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What is Body Positivity?

Body positivity refers to the assertion that everyone deserves a positive body image, regardless of how society and popular culture view ideal shape, size, and appearance. It involves loving your body and feeling good about how it looks. Depending on who you ask, body positivity can mean:

1. Appreciating your body despite your perceived flaws

2. Feeling confident about your body

3. Loving your body

4. Accepting your body’s shape and size

Body positivity can also mean enjoying the body you have and not beating yourself up over changes that happen naturally due to aging, pregnancy, or lifestyle choices.

What are the Goals of Body Positivity?

However, body positivity is not just about challenging how society views people based on their physical size and shape. It also recognizes that judgments are often made based on a person's race, gender, sexuality, and disability. Some of the goals of body positivity include:

1. Challenging how society views the body

2. Promoting the love and acceptance of all bodies

3. Helping people build confidence in and acceptance of their bodies

4. Addressing unrealistic body standards

Another goal of body positivity is to help people understand how the media contributes to their relationships with their bodies, including how they feel about food, exercise, clothing, health, identity, and self-care. By better understanding the effect these influences have, the hope is that people can develop healthier and more realistic relationships.

What is the Body Positivity Movement?

The body positivity movement is a social movement that promotes acceptance and appreciation of all body types, challenging societal standards of beauty and weight. It originated from the fat acceptance movement of the late 1960s, aimed at ending fat shaming and size discrimination. The term "body positive" gained traction in the 1990s to support self-love and reject harmful diet culture. By 2012, the movement expanded to affirm that all bodies are beautiful, gaining visibility through social media and influencing brands and media to embrace more inclusive and realistic representations of bodies.

What is Body Image?

Body image refers to a person’s emotional attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions of their own body. Experts describe it as a complex emotional experience. Body image relates to:

1. what a person believes about their appearance

2. how they feel about their body, height, weight, and shape

3. how they sense and experience their body

Positive body image is related to body satisfaction and acceptance, while negative body image is related to dissatisfaction and wanting one’s body to be different. A negative body image can contribute to body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), eating disorders, and other conditions.

What is Body Dissatisfaction?

Body dissatisfaction occurs when a person has persistent negative thoughts and feelings about their body. Body dissatisfaction is an internal emotional and cognitive process but is influenced by external factors such as pressures to meet a certain appearance ideal. Body dissatisfaction can drive people to engage in unhealthy weight-control behaviors, particularly disordered eating. This places them at heightened risk for developing an eating disorder.

What is the Difference Between Body Positivity and Body Neutrality?

Body positivity refers to having a positive view of your physical body, regardless of its shape, size, or other appearance-related attributes. It involves loving your body for what it is, even if it isn't "perfect" according to society's standards. Body neutrality is different from body positivity in that it doesn't involve always loving your body but is more about accepting it. Also, instead of concentrating on your physical appearance, with body neutrality, the focus is more on the body's abilities and non-physical characteristics.

Is Body Positivity Healthy?

Yes, body positivity is generally considered healthy. But it’s important to understand it in the right context. Body positivity isn’t just about accepting your body regardless of its condition. It’s about fostering a healthy, respectful, and appreciative relationship with your body.

Yet, it’s important to balance body positivity with a realistic perspective on health. For example, if body positivity is used to justify or enable unhealthy behaviors like poor eating habits, lack of physical activity, or ignoring medical advice, it’s not being applied healthily. The core idea is to encourage a respectful and loving relationship with the body, which includes caring for its health and well-being.

Being positive about one’s body should not lead to ignoring potential health issues related to weight, fitness, or lifestyle choices. The key is to focus on health and well-being, not just appearance, and to understand that being healthy can look different for each individual.

What Age Group is Most Affected by Body Image?

Body image starts developing in early childhood and is more intensely shaped in late childhood and adolescence (typically for females this is earlier than in males). However, body dissatisfaction can affect people of all ages with some studies showing a high prevalence in midlife (particularly in females) about aging (or more specifically, anti-aging promotion).

What Gender is Most Affected by Body Image?

Research consistently reports that girls and women experience body dissatisfaction more frequently than boys and men. However, more inclusive research shows that males and those who identify as male are also vulnerable to body dissatisfaction at similar rates to females and those who identify as females. People who identify as LGBTQIA+ are also vulnerable to increased rates of body dissatisfaction.

What is Body Dysmorphia?

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), or body dysmorphia, is a mental health condition where a person spends a lot of time worrying about flaws in their appearance. These flaws are often unnoticeable to others. People of any age can have BDD, but it's most common in teenagers and young adults. It affects both men and women. Having BDD does not mean you're vain or self-obsessed. It can be very upsetting and have a big impact on your life.

