Practice saying: "My body is the vessel for my life’s work" or "I deserve to take up space."
Shame does not lead to weight loss. In fact, studies from the University of Pennsylvania show that weight stigma leads to increased calorie consumption, decreased exercise motivation, and elevated cortisol. Shaming a person about their weight makes them less healthy, not more.
We were taught that wellness was a number on a scale, a clothing size, or a strict regimen of punishment. But true wellness isn’t about shrinking your body to fit a mold—it’s about expanding your life.
You are not a project to be completed. You are a body to be cared for. And that, above all else, is the truest wellness of all.
Embracing a body positivity and wellness lifestyle is a journey, not a destination. It's a journey that requires patience, self-compassion, and self-love. By prioritizing self-care, nourishment, and self-love, individuals can develop a more positive relationship with their bodies and cultivate a balanced and healthy life.
This synthesis manifests in practices like (eating based on hunger and fullness cues rather than external diet rules) and joyful movement (choosing physical activities based on pleasure rather than punishment). Both of these wellness strategies are rooted in body positivity principles. For example, a wellness lifestyle might encourage a person to train for a 5K to build cardiovascular endurance and reduce stress. A body-positive lens simply adds that this goal should not require the person to hate their current body or starve themselves in the process. The focus shifts from changing the body’s appearance to improving the body’s function and feeling.
The problem isn't wellness. The problem is —the commodified, perfectionistic, appearance-obsessed version that equates moral virtue with kale smoothies.
What are you writing for? (e.g., busy parents, young adults, beginners)
Instead of focusing on what to cut out of your life, focus on what you can add. Add more colorful vegetables to your plate, add more hours of restful sleep, or add more laughter to your week.
A frantic, "no days off" mentality is a hallmark of toxic wellness. A sustainable, body-positive lifestyle honors the body’s innate need for rest.