Body acceptance/positivity definition
Body acceptance/positivity – these are broadly defined as a social movement recognizing that every person should have a positive image of their own body and drawing attention to how society presents and perceives corporeality.
Body acceptance- What does it mean?
The body’s positivity boils down to a positive approach to the body, regardless of body imperfections. The body positivity trend claims that human values should not be defined through the prism of external appearance, body weight, circumferences, and other features that differentiate us.
It is a term that has been heard more and more often lately. The pressure of social media can make some people frustrated that they don’t meet certain imaginary standards of attractiveness. This is especially dangerous for young people who are looking for a role model and strive for the “perfect” size at all costs. The positive change that I have noticed though is that more “popular” people are starting to share photos of their posed Instagram photos next to more realistic shots of their natural bodies. This is so important! It shows that media is not a realistic representation of human bodies. Even the models do not look like the models. We definitely need more of that!
So how do you find a balance in this?
- by promoting acceptance of your own physicality;
- by dropping unrealistic body standards;
- by changing of attitude towards physical activity and diet;
- by changing society’s approach to the body perception;
- and by accepting the natural changes associated with the natural aging of the body or the period of pregnancy;
The first reports related to broadly understood body positivity come from the late 1960s. The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance started its activity in 1969. To this day, the organization cares about educating society and draws attention to the discrimination of people due to body weight or height.
body acceptance helps to build a proper relationship with our body, which leads to finding our own identity. It determines the right attitude to diet and training, prioritizing maintaining health and overall physical fitness. It makes us realize that we are all equal, regardless of the conditions related to appearance, race, gender, sexual orientation, or possible degree of disability.
We have to start questioning unrealistic standards of female beauty. The body-positivity can be reduced to one statement that “all bodies are beautiful” regardless of size and imperfections.
Body acceptance and obesity
Body acceptance has nothing to do with promoting obesity and unhealthy lifestyles. The basis of the body’s acceptance is a proper relationship with your body and respect for other people, regardless of their differences.
It should be emphasized, however, that obesity according to ICD-10 is a disease, i.e. a disorder of the body’s functions, which is caused by pathogenic factors. It usually coexists with hypertension and type 2 diabetes, creating the so-called metabolic syndrome. Excess body weight is harmful from a health point of view. It affects the risk of osteoarthritis and largely reduces physical fitness. Therefore, obesity, like any other disease, should not be accepted but treated.
The body acceptance movement does not cut itself off from people fighting obesity. It provides psychological and substantive support in changing habits leading to improved health.
Body positivity, refers to the acceptance and respect of one’s body, in a way to protect against the dangers of eating disorders that usually come from the inability to see and accept your body as it is right at that moment.
Problems caused by poor body acceptance
Eating disorders
Body acceptance indicates that an overly restrictive approach to diet, elimination of certain nutrients, obsessive counting of calories, or chronically used energy deficit can lead to deficiencies and burden the functioning of all body systems. Avoiding certain foods, and product groups that will be subjectively assessed as unhealthy is a disorder called orthorexia. Orthorexics often give up social contacts, and family dinners or come to meetings with their own food. Orthorexia can lead to anorexia, a fatal mental illness resulting from a distorted perception of one’s own body. I think that’s a pretty scary road….
Poor self-esteem
Research indicates that the lack of body acceptance causes low self-esteem in adolescents regardless of age, gender, weight, ethnicity, and economic status. Among young people, the indicator of popularity is largely an attractive appearance. The importance of social media that is placed amongst your people has skyrocketed in the last few years.
Lack of body acceptance and Depression
Lack of Body acceptance can contribute to depression. It is worth mentioning that women are much more likely to experience depressive incidents. In the context of body positivity, it is women who are judged and discriminated against because of their appearance.
Body positivity is mainly talked about in the context of plus size. However, body positivity means accepting not only your shapes but the disproportions of the figure, e.g. larger thighs or narrower shoulders. The reason for shame for many women is cellulite, stretch marks, or a fold on the stomach. Many thin people are also ashamed of their bodies for various reasons, considering them imperfect.
Striving for the dream look, especially paid for by sacrifices and hard training, unfortunately, often does not give fulfillment, and the burdened body starts to get sick.
Conclusion
We can’t separate ourselves from the world and culture we are living in. It is influencing us and we are influencing it. We are living in a world where being slim seems to be very very important. I think we should start paying attention to what we can experience through our bodies. It is time to focus on WHAT OUR BODIES DO FOR US EVERY SINGLE DAY, instead of what they look like. We have to remember that we are more than just a body.
If we put our attention on the things we have in our lives, rather than moan about the things that we don’t have we would be more relaxed, loving, and appreciative human beings.
Everybody has a different story but YOU ARE ENOUGH so don’t compare yourself to others
Things you can do about body acceptance:
Make a list
It is hard to have a healthy body image when every day we are bombarded with messages about how our bodies are just not good enough. We are always too thin, too fat, too tall, not fit enough, and not toned enough… Spend a few minutes every day appreciating your body. Write 5 things that you like about yourself! Focus on them every day!
Surround yourself with positive people
I think your first step should be cleaning up your social media! YES! Delete all the accounts that do not serve you. Unfollow :
- weight loss accounts
- accounts that restrict any kind of eating
- accounts that make you count everything you put in your body!
- any account focusing on appearance
- accounts with progress pictures indicating that you should have more muscles and less fat
Remind yourself that many images you see on social media are filtered by Photoshop, and have manipulated poses and lighting.
Believe me, it really makes a difference when you don’t see those messages every single day, 7 days a week! You’re more likely to feel good about yourself when you are around people who support and appreciate you no matter how your body looks like.
Journaling
Do you have a journal? If not I urge you to get one. Even just 10 minutes a day spent in silence and writing makes a huge difference! You don’t have to stress about what to write. Just write whatever comes to your mind. DUMP all your worries and fears surrounding your body on paper and unload them from your brain.
Schedule time for yourself
Making time to relax, de-stress, and do things you enjoy can improve your mood, brain function, and memory.
- stretch
- go for a walk
- be creative: paint, draw, knit,
- even have a nap!
- create a mini spa; even if it is just a face mask
- read
- or sit in silence
- listen to music
- mediate
Challenge negative thoughts
Identify and challenge the thoughts that criticize your body and impact the way you feel. TONE DOWN that inner critic. We are actually in control of what we are thinking! So the moment you catch that negative thought recognize it and choose another kinder more compassionate one! It might feel hard at the start but try to repeat to yourself:
I AM GOOD ENOUGH JUST AS I AM
THERE IS NOTHING I HAVE TO FIX ABOUT MY BODY
MY BODY IS PERFECT THE WAY IT IS RIGHT NOW
Below you can download a few pages of journaling you can get for free! It hopefully will help you on your own journey if you need help with self-acceptance. I use those pages every single day.
If you are looking for delicious recipes to feed your beautiful body be my guest and root through my blog! Here are a few of my most popular on here:
This is such a great article on body positivity! I like the section where you talk about what kind of social media accounts to unfollow. Those can definitely cause some negative thinking about our bodies.
What a great post on body acceptance and practicing positivity every day. After giving birth (and not looking quite like I used to before baby!) I find reminding myself of that process of growing and birthing a child really shows how amazing and powerful my body is no matter what it looks like on the outside.