What is Body Shaming?

Body shaming involves humiliating someone by making inappropriate or negative comments about their body size or shape. As well as “fat shaming,” you may also hear negative comments if you’re underweight or about a specific body part. This type of criticism can be made to others or yourself. You may feel unhappy with your weight or how your body looks and judge yourself harshly. You may even engage in negative self-talk, such as “I feel so fat today” or “I need to stop stuffing my face with food.” The act of body shaming can be carried out in person or remotely via the internet and social media and can be done by your parents, siblings, friends, or people you’re not even close to.

Brief History of Body Positivity

The body-positive movement has gone through three waves since the mid-twentieth century:

1960s: The 1960s saw the rise of the first wave of body positivity. The 1960s’ fat acceptance movement brought to public attention the mental health issues around beauty and weight loss—including the toxicity of media beauty standards and societal body shame, the dangers of diet culture, and the prevalence of negative body images and eating disorders, especially among young women and adolescents.

1990s: In the 1990s, the second wave of the body positivity movement evolved to focus on exercise inclusivity. Proponents of the movement emphasized exercise for all body sizes and shapes and aimed to create safe, inclusive spaces where individuals of any body type could exercise comfortably without body or fat-shaming.

Modern day: In the 2010s, the body positivity movement evolved once again to respond to the influence of social media and edited photos. The movement now focuses on body functionality, self-esteem, and loving your body regardless of perceived flaws.

Signs of Positive Body Image

Positive body image means having a clear and accurate perception of your body and feeling comfortable and confident in your skin. You appreciate your body for what it can do and feel satisfied with your appearance.

Characteristics of a positive body image include:

- confidence in your appearance

- appreciation for your body functionality

- acceptance of natural body changes (e.g. aging, changing weight)

- resilience against unrealistic beauty standards

Signs of Negative Body Image

Negative body image consists of persistent negative thoughts and feelings about your body, which may manifest as shame, anxiety, or self-consciousness. It can also involve a distorted perception of your body or the idea that your appearance dictates your value. Those with high levels of body dissatisfaction are more likely to develop depression, low self-esteem, and eating disorders. 

Signs of negative body image: 

- Repetitive dieting behavior or restriction 

- Compulsive or excessive exercise 

- Valuing appearance as essential to self-worth 

- Preoccupation with thinness, muscularity, or shape 

- Body checking 

- Negative self-talk 

- Self-objectification 

- Comparing self to others 

- Avoiding situations where body image may cause anxiety

Factors that Affect Body Image

According to research, several factors can shape and influence your body image.

1. Media

Exposure to idealized body standards in media and social media can lead to unrealistic expectations and body dissatisfaction. However, the media can also promote body neutrality or body positivity. For example, body-positive social media content has the potential to improve body image.

2. Cultural and societal standards

Cultural norms and societal pressures can dictate what is considered attractive, influencing body image.

3. Family and peer influences

Family attitudes and peer comments about appearance can affect how you perceive your body. Research shows that family-based weight stigma can contribute to negative body image and less favorable mental health. For example, your family frequently criticizes or teases you because of your body weight. Experiences such as bullying and abuse can shape body image. A 2012 study linked childhood trauma and sexual abuse to negative body image.

4. Mental health

Certain mental health conditions are closely linked to body image issues. These conditions include:

- Anxiety disorders

- Depressive disorders

- Certain eating disorders

- Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)

Getting mental health treatment may help improve your body image.

5. Identity

While anybody can experience negative body image, LGBTQ+ people are more likely to develop difficulties with body image and disordered eating, according to the NEDA. It also notes that gender is also a factor. Women are more likely to experience negative body image than men.

Why Body Positivity is Important

In simple terms, body positivity helps you feel good about yourself just as you are. This is essential for a happy and healthy life, both mentally and physically.

1. Embracing body positivity can significantly boost self-esteem.

2. Many people struggle with negative thoughts about their bodies, which can lead to anxiety, depression, or eating disorders. Body positivity encourages a more compassionate and kind view of oneself, reducing these harmful thoughts.

3. Body positivity isn’t about ignoring health. Instead, it’s about pursuing health for the right reasons. When you respect your body, you’re more likely to nurture it with good nutrition and enjoyable physical activities, rather than punishing workouts or restrictive diets.

4. Society often promotes unrealistic and narrow standards of beauty. Body positivity challenges these standards, helping people recognize the beauty and worth in all body types, sizes, and shapes.

