"Aren't you glorifying obesity if you say you don't need to lose weight?" The Reality: Body positivity does not "glorify" any size. It simply decouples worth from weight. You can acknowledge that obesity correlates with certain health risks without harassing individuals about their appearance. Shame is not a medical intervention.
In 2024, the word "wellness" is everywhere. From Instagram reels of green smoothies and Pilates reformers to ads for compression leggings and mindfulness apps, we are constantly sold the idea that wellness is a destination—a lofty peak reserved for the disciplined, the lean, and the "pure." "Aren't you glorifying obesity if you say you
It asks you to be a rebel. A rebel who walks for the joy of wind on her skin, not to burn off breakfast. A rebel who eats the cake at the birthday party AND eats the broccoli because both offer different kinds of nourishment. A rebel who shows up to the gym in the body they have, not the body they are waiting for. Shame is not a medical intervention
Here is the scientific reality:
But if you tie your wellness to behaviors —to sleeping, moving, eating, resting, and connecting—you win every single day. A rebel who walks for the joy of
But here lies the tension: Can you truly pursue a wellness lifestyle while also embracing body positivity? Do you have to choose between wanting to feel strong and accepting your body as it is right now?
"But my doctor told me to lose weight for my knees/blood pressure." The Reality: Weight loss is notoriously difficult to sustain. A body-positive approach would ask: What behaviors can I change that will help my knees without focusing on the scale? Often, strengthening the glutes and quads (joyful movement) relieves knee pain independent of weight loss.