Staying body positive can be tough during beach season, but beating yourself up to drop two sizes or freaking out about stretch marks (literally almost everyone has them) is not only temporary, it could be unhealthy. Here are some tips to nourish that beautiful bod and brain, inside and out.

Your physical and mental wellbeing are connected

Your interpretation of your physical appearance is all mental. Body positivity starts with you, and shifting your mindset is a crucial first step. Instead of looking in the mirror and seeing all of your flaws, pay attention to what you like. Trade out terms like ‘fat’ with ‘strong’ and ‘if only I could lose X pounds, I could do …’ with ‘I want to take the best care of my body that I can, so I can do...’. You will be surprised at the important role that words play in our self-perception! Don’t be limited to just visuals, though. When you are working out, notice what makes your body feel good. Compliments can make us feel awkward or uncomfortable, but the next time you are complimented on something, try to recognize their feedback as sincere. You’ve earned it! Remember that nothing happens in a vacuum, and the foods we eat directly impact how we feel mentally and physically. A healthy gut has been strongly linked to diminishing feelings of depression and anxiety. Eating more probiotic-heavy foods like yogurt and Orgain Superfoods powder are good ways to help improve or maintain a healthy gut microbiome.

Where focus goes, energy flows

It can be all too easy to get caught up with thinking negatively, especially when you’re not feeling super positive about yourself. But when did negative energy serve anyone? Instead of acting on any jealous or judgmental feelings about others, consider giving them earnest compliments about how healthy or happy they might appear. Their smiles will make you feel better, all while putting a little bit more positive energy into the world.

Nourish yourself the right way

While sticking to your goals is important, what is even more important are the milestones along the way. Creating unattainable, lofty goals may feel exciting at first, but the charm will quickly wear off. Instead, make small, manageable changes. The more you accomplish, the better you will feel, leading to more positive change. For example, instead of going cold-turkey with refined sugar, gluten, or dairy, just make a commitment to clean ingredients. Big change starts with baby steps. Punishing yourself for messing up your food goals isn’t going to work, either. Caved and ate an ice cream cone? That’s okay! When we don’t reward ourselves, we end up sabotaging our hard work. Ensuring you get enough protein is a good way to fend off any unwanted cravings. Craving chocolate? You can have your cake and eat it, too! Try a Chocolate Orgain Protein Smoothie or Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie Recipe. We work to make food that both tastes great and is good for you, because food should be both! Weight is just one part of your overall well being, so learn to love exercise for how it makes you feel, not how it makes you look. Body positivity takes time to master, so start small and feed your brain and body nourishing food and positive thinking.