By Dr. Susan Albers
Licensed clinical psychologist

The new Glamour magazine poll revealed what most women already know. We can judge our bodies very harshly. At times, we are our own worst enemy. According to the Glamour poll, 97 percent of women experience daily “I hate my body thoughts.” On average, 13 of these negative thoughts pop up a day, according to the poll. If this sounds all too familiar, don’t give up hope. Mindfulness may be able to help you turn this around.

While most women would agree that they struggle with “I hate my body” thoughts, keep this fact in mind. Women who frequently look at magazine and media images of thin women tend to judge themselves more harshly. In the journal, Body Image, a 2009 meta-analysis of 47 experiments found that girls and women report greater dissatisfaction with their appearance following exposure to “thin idea” media.

The noted psychologist Dr. Ann Kearney-Cooke gave some wonderful suggestions for putting this inner critic to rest. I highly recommend you read over her tips if this rings true for you.
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