Many of us feel uncomfortable with our self-image and attempt to alter or improve it at some point in our lives. It’s awfully easy for us to fall into an unhealthy habit of comparing ourselves to others.  All of us have a sense of the shape and form that we want to be.

Fashion trends and acquaintances greatly affect our thoughts on what is visually pleasing or acceptable in terms of body image. You might contrast yourself with the images in media. The models are sometimes unhealthily slim in these publications. Even though your weight is average for your height and build, you might still worry that you are obese.

Naturally, not everybody who is obese is concerned or distressed about it. There are many optimistic and happy individuals that are overweight, and there are also fit individuals who feel insecure. Since some individuals may experience anxiety due to the desire to look a certain way, adolescents with weight problems may feel particularly worse about themselves.

You may feel irritated, furious, or annoyed if you are obese. The first move in coping with that is being mindful of painful feelings. Being happy with your own body is up to you, regardless of what your scale suggests. In a culture that values unrealistic body standards and inaccurate representations, it can be difficult. But it’s true – when you look in the mirror, it coincides with what you think.

Here are 10 essential tips for easing your concerns regarding your weight.

1. Stand up for yourself when you’re used as a bad example

Don’t use (or allow someone else to use) your body or BMI or any other calculation of your weight, size, or shape as a fitness indicator. None of these have been proven to be closely linked to wellbeing or to be a reliable basis for healthiness. There are healthy people with a wide variety of sizes, BMIs, body fat levels, etc. Similarly, individuals with ‘average’ or ‘ideal’ measures of the body structure may have the exact same health conditions that are sometimes alluded to as weight-related.

2. Advocate your self-image

Get rid of any negativity that causes you to feel inadequate in your life, whether it be body-shaming colleagues, swimsuit model beauty ads, or TV shows that depict males and females in an unfair, sexist manner. When a member of the family or neighbor makes you feel guilty for the way you look, speak to them personally, and make sure that you firmly refuse to discuss your weight in that context.

When an ad or commercial makes you feel guilty about your body, take a closer look at it and see how it’s attempting to sell you something. If we didn’t feel inadequate to the actors and actresses in the ad, then we wouldn’t need or want to purchase their product.

3. Look beyond the numbers on the scale

Start focusing on how you feel once when you wake up in the morning, or when you rush to catch a bus. There’s a lot more to it than just numbers on a scale. Have your sugar levels, cholesterol, and blood pressure tested regularly – they will portray a better portrait of your wellbeing than just your own weight.

4. Don’t be so hard on yourself.

Don’t be so strict or rigid with yourself – it’s okay to splurge once in a while. You could be more likely to overeat later in the day by not allowing yourself to have a little dessert at a function.

Focus on the bigger picture and praise yourself for the healthy choices you make, rather than focusing on the times you think you’ve failed.

5. Refrain from making comparisons to others

Never succumb to the pressure to fit in with society’s perception of what is deemed attractive, and stay away from dangerous and unverified means of weight loss such as not consuming or using highly hazardous drugs.

Speak to your psychiatrist or therapist if unpleasant feelings about your body become unbearable, or if you consider it difficult to accept perfectionistic behavior about your diet, size, or fitness.

6. Consider doing physical activities that you like

If you are fairly inactive physically wise, try seeking forms of activity that are doable for you. The latest up-to-date workout research is promising, particularly for individuals who have been inactive and have had trouble attempting to live up to the health professionals’ apparently ever-changing, confusing, and challenging exercise guidelines.

7. Listen to what your body tells you

By paying attention to your internal cues, you may begin to understand your body’s natural feelings of hunger, deprivation, and satisfaction. You can stop trying to pay somebody else to instruct you when and how long to eat by paying closer attention to these signs yourself.

8. Be independent

Don’t allow anybody to tell you how to diet, what to eat, or how much weight to lose through exercising. No set of regimens, routines, or diet plans can influence the dynamic relationships between desire, appetite, and satiety that naturally help us control our food consumption and health when we pay close attention to them.

9. Turn to the internet for support

There are countless online communities dedicated to helping each other accept and love their self-image, and there’s absolutely no reason that you shouldn’t be a part of one if you feel that you don’t get the proper support from your friends and family in real life. There are strangers out there that are more than willing to help.

10.  Don’t forget to congratulate yourself

Pat yourself on the back, your self-esteem and self-confidence will rise. By giving attention to your self-image instead of paying somebody else to dictate what you should do, this might also help you take care of your diet. Take a deep, long look at how far you’ve come, how far you have left to go, and how much you’ve grown in the process.