A lot of us have difficult relationships with our bodies: we don’t like the way we look in the mirror, or in photographs, and it can easily affect our self-esteem. It’s important to try to build a healthier and happier relationship with your body – here are a few tips on how you can do that.

Ditch Your Old Clothes

First of all, it’s time to ditch your old clothes. So many people have a habit of keeping items that no longer fit, assuming that they’ll lose weight in order to fit into them at some later stage, but the truth is that you should donate those clothes immediately.

They’re taking up space in your closet and your life, and let’s face it: seeing them every day does nothing good for your self-esteem. Accept your body as it is, and not how it used to be, and remember that our bodies change over time: maybe you’ve had a baby, maybe your metabolism has changed as you’ve got older, maybe your lifestyle is different. Forgive yourself for changing and accept yourself as you are.

Go To The Dentist

If you don’t feel comfortable smiling and showing your teeth in photographs it might just be time to go to the dentist to get a check-up. Brushing and flossing regularly are important but it’s also important to get a professional to make sure that your teeth are as they should be.

If you don’t like the color of your teeth your dentist may be able to advise methods of whitening them that won’t damage the enamel. If you’ve had teeth problems for a long time but you haven’t been able to summon up the courage to tackle them, now is the time to do it – you deserve a life without sore teeth and toothache. If you don’t feel confident about your smile, treatments like full mouth dental implants might seem extreme but in the long run, you’ll be delighted you decided to do it.

Start Moving More

Losing weight isn’t what you should be focusing on, but getting fitter is always important. A lot of us live sedentary lifestyles – we work at offices and sit at desks all day, and then – let’s face it – we spend our evenings on the couch watching TV.

Start taking every opportunity you can to move more: take the stairs instead of the elevator, get off the bus a stop early and walk for an extra ten minutes, stroll to the store instead of driving. At work, take regular breaks to get a glass of water and move around. Your body will thank you for it.

Take Notice Of Yourself

It’s important to become more in tune with your body. Create a food diary so you can figure out what foods make your stomach react badly, and what you respond well to. Notice when you get tired during the day – maybe you’re having a sugar crash halfway through the afternoon after eating that chocolate at lunch. Work out how many hours of sleep are best for you at night. The only way to get in touch with your body is to understand it better.

If you feel uncomfortable in your skin, these tips should help you feel happier in no time.