What Do Women With Positive Body Images Have That Others Don't?

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME you looked in the mirror and felt thrilled with the reflection staring back at you?

If you can't remember, you're in the majority. Most people are dissatisfied with their physical appearance, and their bodies in particular. This dissatisfaction runs deep enough to fuel a growing cosmetic surgery industry. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 17.5 million cosmetic procedures were performed in 2017, up 2 percent from 2016. Ninety-two percent of these procedures were performed on women, with breast enlargement being the top surgical procedure and Botox being the top nonsurgical procedure. In other words, women in particular are invested in enhancing their appearance – even if it means going under the knife.

But do cosmetic procedures actually improve women's body images? Some research suggests that a woman's satisfaction with any particular body part that is surgically or nonsurgically "enhanced" may improve following the procedure, but that overall body satisfaction is unlikely to. So while a nose job may leave you happier with your nose, it will not necessarily improve your overall satisfaction with your appearance or your self-esteem in the long run.

Fortunately, there are ways for women to feel better about their appearances that involve less cost and fewer risks. To help identify them, Kristina Holmqvist Gattario, a positive body image researcher from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, has studied women who have better body images. Here's what she and colleagues have found sets those women apart:

1. They believe life is about more than how you look.

In our media-saturated culture, it's difficult to disentangle our self-worth from our appearance, but logically, most of us can appreciate that there are more important things in life than having large breasts or a small nose. So, when we start thinking, I wish my X looked like X," the key is to push those thoughts aside and think about more meaningful issues: the things we want to do with our lives, the people we care about and the ideals we value.

[See: 7 Ways to Boost Poolside Confidence Without Changing Your Body.]

2. They're involved in causes that support a greater good.

One way we can avoid dwelling on appearance-related concerns is to focus on empowering ourselves. Gattario's research suggests it can be valuable for women to be involved in activism and to challenge themselves to make a difference in their own and others' lives. This sort of work can contribute to women's sense of ownership over their bodies and their lives. Inevitably, Instagram "thinspiration" messages lose their significance when you've spent time protesting violence against women or volunteering in a homeless shelter.

3. They avoid certain types of media.

Speaking of "thinspiration," it turns out it rarely inspires people to make positive changes in their lives. Instead, it often encourages negative and intrusive thoughts about self-worth and appearance. So avoid it! Body image researchers call it "protective filtering" when people avoid social media, catalogs, the internet or whatever else may lead them to compare themselves unfavorably to others. Less exposure to media that makes you feel bad can provide a positivity boost.

4. They practice self-care.

People also feel better about their bodies when they take care of them and participate in behaviors that will benefit their health. Exercise is an obvious body image-enhancer, since it can improve how we look and feel. It can also make us feel (and become) strong and powerful. Eating healthy foods is also good for both our minds and our bodies, as is getting enough sleep. Taking care of our bodies may not only make them feel better, but allows us opportunities to focus on body functionality. In other words, we're typically kinder to our bodies when we spend energy thinking about all they do and not how we wish they looked.

5. They surround themselves with the right people and activities.

Another recommendation that emerges from Gattario's study of positive body image is the importance of creating a "safe body image environment." This basically means being strategic about whom you spend time with and the activities you participate in. If you have a friend who is always talking about her weight, fashion or anything that gets you down on yourself, it may not be the worst idea to kindly tell her that you don't want to discuss those issues. Or, give yourself some distance from the relationship and spend time with people who are engaged in activities that feel empowering to you, whether that's Pilates or protesting.