Text credit: Jainee Gandhi

In layman’s terms, body image is what you think about your body when you look in the mirror or think of yourself. I am going to share my personal experience, learning, unlearning and responsibility as an Image consultant, as an influencer and more importantly as a mother.

Pregnancy is one time where I know most of my friends suffer from negative self-talk about their body. Women commonly indulge in talks about their bodies and weight. I have had body image issues in my mid-20s. My confidence was at an all-time low and with the birth of my son, my body image went on dipping. People feel they are doing you a favour by telling you about how much weight you have gained, or that you cannot / should not wear a certain outfit, or by suggesting exercises and food for weight loss. All this and much more is body shaming if not done with the intent to gain a healthy and fit body and not just a skinny one.

Source: besthealthmag.ca

When I started out as an Image consultant and started working with women clients, I realised that most women irrespective of age suffer from negative body image. Your self-body image should be a mirror of your thoughts. If you don’t respect yourself, don’t love yourself, or if you don’t follow a passion; you will be everything that others want you to be but yourself.

When this self-image is positive, you feel positive about your physical body. Appreciate your body, highlight the part of the body that you are proud of and camouflage the variation. Dress smart and wisely, your image depends on how you are groomed. Take a pledge to not be a part of fashion trends, instead use the styles that suit your body, roles, and goals in life.

As influencers, role models for our kids, their friends, nieces, and nephews, it is our responsibility to bring about this change with every life we touch. We work with various people and train them on body shape, on what colours to wear, what styles to invest in. Making them comfortable with their body should be our top priority.

Style and fashion are two different things. Start loving and accepting your body the way it is, style your shape, don’t be a victim of fashion. It’s not what you wear but how you wear it that makes the difference.

Jainee Gandhi is a certified Image Consultant and founder of Image Edge Academy, Mumbai

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