Body Functionality & Your Body Image

Hi lovely readers,

It's Brittany. This week we talked all about body image and invited you to learn something known as body functionality. It's a unique way to shift your focus on your body image. 

As someone who has been working on creating a group program around body image (for anyone and for people with chronic illness) I have really been diving into this topic. And I just want to tell anyone who is struggling to love their bodies- you are not alone. SO many men and women are struggling and there is a huge need for it within our community. And the incredible part if that more and more we are beginning to recognize this and we are seeing more and more programs come to light to help address this. 

In part of the program I am creating, we spend time focusing on how to appreciate our bodies, because let's be real, this isn't an easy task. Appreciating means that on some level, we have to kind of be okay with out bodies and there are definitely days where I was not okay with that. And guess what? This is also OKAY. 

While many people are pushing for body positivity, I am here to tell you that body neutrality is also an okay stance to take. Body neutrality is a way for us to learn to steer away from self-hate without having the added pressure of also learning to love our bodies. We are instead working towards just not investing too much of our energy to positive or negative thoughts about our bodies. 

More your style? Then start here. Look into ways to help further develop and shift your focus. Some mantras can include:

One way to promote body positivity or neutrality is exploring body functionality. Body functionality is the ability to understand what your body can do rather than how it looks. This can be broken down further into 6 categories:

1. Physical capacities: my body can walk, my body can ride a bike, my body can shower
2. Internal processes: my body can digest what I eat, my body can heal from a cold, my body can regulate temperature
3. Bodily senses and sensations: my body can see, my body can experience pleasure
4. Communication: my body can vocalize when I am upset, my body can smile when I am happy (non-verbal and verbal communications)
5. Creative endeavours: my body can sing, my body can dance, my body can paint, my body can write
6. Self-care: my body can rest, my body can have a bath, my body can feel comfort from a blanket. 

Focusing on what your body can DO rather than how it LOOKS allows us to gain a more balanced perspective. It also allows us to feel a more personally meaningful connection with our bodies and helps shift our focus on things that we may take for granted! 

How can you build body functionality?

1. Take time to write down all the things your body can do and explain why this is meaningful and important to you. If it is difficult to find things, just think about one routine in your day. For example, list down everything your body does in your morning routine. I.e. my body hears my alarm, my body wakes up, my body can get out of bed, my body can pick clothes to wear for the day, my body dresses itself..... While these may seen trivial or mundane it's important to remember that not everyone has the luxury to do ALL of these things independently. Some people may not be able to hear. Some people may not be able to get out of bed by themselves or dress themselves. 
2. Try physical activities that help you appreciate what your body can do. And during these activities really focus on the sensations you feel during that time and after. 
3. Check in with yourself and notice what your body is doing in that moment. Become more aware of your body's movements and your thoughts about this. 

To give you a head start, here is a little handout I have created for my group to help prompt you to think about what to write down. 

PDF version here

Now go out there and give it a try, you might be surprised to see how just changing one way we see our bodies can influence a lot more about ourselves!

YWC

Sources:

Beyond Beautiful: A practical guide to being happy, confident, and you in a looks-obsessed world- Anuschka Rees

Alleva, J. M., Martijn, C., Van Breukelen, G. J., Jansen, A., & Karos, K. (2015). Expand your horizon: A programme that improves body image and reduces self-objectification by training women to focus on body functionality. Body Image, 15, 81-89. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2015.07.001

Alleva, J. M., Tylka, T. L., & Kroon Van Diest, A. M. (2017). The Functionality Appreciation Scale (FAS): Development and psychometric evaluation in U.S. community women and men. Body Image, 23, 28-44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2017.07.008

Happiful.com: What is body neutrality?: https://happiful.com/what-is-body-neutrality/