Body Positivity and the Fit Lifestyle

What I’m going to talk about today may stir up emotions for some of you, so please be forewarned!

This post is all about body positivity and body acceptance. I know this is something a lot of us are striving toward. I myself have been striving towards it for years, but it has only been this past one that I feel working towards it has truly payed off.

I know that the body positivity movement was brought about in support for body types that are marginalized. I am a slim, white female. But you know what? There are a lot of slim white females who struggle to love their bodies. You know why? Because loving your body has nothing to do with weight or aesthetics.

Loving your body comes from the inside. Not all skinny girls love their bodies, not all curvy girls love their bodies. Even the women that you think are beyond gorgeous struggle with body image.

It’s about loving and appreciating your body for all it can do.

But of course if I post a picture preaching about body positivity, everyone will wonder what the hell I’m talking about. If I advocate for it, is it going to resonate with people, or will they brush me off because I’m “toned”? Will everyone just think, “DUH – of course you love yourself. You’re fit”.

Guys, it’s not a given.

Because sadly there are lots of fit chicks out there who have unhealthy relationships with their bodies, and it doesn’t matter how good they look.

So maybe I don’t fit into the movement. But why? I learned how to love myself, from 145 lbs down to 120.  I can look in the mirror with confidence and say I’m cute with softer muscles, and I’m cute with almost abs. I’m cute. I love my body and it loves me. I accept my imperfections, in my skin and my face and my hair and my feet. I look in the mirror and I say good things to myself. I am body positive as fuck.

But I am still me, and therefore always working towards self improvement.

Wait, can I practice body positivity and still want to be “better” ; stronger, bigger?

I’m no expert on the movement, but it seems to me that many people feel that the two are mutually exclusive. You either love yourself just as you are and believe you never need to change, or you strive towards self improvement in a way that promises to change my body forever on?

I can love myself and want to work on myself at the same time. I can, you can. We all can. In my mind, self improvement is part of self love. It’s how I care for me.

In many ways it might seem that the body positivity movement and the fit lifestyle don’t mix. But I want to argue otherwise. If I didn’t appreciate my body for what it could do, I wouldn’t push myself for more. If I didn’t love my body, I wouldn’t fuel it with foods that make me feel good. I can be satisfied with my body yet still never satisfied.

I don’t have to be marginalized to understand what it’s like to not love myself and this body I was given. I know what it’s like and it took a lot of hard work to get out of that place. I am fit AND body positive.

I want to open up the floor and ask you guys, what do you think? Can I be a body positivity advocate and maintain my lifestyle? Comment below!

Thanks for reading!