MAKE THIS LIST

You’re looking forward to a family reunion at the beach, but you’re beating yourself up over gaining a few pounds: I look terrible in a swimsuit…people will stare. Selfcritical thoughts are hard to turn off because we’ve been repeating them for years, says body-image coach Laura Fenamore, author of Skinny, Fat, Perfect.

Instead of criticizing your body’s form, celebrate its function. “You’re living and breathing every day, so ask yourself: What is working?” says Fenamore. Focus on the fact that your waist can bend to hug your grandchildren, your eyes can drink in the tulips outside or your hands can flex to mix your famous banana bread batter. The key is to find new things to add to your list every day. “By stretching your mind, you start to value your body more and more,” she says. “We can change the story we tell ourselves about our body at any point—every moment is an opportunity to begin again.”