As a disordered eating nutritionist and therapist, I’m no stranger to offering prompts for journalling for body image! So I thought I would give you 20 journal prompts to help you too.
Why journalling about body image helps
Feeling bad about your body not only feels awful, it’s also linked to long-term health. Negative body image has been linked to psychological distress, disordered eating signs, and general poor mental health.
There are ways to improve how you feel about your body, and one of them is through journaling. I spoke to Sophie about how journalling can help in eating disorder recovery on my podcast if you want to listen.
Writing down your thoughts can be a powerful way to release and process difficult emotions, clarify and name your emotions, identify unhelpful thought patterns, and come up with solutions or plans to help you feel better.
Now for the prompts I’ve created for you…
20 body image journal prompts
- Are you in tune with your body’s needs? If so, what helps you stay connected? If not, how could you begin to improve this connection?
- What are some things you genuinely appreciate about your body?
- How can you show respect for your body tomorrow?
- List all the things you value about your body, then imagine a world where those qualities were taken away. How would your life be different?
- Imagine you were completely comfortable with your body. What activities would you engage in daily, and what would you avoid?
- What can you do to better care for your body’s health and your overall well-being? What should you do less of?
- Write a heartfelt letter to your body as if it were a dear and unconditionally loving friend. Imagine this friend sees all your strengths and weaknesses. What would they say about your body? How would they address your tendency to be overly critical?
- How has social media influenced your body image?
- What’s something unique that your body does for you?
- Reflect on how you respond to hunger and fullness. Is your approach helpful? Why or why not?
- What does your body do for you each day?
- Share a personal experience when your body protected or helped you.
- Plan a meal for tomorrow that will sustain your energy levels.
- Consider the negative consequences of maintaining your current habits and the potential positives of making changes.
- What are some of the kindest choices you can make for your body in the next few days?
- Journal about the statement: “I am more than a body, it doesn’t matter what I look like.”
- If you feel like things have gone off track, what can you do for yourself in the next 3 days to make improvements?
- What are three things you can do today that your future self will thank you for?
- Right now, my body needs…
- Reflect on how the media and societal expectations have influenced your body image.
Further resources
- If you’ve never journaled before, I recommend reading this guide.
- Like I mentioned, I have a podcast episode with Sophie B about journalling in recovery. Sophie has an excellent journalling book that I recommend to all my clients.
I hope the prompts I gave and the further resources help in your journey towards a more positive body image.