5. The body positivity movement fosters an inclusive environment where all bodies are celebrated. This reduces discrimination based on size, shape, or appearance.

6. When you’re comfortable with your own body, it can positively affect your relationships. You’re less likely to project insecurities onto others and more likely to engage in healthy, fulfilling relationships.

Principles of Body Positivity

It’s okay to have days where self-love feels difficult, and it's important to acknowledge and accept these feelings. The goal is not perfection but progress towards a healthier, more compassionate relationship with ourselves. Never forget that you are worthy of love and respect exactly as you are. By committing to the principles of body positivity, we can all contribute to a more loving, understanding, and inclusive world.

The principles of body positivity include:

1. Acceptance: Recognizing and valuing bodies of all shapes, sizes, and appearances without judgment.

2. Self-Love: Cultivating a loving and forgiving relationship with oneself, celebrating one's body and its capabilities.

3. Inclusivity: Acknowledging and respecting the diversity of human bodies, including those of different races, genders, abilities, ages, and sizes.

4. Health at Every Size (HAES): Promoting health and wellness without focusing on weight loss as a primary objective.

5. Rejecting Diet Culture: Challenging the idea that weight loss is necessary for health or desirability.

6. Holistic Well-Being: Recognizing that true wellness comes from nurturing the mind, body, and spirit, rather than adhering to societal beauty standards.

7. Empowerment: Encouraging individuals to feel confident in their skin and make choices that are right for their bodies.

8. Support and Compassion: Fostering a supportive community that uplifts everyone in their body positivity journeys.

9. Critical Media Literacy: Developing a critical understanding of how media and advertising impact body image and working to change the narrative around beauty standards.

10. Celebration of Diversity: Valuing and promoting the visibility of all body types in media, fashion, and beyond.

Benefits of Body Positivity

The body positivity movement has several benefits, including that:

1. Draws attention to beauty standards as a social construct: The body positivity movement aims to show people that modern beauty standards derive from cultural expectations rather than objective truths about bodies and appearance. This helps break down the idea that your body somehow falls short of the ideal or needs to look different to look beautiful.

2. Encourages self-love and self-acceptance: At its core, body positivity means self-love, and it can help many people achieve a positive body image—feeling more at peace with themselves and more in harmony with their body, appreciating it for its unique traits.

3. Identifies unattainable standards and goals: Many beauty standards in the media are not only unhealthy but unattainable, made possible only through digital photo editing techniques or surgeries. The body positivity movement aims to identify these standards as impossible and emphasize realistic bodies to reduce body dissatisfaction.

Criticisms of Body Positivity

The body positivity movement has drawn some criticism, including that it:

1. Can encourage individuals to ignore physical health: Some posit that extreme body positivity can enable individuals to reject professional opinions on healthcare and lifestyle, encouraging choices that can lead to health risks.

2. Continues to enforce the importance of appearance: The body positivity movement continues to emphasize appearance and body image as a vital facet of self-worth—encouraging individuals to post photos of themselves on social media sites or consider their physical traits as a pathway to self-acceptance and self-confidence. Some activists argue against this approach, instead recommending a body-liberation or body-neutrality version of self-love—which emphasizes internal traits over external ones.

3. Overemphasizes positive feelings: Occasional negative feelings are a natural part of the human experience that encourages us to enact positive change in ourselves, our situations, and our surroundings. Some researchers argue that body positivity overemphasizes positivity at the expense of important self-authenticity and desire for healthy, attainable change in ourselves and the societal system of beauty.

4. Sometimes ignores intersectionality: The body positivity movement often uses images of white women in their messaging, with an underrepresentation of people of color and other ethnicities, men, nonbinary people, and other groups.

10 Ways to Practice Body Positivity

Being body-positive encourages affirming attitudes towards your own body. Loving yourself is the greatest revolution! Many of us struggle with becoming body-positive. Below are some tips for becoming body-positive. Below are 10 tips for body positivity you should keep in mind when practicing self-care.

1. Post positive affirmations on your mirror

In front of the mirror is where we experience the most body-hate. Try posting positive notes on your mirrors, such as, “I am enough”, “Love your body”, and “You’re beautiful”.

2. Get rid of your scale

Weighing yourself can become an obsession. The scale can have power over your happiness and self-worth. The number on the scale does not define your worth, it simply tells you your relationship with the gravity of the earth.

3. If you wouldn’t say it to your friends, don’t say it to yourself

When you find yourself being critical of your body, ask yourself, “Would I say this to a friend?”, the answer will most likely be “No”. Treat your body like your best friend!

