How Body Image Impacts Sex Lives

How To Resolve Unequal Sexual Desire

How body image impacts sex lives confirms that how you feel about your body is key to your sexual wellbeing since body image is a big part of sexuality. For example, if you don’t feel comfortable with your body as it is, you won’t feel comfortable sharing it with someone else. So, read here how body image impacts sex lives. Along with five positive body image strategies you need to heat up your sex life.

Weight Loss

Weight loss may help give you a more positive outlook on your body. And this could bring big gains in the bedroom according to a US study.  In the study, obese individuals who slimmed down enjoyed enhanced sex lives, on top of feeling healthier.

The objective of the study was to understand obese people’s sexual quality of life. And subsequently the impact of any weight loss on their sex lives.

Therefore the study covered factors such as feeling sexually unattractive, lack of sexual desire, and reluctance to be seen undressed. As well as difficulty with sexual performance, avoidance of sexual encounters, and lack of enjoyment of the sexual activity. But after both men and women in the study lost 13% of their initial body weight, their sex lives improved substantially.

The researchers concluded that the improvements in the quality of sexual life, and most health issues, were directly related to weight loss.

Health and Fitness

While weight loss may help give you a more positive outlook about your body. On the other hand, regular exercise and eating healthy can also help improve your body image. The following tips will put you on the right path:

Healthy eating

The simple formula for healthy eating is to eat clean foods. This means eating natural foods that haven’t gone through processing. Such foods are whole grains, fatty fish, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds dairy, poultry, eggs, meat, and plant oils.

Exercise

A good exercise that leaves you feeling relaxed and strong is likely to enhance your mood for sex. For example, an hour of jogging or walking 5 days a week will pump your heart really well. Although even better if you can do more by working with weights and including other sports you love and enjoy.

Remember to add the goodness of water into your wellness routine. Drink plenty of water. Don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink water. Because by the time you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated. Hence, if you’re exercising, drink before, during, and after exercise.

All in all, when you are fit and in good health, saying yes to your spouse’s sexual advances becomes natural. And for you to be in good health is not only to be the right weight. But also to eat healthily and exercise, amongst other healthy living measures.

Personal Hygiene

How body image impacts sex lives is equally linked to personal hygiene. Why? A daily personal hygiene routine affects your confidence and how you feel about yourself during sexual activity. One major factor that may kill body image and sexual activity is body and mouth odor. The most put-offs are the groin, vaginal, mouth, feet, and armpit odors.

You can do a number of things on your own to reduce these odors:

• Bathe daily. Regular bathing helps keep the number of bacteria on your skin in check.

• Treat vaginal infection. See your doctor for any sign of abnormal discharge from your vagina.

• Oral care. This includes twice a day brushing, flossing after a meal, mouth wash and drinking plenty of water.  

• Dry your feet thoroughly after you bathe. Microorganisms thrive in the damp spaces between your toes. Use OTC foot powders to help absorb sweat.

• Change your socks often. Change socks once or twice a day, drying your feet thoroughly each time. 

• Air your feet. Go barefoot when you can, or at least slip out of your shoes now and then.

• Apply antiperspirants nightly. At bedtime, apply antiperspirants to sweaty palms or soles of the feet.

Attitude

Your attitude about sex is in finding your own comfort level in sexual activity. This means being very open and comfortable about your sexuality. It’s a crucial strategy in an age of social media bubbling with explicit information on the best way to unleash your sexual drive. Unfortunately, a chunky part of this advice may lower your confidence. Particularly when your body image doesn’t fit into the popular norm on social media.

As a result limit your information search to trusted sites like health professionals, family planning organizations, and government agencies. These bodies provide information that will promote safe, happy, and healthy sexuality throughout your lifetime. 

Self-Love

Nothing beats the strategy of self-love in promoting good body image. The reality is that loving yourself is seeing the goodness in you, and celebrating your body. Similarly, you overlook all the perceived imperfections and embrace the “totality” of you. Lastly, when you love yourself, it promotes a good body image which then makes a sensual sex life a walk-over.

Bottom Line

How body image impacts sex lives presented weight loss, health and fitness, personal hygiene, attitude, and self-love as body image enhancers. But remember that the two most important factors are exercise and healthy eating because they are great mood enhancers. And of course, you need to be in the best mood to turn the heat up on sex.

Photo Credit: Creative Commons

https://www.thewomens.org.au/health-information/sex-sexuality/our-sexuality/your-sexual-attitudes