventative care and attention in order to stay in top condition. And we need to fuel up on the best nutrition for our individual bodies – not the kids’ leftover scraps and breakfast bars in the cupboard. Guilty of that one, some days!

We also need to go in for annual check-ups and physicals to be sure there aren’t any problems we’re not aware of. And listen to the built-in warning bells that go off in our bodies when something’s not right.

They tell us when we’re too stressed, too tired, or something more serious is going on. In short, we need to take our health seriously. And yes, that’s all a part of loving our bodies!

Love Your Body Through Good Nutrition

What goes into your body is the fuel it runs on. And if you’re like me, you’ve got a thriving family to take care of, a boat-load of work on my desk to do, and iceberg sized dreams I’m working on revealing to the world; so I don’t have the luxury of running on cheap fuel.

I’m guessing you don’t either!

The buzzword today is “healthy.” Eat healthy. Cook healthy. Live healthy.

The truth is healthy can mean different things to different people. And we need to take the initiative to investigate what’s good for us and our family. And just to be clear, I’m no health expert. But none of us need to be rocket scientists to figure out what is and what isn’t good for us.

I’ll also add that I’m not a huge fan of diets because most diets were created to do for a short season and not built for the long haul. And in some circumstances that may be the right call. But most of the time people pick up outlandish diet plans on their own without the help of their doctor.

They may even lose weight, but end up gaining it all back and then some because they didn’t have a transition plan for the rest of their life.

So in the general sense, I’m a total fan of lifestyle changes. Things that you either add to your life or take away and stick with forever. For example, switching out all white grain products for whole, unprocessed grains is something you can easily do and stick to forever.

You can make the decision to stop drinking sugary drinks like soda. Still working on this one!

If you’re not currently filling your body on a daily basis with wholesome, nourishing foods I urge you to do some research to find an eating plan that works for you. And stick to it!

To get you started here are some basics that anyone can add to their lifestyle every day:
Drinking water. The more the better.
Reducing or eliminating processed foods. Using frozen is oftentimes better than boxes meals, but certainly not in every case.
Adding whole foods like veggies and fruits to every meal. They add fiber and nutrients that your body needs for peak performance. Think premium fuel.
Swapping white, bleached grains for the whole version (brown rice, whole wheat pasta.)
Reducing the added sugar in your diet. But NOT replacing them with artificial sugars either. The real sugar is better than the fake. So, make small changes if needed.

Related: 7 Simple Habits That’ll Yield Big Results in Your Life

Love Your Body Through Exercise

Getting exercise is something you either love or hate. There’s rarely a middle ground with exercise. But one thing we all want is to be “successful” in life and our businesses.

What if I told you most successful people exercise as a priority in their daily routine. There’s totally a close correlation between high productivity and high physical activity.

If you’re on the fence about working out, think of it this way – exercise just may be the key you need to take your life goals to the next level. And you’ll get a rockin’ body in the process!

One of the other FABULOUS benefits of physical activity is the burst of energy that comes with it! And the older I get, the less I care about my Mommy Tummy and the more I crave ENERGY!

And as crazy as it seems, you have to give out energy to get more back in return. But it’s so well worth the time and effort. Studies now show that exercise helps combat depression more effectively than medication – without the side effects!

And there are so many other benefits like helping you actually stay on track with your eating. You just worked really hard and aren’t going to let your kid’s Twinky take you down! Your mind becomes more clear and my brain fog goes away. My energy level soars and I don’t feel like I’m dragging my body around anymore. And of course, your butt gets tighter and everything else with it! I’ll take that!

I don’t think it’s always necessary to have a specific plan or get overly analytic when it comes to exercise. But if you have medical or physical challenges, you should always consult with your doctor before starting any exercise plan.

But overall, if you find something you love or at least enjoy that gets your heart pumping every day – I say go for it! I personally can’t get to the gym at this season in my life, so I exercise in my living room in the evenings with my kiddos and this gives us all something fun to do together.

And the best part is it gets them wiped out for bedtime!

Love Your Body Through Style

Do you feel like a woman every day? I mean, yes you’re a woman. But I’m talking about expressing the woman before the baby weight, throw-up or food stains on your shirt, and yoga pants.

I’m talking about the woman before sneakers, jeans, and t-shirts became your signature look. This is not as much as an issue for moms who work outside the home because obviously you’re required to look presentable for work. Right?

But for those of us who stay or work in the home – I’m talking to you. Everyone always envisions the one day they’ll be able to work from home where they can tromp around in their PJ’s and bunny slippers all day. Though this is great for vacation days, it’s not recommended for everyday use. Sorry to wreck the dream.

Getting up and putting real clothes on in the morning will do wonders for your productivity and overall mindset!

You’re sending signals to your brain that this isn’t the weekend or a vacation day. That there’s real work to be done and it’s important.

I personally wear jeans and a cute yet comfortable top every day. It’s my uniform. I have a collection of flats that are comfortable and stylish that I can slip on instead of athletic sneakers. If you need some amazing style inspiration for real mom life, check out GetYourPrettyOn!

I’m always dressed in a way that allows me to be ready for anything. If the mailman rings the doorbell I don’t need to run and hide. If the school calls and I need to run to pick up my child, if I have a meeting to attend, or if I need to run a quick errand – I’m always ready.

In addition to getting dressed, I also put on makeup and make my hair presentable. Now, I know some of you are naturally gorgeous and don’t wear makeup. That’s awesome for you! Seriously, I’m jealous.

But for me, I need to cover some things up and accentuate others. But to be clear, I don’t spend nearly as much time on my face and hair as I did before kids. I used to flat iron my long hair every day. And I haven’t done that in years. In fact, I’m not sure I ever will. I have a lot of hair!

But the point is, I’m still doing what makes me feel good. And that’s what’s important. If you don’t put on makeup or brush your hair and avoid looking in the mirror – STOP!

If you don’t feel beautiful, that’s a shame. You are beautiful and should feel that way EVERY DAY. For the most part, most of us won’t be walking around feeling like supermodels, but we don’t feel like we’re scaring the children either.

You deserve to feel like a gorgeous woman! And I’ll go further to say you deserve to feel sexy, too! Feeling good isn’t hard – it just requires your permission.

These are small examples of ways you can start loving your body today!

Leave in the comments what you’ve deciding to focus on to give yourself your BEST! This post and the entire series is ALL about caring about yourself.

Remember, you deserve it!

Read The Full Blog Series Below:

Why All Busy Moms Need to be Intentional with a Regular Self Care Routine

Super Easy Ways to Feel More Intentional, Connected & Fulfilled in Your Life

Creative Ways for Moms to Grow in Faith When Life is Overwhelming