Body image is more than just appearance; it's about identity and self-worth. This episode looks at the four components of body image—perceptual, cognitive, affective, and behavioral—and explores how media, cultural standards, and personal experiences influence it for everyone, including women, men, and nonbinary individuals. We look at strategies for healing your body image.
Body image is more than just appearance; it's about identity and self-worth. This episode looks at the four components of body image—perceptual, cognitive, affective, and behavioral—and explores how media, cultural standards, and personal experiences influence it for everyone, including women, men, and nonbinary individuals. We look at strategies for healing your body image.
Find a full transcript here.
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Let’s talk about body image. Not the Instagram-filtered version. Not the “hot girl summer” pressure or the #gymbro hype. I mean the real, raw, internal experience we have when we see ourselves—whether it’s in a mirror, a photo, or just in our minds. Because body image isn’t about vanity. It’s about identity, self-worth, and how we navigate a world full of messages about what we “should” look like.
As a psychologist, I see every day how body image impacts mental health, self-esteem, relationships, and even career choices. And yes, while it’s often talked about in relation to women, body image affects everyone—men, women, nonbinary folks, people of every size, shade, and story.
Let’s break it down. What is body image? What influences it? And most importantly—how do we heal it?
Welcome back to Savvy Psychologist, I'm your host, Dr. Monica Johnson. Every week on this show, I'll help you face life's challenges with evidence-based approaches, a sympathetic ear, and zero judgment.
Body image isn’t just how you look—it's how you think and feel about how you look.
According to Cash & Pruzinsky (2002), body image has four key components:
In other words, body image is a complex psychological experience that shapes how we move through the world.
What Impacts Body Image for Women?
Let’s keep it real: women are bombarded with body messages from the moment we’re old enough to watch a Disney movie.
Here are some common factors:
Media & Social Media
Research shows that exposure to idealized images increases body dissatisfaction, especially among young women (Fardouly et al., 2015). Instagram, TikTok, and even seemingly “body positive” spaces can be minefields. One minute you're feeling fine, the next you're spiraling because a 22-year-old influencer just had twins and looks like she’s never tasted a carb.
Cultural & Racial Standards
Let’s talk intersectionality. Black and brown women often navigate multiple beauty standards. While some cultures celebrate curves, others penalize them. Colorism, texturism, and Eurocentric beauty ideals can lead to internalized shame (Awad et al., 2015). It's exhausting trying to meet beauty ideals that were never made with us in mind.
Diet Culture
Diet culture teaches us that thinness equals health, success, and desirability. It’s a multi-billion dollar industry built on making us feel “not enough.” And the worst part? It’s masked as “wellness.”
Family & Peer Messages
Comments like “You’ve lost weight—you look amazing!” or “Are you really going to eat that?” leave deep imprints. Our earliest relationships set the tone for how we value our bodies.
Puberty, Pregnancy, and Menopause
Women’s bodies change. That’s not a flaw—it’s biology. But many women struggle with each stage of physical transition because we’ve been taught to fear weight gain and wrinkles more than global warming.
And I’m not forgetting about my bros. Yes, men have body image issues too—big time. But they often suffer in silence because it’s not “manly” to talk about it.
Muscle Dysmorphia
Also called “bigorexia,” this is a subtype of body dysmorphic disorder where men (and some women) feel they’re not muscular enough. It’s on the rise, particularly with the popularity of fitness influencers and steroid culture (Pope et al., 2000).
Media Standards
The male ideal has shifted from lean to shredded. Think Chris Hemsworth in Thor. Men who don’t fit this mold may feel insecure, especially younger guys exposed to “fitspo” culture.
Stoicism & Shame
Men are less likely to seek help for body image concerns due to societal norms around masculinity (Griffiths et al., 2015). They may internalize shame, turning it into overexercise, restriction, or even substance use.
Balding, Aging, Height
These aren’t often talked about, but they matter. Height and hair are heavily tied to social perceptions of male attractiveness, leading some men to feel inadequate or invisible.
And last, but not least, trans and nonbinary folks often experience more intense body image struggles, especially when dysphoria is involved. The body can feel like a battleground.
According to McGuire et al. (2016), transgender individuals report higher rates of body dissatisfaction and eating disorders. Lack of access to gender-affirming care only worsens this issue.
Queer folks in general face dual pressures—meeting societal beauty norms and navigating standards within LGBTQ+ communities (e.g., "twink," "bear," "femme").
Let’s get into the good stuff. Healing body image takes time—but it's absolutely possible. And no, it doesn’t require loving every inch of your body every day. Sometimes it just means choosing not to wage war with yourself.
Here are evidence-based strategies that actually help:
1. Challenge Body Image Thoughts with CBT
Identify core beliefs (“I’m disgusting”) and examine the evidence. Where did you learn that? Is it fact or fear? Replace it with something more compassionate, like: “My body is worthy of care.”
You may want to try this CBT exercise instead:
Write down three body-related thoughts per day and dispute them using evidence, logic, or self-compassion.
2. Limit Body Checking & Comparison
Mirror-checking, constant weighing, and comparing yourself to others increases dissatisfaction (Walker et al., 2012). Instead try this:
Take a 7-day social media break or curate your feed to only include body-neutral or body-diverse creators.
3. Adopt Body Neutrality, Not Toxic Positivity
You don’t have to go from “I hate my stomach” to “I love my stomach.” Body neutrality encourages you to focus on what your body does for you, not just how it looks.
4. Practice Embodiment
Yoga, intuitive movement, dance—these practices reconnect you with your body in ways that aren’t about appearance. Research shows they reduce body shame and improve satisfaction.
If you take one thing from this post, let it be this: your body is not a project to be perfected. It’s a home, a vessel, a living breathing miracle that has carried you through every joy and every trauma. And while society might try to convince you that self-worth comes in a size 4 or with abs of steel—I promise you it doesn’t.
We don’t heal our body image by shrinking ourselves or scrolling for validation. We heal by seeing ourselves through a kinder lens. By honoring our bodies, not just as objects, but as partners in our life’s journey.
You’re allowed to take up space.
You’re allowed to change.
You’re allowed to rest.
You’re allowed to love your body—or even just make peace with it.
Whatever step you’re on in your journey, you’re not alone. Healing is possible.
What’s a strategy that’s helped you get a better relationship with your body? Let me know! You can contact me via Instagram @kindmindpsych or via my email at psychologist@quickanddirtytips.com.
The Savvy Psychologist is a Quick and Dirty Tips podcast. It's audio engineered by Steve Riekeberg. The Director of Podcasts is Holly Hutchings. Our Podcast and Advertising Operations Specialist is Morgan Christiansen, and Nathaniel Hoopes is our Marketing contractor. Follow Savvy Psychologist on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. That's all for this episode of Savvy Psychologist. Thanks for listening! I'll see you next week.