How to Ditch Body Checking
As alarming as this data is, you can recover from chronic body checking. Let me be clear that if you think this is part of a diagnosed or undiagnosed eating disorder, or are also struggling with disordered eating, please seek help. You don’t need to be “sick enough” to get support.
Project HEAL may have a program that can support you. A good first step might be to join a free eating disorder support group to connect with others who are struggling.
In addition to professional mental health support, here are a few strategies you can use to minimize that compulsive urge to body check and begin to cultivate a healthier relationship with yourself.
Notice which factors influence you to start body checking.
Pay attention to the environments, circumstances, interactions, or platforms that trigger this behavior. For example, does scrolling on social media incite the urge to body check?
If so, consider creating boundaries for your screen time or curating your feed to get rid of anything that might be difficult for you to consume. (Have you ever considered deleting social media altogether?)
Ask yourself some questions to help redirect the behavior.
Tune into the thoughts, emotions, or self-talk narratives that arise when you’re body-checking. Here are some questions you can start with:
What am I looking for in my appearance?
Have I changed at all since the last body check?
What thoughts come up with this behavior?
Are these thoughts helpful or self-critical?
Are these thoughts accurate or deceptive?
Does the urge to body check shift based on my answers?
The more conscious you are of these false beliefs, the easier it will be to reframe them. Most importantly, this can help you choose a different, more compassionate, or neutral course of action instead.
Practice a “substitute behavior.”
One of the most effective ways to change a harmful behavior is to replace it with an alternative that isn’t rooted in the same fear, trauma or shame. This new “substitute behavior” should be easy, accessible, practical, and function as a positive distraction from the habit you want to quit.
For instance, the next time you feel tempted to body check, take three slow, deep, intentional breaths to decide if you want to take that action or not.
This takes practice and awareness that may be difficult to build—but it’s not impossible! Meaning that if this is hard to do at first, give yourself grace, it will come in time.
Consider talking to a licensed mental health professional.
If you need more help or accountability to overcome this behavior, please ask for help. Eating disorder- or body image-informed 1:1 therapists can be a good first step toward exploring what’s driving this behavior and likely others that you’re engaging in as well. You can search on PsychologyToday for an eating disorder therapist in your area.
