Eat Well, Live Well - Five steps to a better body image

We've all got body bits that we'd prefer to keep hidden - especially when we've spent months covering up for winter. But don't let wobbly-thigh worries and cellulite concerns run your life. Boost your body image now - here's how:

•    Stop comparing yourself with others. You know in your heart that those celebs in glossy mags don't look like that in real life - and they can summon an army of stylists, hairdressers and beauticians whenever they have to go out in public! You might not be Nicole Kidman or Posh Spice but you're someone far more important - you.

•    Learn to accept compliments. How many times have you found yourself scoffing when your best friend tells you how fabulous your hair looks? Or muttering about your fat legs when your partner admires your new trousers? Start believing that you're as special as they say you are.

•    Remember that there's no such thing as a 'perfect' body. Chasing an ideal that doesn't actually exist is setting yourself up for a fall - which will make you feel even worse about yourself. Consider the old Chinese proverb that runs 'better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.'

•    Forget your wobbly bits. Focus on those bits of you that people will actually see!. Get those nails manicured. Emphasise those brilliant brown eyes. Wear colours that will set off that glowing skin. Treat yourself to a makeover, or a personal shopping session to find new ways of looking great.

•    Keep in mind that loving yourself is just the beginning of a better way to live. Lucille Ball, legendary star of I Love Lucy, used to say: "Love yourself and everything else falls into line." Once you love your body, you'll start treating it with the respect it deserves - meaning you'll be happier and healthier as a result.


References

Friends and Living Longer: Seeman TE, Kaplan GA, Knudsen L, Cohen R, Guralnik J.
Social Network Ties and Mortality Among the Elderly in the Alameda County Study. Am J Epidemiol. 1987 Oct;126(4):714-23: Kaplan GA.  Social Contacts and Ischaemic Heart Disease. Ann Clin Res. 1988;20(1-2):131-6.