Do you "fat talk"?

Have you ever had a “fat moment”?

Maybe it happened while you were trying on a new pair of pants in front of one of those terribly-lit mirrors in the mall. Or when a family member made a rude comment about your body. Or maybe a friend tagged you in a bad Facebook photo and you immediately untagged yourself, thinking you that you look too big/too chubby/not fit enough.

It happens to all of us: those brief little moments when, instead of focusing in on how proud we are of our efforts to eat clean, to exercise and to live a healthy life, we focus in on the way our calves look.

It’s called “fat talk”, and it can seriously derail your active lifestyle and bust your motivation to get to the gym.

So, how do you stop putting yourself down?

Change the way you talk to yourself, say the experts interviewed by Judi Ketteler in her motivational article in Oxygen’s Abs special issue (check her out on page 100! The issue goes on sale April 12.) In the article, she provides strategies for quieting your inner critic and becoming your own biggest support system – in fitness, in health and in life.

I love Judi’s tip about having a visual cue, something as simple as a sticker or a couple of words scribbled on your hand during a workout, that reminds you to switch over to positive self-talk. I have mine, “I am strong enough”, written on the inside cover of my workout journal. It’s such a small detail, but it always gives me the encouragement to stay positive and give it my all.

And here’s another tip that might help you be kinder to yourself: Instead of nitpicking at your body, find three things that you love about it. Write them down, if it helps. Is your core strong enough to hold your body in perfect form for a full minute while performing the plank? Are your legs capable of carrying through a 5K? Do your arms lift up your child 30 times a day? Focus on what you love about your body, and I’m positive you’ll get further in the gym too.

What do you love about your body?

Do you have your own motivational mantra?

I’d love to hear from you!