Nina Kaufmann

Though it might seem so, body confidence really isn’t about meeting society’s ever-changing, toxic beauty standards or striving for perfection—it’s more about appreciating and respecting for the body you live in.
Confidence comes from learning to honor your body for what it does for you every day, rather than noticing only how it looks (and then compare that to the toxic beauty standards, never quite reaching them, always left feeling less than.) It’s about shifting your focus from criticism to care, and from comparison to gratitude.

You don’t have to change your whole life to become more confident, you can simply start with small, intentional changes that help you connect with yourself on a deeper level.

Here are 10 practical, easy tips you can try today to feel more confident in your body and embrace the wonderful, capable person you already are, and so rejecting the diet culture.

1. Wear Clothes That Fit You Well And Feel Good

Choose outfits that make you feel comfortable and beautiful. Clothes that barely fit us, or don’t feel good will never contribute to our confidence, and we spend a lot of time wearing clothes. Therefore, gorgeous, comfy clothes are a must. Let go of clothes that no longer fit you or make you feel less than amazing.

2. Reframe Negative Thoughts

When a critical thought arises, ask yourself: Would I say this to my best friend, or to anyone I love? What would you tell them instead?
If you have a moment or two, you might want to analyze where exactly does the critical thought comes from? You surely weren’t born thinking anything negative about yourself, so you must have learned it along the way. And what we learn, we can also unlearn—and prove wrong.
If you find difficult to deconstruct your thoughts on your own, you can always book a free discovery call with me, and we can work together on your mindset.

3. Pick And Choose Your Social Media Content

Unfollow accounts that promote unrealistic beauty standards. If you feel bad about the way your body looks, following 100 girls who fit the beauty standard will not help you feel better about yourself (nor will it properly motivate you—if it did, it would have by now.)
On that note, you also never know what’s happening behind the scenes—remember that social media shows only what creators want to be seen as. You cannot know how someone truly feels, if they’re struggling with food and their bodies.
Comparing your everyday lifestyle with someone’s finely curated feeds just isn’t fair to you.

Instead, fill your feed with diverse and empowering content that uplifts you, and shows you that people in all sorts of bodies and sizes can enjoy a wonderful, successful life full of love.

4. Create a Confidence Playlist

Music is powerful. As simple as that.
Make a playlist of songs that make you feel unstoppable and listen to it whenever you need a boost, preferably while dancing. In fact, try to have mini dance parties with yourself as often as possible, it will do wonders for the way you feel, immediately!

5. Fix Your Posture

Good posture can instantly change how you feel. Stand tall, shoulders back, and take up space—you deserve it. We can hardly expect ourselves to show up as our best version while crouching. Here’s a lovely, calm video that can help you attain better posture.

6. Practice Gratitude for Your Body

I’m sure you’ve learned to do a great job of scrutinizing your body, finding what’s “wrong”. It’s time to change the game. List three (or more) things your body allows you to do each day.
Focusing on function over appearance can shift your perspective. My hope is, with time you will absorb the truth that you body exists for you to live in, fully, and not simply to be an ornament.
If you’d like to dive deeper into the body respect and neutrality topic, I have a whole bonus lecture in Peace With Food covering the topic, I’d warmly recommend checking it out.

7. Move for Joy, Not Punishment

Enjoy activities that bring you happiness—dancing, yoga, a walk in nature, or gardening. Moving your body should make you feel alive, not burdened.
It’s time to shift the exercise mindset from the lies diet culture taught you, such as “no pain, no gain,” and understand that moving your body is fun, beneficial and feels good even if it’s not a rigorous exercise you can barely handle. Although these can be fun too!

To learn more about developing a healthy relationship with movement, enroll to my free course Body Positivity in Fitness: Enjoyable Movement for EveryBody

8. Experiment with Self-Care Rituals

While I do mean enjoying relaxing bath, a skincare routine, or painting your nails, I would also love to add some self-care rituals that go deeper. I would suggest trying out meditation, or any sort of calming techniques that might improve your mindfulness and help you ground.

Mindfulness and grounding techniques have no special requirements—you can simply choose to have 5-10 minutes a day where you just are. You can sit or lie down in a comfortable position, and spend a few minutes noticing your body. Notice the way your breath moves, the way every part of your body feels, breathe into each part of your body, recognizing that you belong with and in your body, and how wonderful that is.
And then take a relaxing bath 🙂

9. Journal Your Wins

Write down moments when you felt confident or proud of yourself. If possible, keep a daily list of tiny moments where you felt confident or did something brave—these tiny moments will build monumentum.
Next thing you know, you won’t be thinking “Oh, this is difficult, I can’t possibly do that,” instead, you’ll find yourself noticing “Well, I did all these other things that felt impossible and were hard, so I can handle this one as well!”

Having a list is also useful because you can always come back to it when you need a reminder of your strength!

10. Book a Discovery Call

If you’re ready to change the way you feel about your body, intuitive eating coaching is here to support you on this journey. It’s not just about what’s on your plate—it’s about healing your relationship with food, rediscovering trust in your body, and breaking free from the cycle of diet culture and self-criticism.

As I always say: Intuitive eating leads to intuitive living.

Together, we’ll explore the root causes of your struggles with food and body image, replacing restrictive mindsets with nourishing, positive (and flexible!) habits that align with your unique needs, and ebb and flow with your life. Through this personalized coaching, you’ll learn to embrace body neutrality—shifting the focus from how your body looks to how it feels and functions.
This approach fosters a deeper connection to yourself, creating confidence that goes beyond the mirror, and helps you develop consistency on your health journey!

Conclusion

Confidence is a journey, and it starts with small, intentional steps. Pick one or two tips to try today and notice how they make you feel. Over time, these practices can create a profound sense of self-assurance and joy in your own skin.