Celebrating Different Body Types And Diversity

Why is there so little diversity and acceptance of body weight? Why is the ideal of slenderness pushed and seen everywhere? Why can't we appreciate our amazing bodies in all of their forms just for being the mechanics that allow us to move, breathe, and live? What is it that we need to learn about ourselves?

We do not always have control over our body weight.

There is a widely held misconception that losing weight is all about self-control and motivation. This is despite the fact that research plainly shows that weight regulation is extremely complicated. Internal elements such as heredity, hormones, neurotransmitters, and satiety-signaling are involved, which, when combined with external factors such as environment and circumstances (stress, financial, family, divorce, loss...) make weight no simpler to regulate than skin color or eye shape.

Body Image Struggles Are Caused by a Lack of Body Diversity

The fact is that there is no such thing as a bad body. Yet, comparing a woman's body type to the one body image ideal that is touted as desirable might be a trigger for bad body image.

According to research, women are more vulnerable to repeated exposure to slimmer bodies, which can lead to reduced self-esteem, poorer emotions, and general body dissatisfaction.

Women's bodies get objectified when just one body type is praised, and beauty is elevated as the most essential thing to be cherished. This can lead to a harmful mentality in many women, especially those who are predisposed to mental problems such as eating disorders, mood disorders, or anxiety disorders.

BMI (body mass index) and Health

Is a slimmer physique genuinely healthier? Excess weight is associated with an increased risk of chronic illnesses, but so is a lack of exercise, excessive stress, excessive alcohol use, smoking, poor-quality food, a lack of sleep, and loneliness. Why aren't these issues addressed? Why do we place so much emphasis on weight when there are so many other beneficial adjustments, we can do to protect our health? We need to stop equating "health" with weight and instead focus on simple healthy practices that are simple and easy to implement.

Self-image

This is when we actually are our harshest critics. We are quite tough on ourselves. The French have a lovely saying "bien dans sa peau", feeling well in your skin. We all deserve to feel good about ourselves, regardless of our weight. This is considerably more difficult to achieve in a culture that emphasizes slimness and caters to only one body type.

And our reaction? Instead of howling in fury at the utter unfairness of it all, we put our lives on hold and embark on punishing diets and rigorous exercise regimens. We promise ourselves that after we reach our weight reduction objectives, we will buy new clothing and start "living" again. A cycle that sets us up for failure and even more self-loathing while also laying the groundwork for an unhealthy connection with ourselves, our food, and the scales. We need to be more mindful.

Challenge Yourself

We must confront the concept that thinness is synonymous with health—a simple perspective that ignores the reality of body size and type diversity, which varies by origin and ancestry—and embrace a more holistic and weight-inclusive understanding of health.

Perhaps we should start appreciating bodily variety rather than starving it. We may begin to move towards a more sustainable, inclusive atmosphere that acknowledges the genuine potential of all persons, regardless of body size, by utilizing non-stigmatizing pictures in presentations, avoiding harsh body criticism with friends, and mindfully adopting polite wording. Challenge yourself to self-aceptance.