4. Learn to accept a compliment

By not being able to accept a compliment, you are putting yourself down. Avoid responding to a compliment with “Thank you, but…”. Simply showing your gratitude by responding with just a “Thank you” is enough. You may also respond by returning a compliment, however, be careful not to undervalue yourself while doing this.

5. Donate your clothing that doesn’t fit instead of torturing yourself, and buy clothing you feel great in

Experts found that we spend approximately 16 minutes on a weekday deciding what to wear. Imagine how much longer this time could be trying to pick out clothing that no longer fits. Instead of torturing ourselves with thoughts that we no longer fit into our favorite pair of jeans, donate them! Buy clothes that make you feel great.

6. Question whether body-hate is helping

Does shaming your body do anything for you? Does it make you feel better? Does it make anything change? No, it doesn’t. Why cause unnecessary stress on yourself? Ask yourself these questions out loud, you will realize body-shaming is just a waste of energy.

7. Don’t compare yourself to others, or your younger self

Everybody is different, and our bodies change significantly as we grow older. It is normal and healthy to not look like what we looked like 5 years ago. It is important to be happy and healthy in the bodies we have now. Comparing yourself to others, or even yourself, does nothing for you, so just be(you)tiful!

8. Don’t tell that friend to un-tag you in that picture

Don’t do it! Learn to accept what you look like in every situation. You do not need to look “perfect” in pictures. Even if you think you don’t look “good” in a certain picture a friend has posted of you, the people who are going to see this picture know you and know what you look like. So what’s the harm in posting a silly picture or a picture you may not completely love except for destroying your self-love?

9. Challenge the idea that thin people are happier

Do you know any thin people who are unhappy? Do you know any larger people who are happy? People can be happy or unhappy at any size. Challenge yourself to think of one thing you are happy about in your life right now, and the next time you compare yourself to others who are thinner, remember that you don’t know what they have been through or are going through.

10. Find a supportive squad to keep you positive

Surround yourself with people who are supportive and uplifting. If your friends or family body-shame themselves or others, this is your chance to educate them on being body-positive, and maybe not ask, “Does this make me look fat”, when they try on an outfit. Being around supportive people can help you feel more confident.

15 Positive Affirmations for Body Positivity

Scientists have proven that affirmations can have a positive effect on the brains of those suffering from depression. When you repeat affirmations every day, a process of re-wiring, or neuroplasticity, occurs within your brain. Repeating your affirmations can give you more strength to resist negative thought processes in upsetting situations. This may help banish negative self-talk.

Affirmations to promote body positivity could include:

1. “I respect my body for all the challenges it has overcome.”

2. “Every day, I grow more confident in who I am.”

3. “I deserve to treat myself with kindness and respect.”

4. “My body is a source of strength and resilience.”

5. “I am grateful for the unique features that make me, me.”

6. “Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes; mine is just one of them.”

7. “I release the need to compare myself to others.”

8. “I embrace my imperfections as qualities that make me special.”

9. “I am more than a number on a scale.”

10. “My body deserves love and care at every size.”

11. “I choose to see the beauty in every part of me.”

12. “Health and happiness are my priority, not just appearance.”

13. “I am worthy of love and respect, regardless of my body shape.”

14. “My body’s ability to heal and adapt is remarkable.”

15. “I am in charge of how I feel about my body, and today I choose appreciation.”

How to Find a Body Positivity Coach Near Me

Finding a body positivity coach involves several thoughtful steps to ensure alignment with your values and goals. Here are some strategies to guide your search:​

1. 1. Seek Referrals: Reach out to body-positive advocates or communities you trust. They may recommend coaches who offer virtual sessions or know professionals in your area.​

2. 2. Evaluate Online Presence: A genuine body-positive coach's website and social media should reflect their commitment to body positivity. Be cautious of content heavily focused on weight loss or "before and after" transformations, as these may indicate a weight-centric approach.​

3. 3. Assess Personal Comfort: It's crucial to feel welcomed and understood. A supportive coach will listen to your goals without making assumptions and will design programs tailored to your needs without negative body comments or food shaming.​

4. 4. Observe Initial Interactions: During consultations or initial sessions, note if the coach emphasizes performance and well-being over weight and size. A focus on quick fixes or detoxes can be a red flag.​

By following these guidelines, you can find a body positivity coach who fosters a supportive and empowering environment.

Sources:

Sofia Health

Very Well Mind

Medical News Today

NEDC

Acute

Center for Discovery

Tanner

Masterclass

Healthline

Calmerry

Butterfly

NHS

Help Guide

Medium

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