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A better body image in six steps, and dieting isn't one of them.

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  Step 1: Have a bra fitting

  Get professionally fitted for a bra. An estimated 80 percent of women wear the wrong size, which makes your stomach look bigger than it is and can give you back fat!

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  Step 2: Buy new underwear

  Buy some attractive underwear. A psychologist who studied women’s underwear and its effect on their mood found that women who experimented with color and style felt sexier than those who stuck to white cotton panties.

• Tip

  Buy some body slimmers. They'll make you look thinner and better toned, and they're not as uncomfortable as your grandma's girdles.

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  Step 3: Stand up straight

  Stand up straight. It can instantly make you look 10 pounds thinner.

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  Step 4: Try positive self-talk

  Stand in front of the mirror stark naked, and acknowledge out loud what you like about your body. You’ll feel like a dope, but research shows this kind of positive self-talk works by helping you refocus on your good points.

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  Step 5: Take up yoga

  Take up yoga. Researchers at California’s Preventive Medicine Research Institute found that women who practice yoga feel better about their bodies than women who take part in other forms of exercise.

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  Step 6: Get massages

  Budget money for massages. Studies show they reduce stress and improve body image.

• Fact

  Forty percent of men have body image issues, compared with 60 percent of women.