Body neutrality is accepting your body as it is. This means that you do not have to try to love your body every day, but instead feel free to take a neutral perspective. Think about your body’s abilities, mind, heart, and spirit, instead of your appearance. This shifts the focus to what your body can do, how you think, and how you feel, rather than how you look.
Try these five practices for body neutrality!
1. Drop Body Talk from Conversations (with Yourself and Others)
Try complimenting someone’s ideas or work, instead of their outfit or body shape. If body talk comes up in conversation, talk about how you (or they) feel instead.
2. Eat Foods You Enjoy
Choose foods that nourish your body and include foods that you enjoy such as snacks and desserts.
3. Move Your Body Joyfully
Do movement and physical activities that you enjoy and take rest days without guilt when you feel tired or need a break.
4. Reframe Negative Thoughts
If you notice that you are having negative thoughts about your body, shift your focus back to what your body is doing at that moment or how you are feeling. This might be moving, digesting, breathing, or simply being!
5. Give Yourself Time
Give yourself time and patience to shift away from negative thoughts about your body to feelings of body neutrality.
Be aware that social media and advertising can push you towards negative thoughts. Try unfollowing accounts that make you feel negatively about your body and instead following accounts that promote body neutrality!
Information gathered & adapted from:
https://www.healthline.com/health/body-neutrality#how-to-do-it
Banana Granola Bars
Servings: 16
Ingredients
2 large, very ripe bananas, mashed
2-3 tablespoons honey
2 1/2 cups of your favorite granola cereal
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup craisins (dried cranberries)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Grease a 12×8 inch pan (9×9 inch for thicker bars).
3. In a medium bowl, mash bananas till smooth (no chunks), add honey, and whisk.
4. In a large bowl, add granola cereal, fruits, salt and cinnamon, and mix well.
5. Add the banana honey mix to the granola and mix well.
6. Press into the greased pan and bake for 30 mins or until edges are crisp and slightly brown.
7. Cool and then cut into full bars or snack size bites.
Serving Size: 1 granola bar
Nutrition Information per Serving: 4.4 grams total fat, 0 gram of saturated fat, 21.1 grams carbohydrate, 1 gram fiber, 4 grams protein, 75 milligrams sodium, 2 milligrams potassium, 12.9 grams sugar
Recipe adapted from:
https://cookeatshare.com/recipes/super-simple-chewy-banana-granola-bars-787818
