you can focus on what your body can do, rather than what it looks like.23 Exercise can become a process of celebrating what your body is capable of, or of enjoying the pleasure a good run or a tough weight lifting session can give, rather than a form of punishment.24 Being gentle with your body is also important. Listening to your body for signs of pain, discomfort, and hunger can help you feel more attuned to your needs and less apt to punish yourself with overexertion. Most of all, you have to work to abandon the fear that being idle or gaining weight is a sign that you’re “lazy.”
