Body Image Examples
What Are Examples of Body Image?
You may have read some of our other body image blogs and gotten a good sense of how to define body image. But what does body image actually look like in real life? There are many ways people experience and display body image, but before we dive into examples, there are two important things to keep in mind:
1. Body image can look different for everyone. We might mention an example about wearing shorts, but maybe you love your legs—that’s great! These examples are meant to highlight common experiences but may not reflect your unique relationship with your body.
2. Body image exists on a spectrum. Even when we’ve done a lot of work to improve our body image, that doesn’t mean we feel great in our bodies every minute of every day. Most people experience fluctuations in how they feel about their bodies depending on a variety of internal and external factors. Some of these examples might feel relevant at certain times, and not at others.
With that in mind, let’s explore what body image can look like in everyday life. These examples are grouped by healthy, poor, and neutral body image.
Positive Body Image Examples
You feel comfortable—or even confident—wearing clothing appropriate for the occasion: a dress at a dinner, a bathing suit at the beach, shorts in summer, or a bulky sweater in winter.
You take time to appreciate what your body can do: movement, strength, healing, digestion, or relaxation.
When physical limitations or perceived imperfections arise, you can offer yourself compassion, even if you feel frustrated or upset.
You take care of your body without punishment. You can enjoy satisfying meals or relaxation, and also choose movement or nutritious food because you want to—not because you "have to."
Poor Body Image Examples
You frequently compare your body to others, sometimes focusing obsessively on parts of their body you wish you had.
Seeing yourself in a mirror or photo dramatically shifts your mood, sometimes for the whole day. You avoid activities that might draw attention to your weight or appearance.
Normal fluctuations—like bloating or minor weight gain—can send you into a spiral.
You avoid wearing certain clothes or participating in events that might highlight your perceived flaws. If you do attend, you feel self-conscious and disconnected because of your body image.
You make choices based on pressure or fear rather than intuition. For example, choosing a workout solely to burn calories or skipping a favorite meal to avoid feeling “too full.”
Neutral Body Image Examples
You find yourself alternating between healthy and poor body image days.
Some days, it’s easy to accept your body; other days, your appearance affects your mood or entire day.
Regardless of how you feel, you try to reduce how much your body image influences your behavior.
On tough days, you challenge negative thoughts but don’t always reach a place of self-compassion.
On good days, you may feel relief, but worry about how long it will last. You’re not at war with your body—but you’re still cautious.
It’s important to remember that body image lives on a spectrum. There's no finish line where you suddenly "arrive" at perfect body image and never think a negative thought again. That’s simply not realistic. Most people fall into the neutral category because body image is deeply human—it fluctuates, just like mood, energy, and confidence.
What really matters is how you respond to your body image thoughts. For example, if you think, “Ugh, I feel bloated today. I can’t wear a bikini to the beach,” but then take a breath and remind yourself, “Even if I don’t feel my best, my body is doing what it needs to do. Everyone’s bodies fluctuate. It’s okay if mine shows that,”—then you’re practicing compassionate, healthy body image.
If you find yourself stuck more often on the poor body image end of the spectrum, it might be time to seek support. Living there too often can be exhausting and deeply impact your quality of life. Therapy, supportive conversations, body-positive content, and setting boundaries around media and beauty ideals can help you shift toward a healthier relationship with your body—more days than not.