LOVE

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, this week's post is dedicated to one of my favorite subjects: LOVE. 

Believe it or not, when you are in love you can reach your wellness goals even faster…but I’m not talking about being in love with Romeo or Prince Charming.

I’m talking about being in love with YOU.

A negative self-image can sabotage your weight-loss plans, faster than a pint of rocky road. 

Now being in love with you is not about being narcissistic. It’s about glancing in the mirror and loving every ounce of you. About accepting the imperfections without judgment, and the wobbly bits without self-criticism. Once you accept them, you'll be able to let them go. 

So, move over self-loathing, here are four things you can start doing today to begin falling in love with you:

1.    Eliminate Self-Criticism. Squash the internal voice that tells you you’re not thin enough, pretty enough, good enough, whatever enough.

Love your reflection, and all the so-called imperfections you see in it. Cut the self-deprecation and modesty, and accept compliments, with a smile and a thank you.

2.    Acknowledge your effort. Reward yourself not just for achieving your end goal, but for staying on track and making progress towards it at certain milestones. No dessert all week is huge; cutting out soda is gigantic.

Don’t wait for the scale to hit a certain number. Acknowledge your progress with a present for yourself. Book a massage, buy that purse you’ve been eyeing, schedule some serious me time to do what you love. Whatever you do, don’t overlook your success!

3.    Look After Your Body. Your body is your temple. Treat it as such. It’s really the only thing you have, and it will be with you forever. Feed your temple with nourishing foods, strengthen yourself with regular exercise, and perhaps most importantly, develop a practice to reduce your stress, such as yoga or mediation.

4.    Have Fun. This is not a dress rehearsal, this is your life! Don’t wait on the weight to come off to start having fun and doing the things you want to do. Go on dates, buy that beautiful dress, plan a girls trip. Don’t take life too seriously, and take a lesson from the Thai people who live by the principle of sanuk: If it’s not fun, it’s not worth doing.

When you love yourself, you will nourish and take care of yourself to the highest degree. You’ll be able to make wiser food choices and stick to exercise habits. Not convinced? There’s research to prove it.

So go ahead, write yourself a love note. 

If you’re feeling bold, share it below to encourage other women to fall in love with themselves this Valentine’s Day, too!