What is Body Positivity?
Written By: Heather Gerrish, MS, RDN
What is body positivity and why is thankfulness an important player in establishing this relationship?
This blog will introduce the topic of body positivity and how you can include this in your nutrition focus - yes, I said NUTRITION focus, as well as everyday life!
Why is body positivity important to include in your nutrition practice?
So often in today’s world, we are taught to view food as something else, something other than fuel or nourishment for our bodies and that can take a toll, both physically and mentally. Switching gears to focus on how your body benefits from the food choices you select as well as how it can help build us up and provide us the energy to perform and be our best provides the opportunity to view food in a different light and suddenly serves a different purpose. Food is not a punishment. Food is nourishment and fuel - we all need to eat! Thanking your body and thinking about how your food choices are benefiting not only your current self, but future self (and future goals!) is a sustainable way to keep a healthy relationship with food going and not allowing the pressure of diet culture to weigh down on your progress!
Another way to implement body positivity is to think of yourself as your own best friend.
If you saw someone inflicting harm in the form of negative self-talk, what would you tell them? Would you agree? Would you change the subject?
You likely wouldn’t tolerate your best friend talking about themselves in this way, so why would you let yourself talk about your own body in a similar way?
So how do you make this happen?
It starts with giving yourself a break. A break for trying, failing, succeeding and overcoming. A break for being human and making mistakes. A break for helping others through their struggles as you go through your own. A break for pursuing your dreams. A break for changing your mind. A break for thinking about you and your health. A BREAK FOR YOU.
After this step, think about where you are and how you got here. You have made some major changes, like BIG CHANGES. That is no small feat to overlook. You deserve to love your body!
You have stood tall (or maybe felt small) in countless circumstances that have changed you, pushed you and inspired you to become the person you are today. That person deserves someone to rely on and reflects with, that person deserves a best friend. What better person could know you as well as you know yourself? Who else understands your journey and dreams as well as you do - that’s right. YOU DO!
Becoming your best friend is a little odd to think about, but it really means that you are considering your decisions and choices as they benefit and push you towards the best version of you. What would you tell a friend if that person was in the mirror, facing you with the same question? Would you encourage them, push them and help inspire them to reach for more and tell them to be kind to themselves in the process? Probably - YES!
If you don’t treat yourself like your best friend then who is that person looking back at you? Is that person encouraging you? Are they pushing you to follow your dreams and continue to make big changes in your life and your health? If they are not doing this, then maybe consider what it would be like to be your own best friend. It doesn’t sound as crazy now...right?
Being your best friend and implementing body positivity can take some time, forgiveness and a lot of LOVE! Knowing that health is a journey and finding your routine and treating your body with respect is much different than the constant influence of society telling us one thing or another that we all are exposed to in our day to day world. Finding peace with your mind and body is HARD, but in this process finding yourself as your best friend can help along the way. These changes are not short term, you are focusing on the long term, sustainable changes that you can take with you for the rest of your life. Having a best friend (yourself!) and practicing body positivity likely won’t hurt along the way.