We’re sure you’ve heard the terms body positivity and body shaming more times than you can count on your hands and feet, but have you heard of body neutrality? Unlike body positivity and body shaming, body neutrality doesn’t compare yourself to others. It also values function over form, so, getting a stronger upper body instead of losing arm fat. Here’s how to start practicing it.
Cultivate Awareness
Practicing body neutrality is a process, and you have to start by noticing that you’re judging your body. This awareness allows you to shift your focus into a more neutral way of seeing your body.
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Find Exercise You Love
Body neutrality will only work if you find an exercise you really like. It may take time to find workouts that are fun for you or instructors that motivate you.
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Saturday Stretch . . I tried something new the other day and signed up for a celebrity fitness instructors online workout platform because I was curious and wanted to do something different. I got 7 minutes into the 40 minute class and then hit the quite button and canceled my subscription. Don’t get me wrong I am not usually a quitter, but… . . Fellow fitness professionals, negative rhetoric surrounding our bodies and how we exercise them is toxic. For example no one needs to hear things like, “despite your genetics 🧬 I can give you the long lean lines you always desired” or “sweat is where your bikini 👙 body is built”. In fact anything that implies you are not enough exactly as you are before you started your workout is complete CRAP 💩 in my humble opinion. . . Don’t get me wrong, I am not trying to hate on the idea of having aesthetic goals in fitness. I think there can be a time and a place for that. But also let’s not place that pressure on everyone who wants to exercise and be healthy right off the bat. . . Also, let’s be realistic and make more space in our industry/society for what constitutes “beautiful” and “fit”. There are SO MANY different ways that can look. But when you search “celebrity Instructors” most of them look just ONE way. Why are we all killing ourselves to look just one way?!? . . Also maybe we should focus less overall on how people look and focus more instead on how they feel after they workout! … isn’t the point of exercising to feel good and connected inside of your own mind and body? . . Also, can we PLEASE acknowledge that life is a journey and that your body is CONSTANTLY changing. Like you are never physically exactly the same two days in a row. Aging and transformation are acting on all of us constantly. Hormones, stress, sleep, and what you eat all play a huge role in how you look and how you feel day to day. . . All that to say, let’s be kinder to ourselves. But also let’s demand more consciousness from our industry and hold the people that use negative body image and shame as part of their programming accountable. There is enough chaos happening in the world right now. No one needs to be shamed into exercising.
A post shared by Kyle Georgina Pilates (@kylegeorginapilates) on Aug 8, 2020 at 7:20am PDT
Seek People With Different Bodies
Stop following cookie-cutter influencers and start following people with different body types. Also, try and join classes that have people with all different shapes and sizes.
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My fat disabled body is beautiful Even when I don't feel beautiful I struggle with feeling neutral about my body let alone beautiful. I don't conform to most of the typical beauty standards. I have scars, I'm fat, I'm disabled, I have muscle wastage, and I always have bruises (shout out to the big contusion on my hip right now). On top of not fitting the ideal, I also struggle to love my body because it rebels so much. Joints dislocate, organs have ruptured, my heart has a floppy valve, and my immune system is in the bin. So what do I do? How do I build myself up? First I take care of my body the best I can. I take my medication, I eat how I'm meant to, I do my physical therapy, and rest when I need. I take care of my mind by going to therapy and practicing mindfulness. I can build on those things. The more confident I feel in my body and mind the better I feel I look and the more able I am to look in the mirror and tell myself I'm beautiful. It's something I'm working on, some days I wake up feeling like a cave troll some days I feel pretty. I'm working towards feeling neutral instead of cave troll. For better or worse my body carries me through this world and for that I should try to show it more love. What do you do to improve your body image? . . . . (ID: Julia in their black active user wheelchair against a brick wall. They are wearing a black tank wrap dress and a black and gold Magen David necklace. Thier purple hair is in a messy bun and they are smiling big. End ID) #BodyNeutrality #BodyPositivity #DisabledAndCute #BabeWithAMobilityAid #WheelchairFashion #PlusSizeFashion #ChronicIllnessLife #ChronicPain #ChronicIllnessBlogger #EhlersDanlosSyndrome #SIJointDysfunction #SubacuteCombinedDegeneration #Immunodeficiency #ZebraStrong #WhereTheTiredGirlsAre #JeWitch #LoveTheSkinYoureIn #BuildALadder #RadicalSelfAcceptance #BodyImageMovement #EmbraceYourCurves #NonBinary #DisabledLooksLikeMe #DisabledPeopleAreHot
A post shared by Julia (@juliarpga) on Aug 8, 2020 at 12:49pm PDT
Set Functional Fitness Goals
Start setting goals based on what your body can do instead of focusing on losing weight or changing your appearance. Your goals should inspire you instead of making you feel guilty. Try setting goals for reaching a PR or running a certain amount of miles.
