Date #1 

Role Models

In today's date you are going to get yourself some role models to help you accept yourself better. The fact is that if Cavebrain sees bigger women who look confident and accept themselves, it will see them as part of your tribe - and will make your self-acceptance easier.

Start by looking at these video clips. each one is very short. Note your reaction to each as neutrally as you can. If any of these body sizes are challenging, just accept that as your reaction.  

Queen Latifah

Tess Holiday

Rebel Wilson

Ashley Graham

There are 3 activities you can choose from today:

A) The Instagram experiment

B) The body confidence board

C) Choose a film/TV programme that promotes body acceptance

Which one(s) you choose depends on how much time you have. If you only have five minutes, choose either The Instagram Experiment or watch a couple of the trailers for C.

See below for instructions.

Why these are such important activities to do - if you include bigger women who also look confident and happy in their skin in your visual field every day, it sends a message to Cavebrain that your body size is acceptable.

The converse is also true: if the only people you ever see looking confident and glamorous are size 0 etc, your cavebrain will think you are not part of the tribe.

Also I have found that over time, my concept of beauty changed as I exposed myself to more of these images.

The Instagram Experiment

Expose yourself to images like these on a daily basis. Think of it  like a visual diet.

First unfollow any accounts which trigger a feeling of inadequacy in you.

Next, have a look at these accounts to follow:

@ashleygraham

@effyourbeautystandards

@tessholiday

@bodyposipanda

Search @plussize and see what comes up!

Also  @bodypositivememes is really thought provoking and often quite funny!

I don't post everyday, but I do share some of the above. You can follow me: @eatingcoach

Niamh said: I was looking through a swimwear catalogue the other day, and there was one photo of a plus sized model. I thought: "YES! She looks bangin'" I would not have thought that before.

The Body Confidence Board

Search images of plus size models and print them off. Make a body confidence board like the one I made here below, well before I had even heard of Instagram! Put it somewhere that you will see it every day. Over time, your conception of beauty will change - I promise you!

Find Films/TV programmes That Promote Body Acceptance

Below are some trailers to get you started. Some may be on Netflix, depending on which country you live in.

Are there any I have missed? Let me know: info {at} the shiftinside.com