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The Foundation of Body Neutrality

In a world full of weight stigma and body positivity movements, it might feel confusing to work on healing your relationship with your body. You may have tried healing your body through listening to those who were supposed to be authorities on “health” but later found out it was all just a marketing scheme. Maybe you found out that weight loss wasn’t the answer either because you ended up gaining it all back and then some just to be told you needed more discipline. You might feel discouraged because it feels like something has to change in order for you to appreciate your body. 

You are not alone. 

Whatever journey you decide to take to foster your relationship with your body, food, and movement is up to you. But at the very core of it all, you need body neutrality at your foundation if you want healing to occur. 

Body Neutrality is defined as having respect for your body’s existence and needs in moments when you may not feel comfortable in it or love it. Think about it… it’s impossible for anyone in the world to feel 100% positive and loving towards their body at all times. Even the Kendall Jenners of the world have days of discomfort or insecurity in their bodies (believe it or not). While the extent of this discomfort and the societal stigma may vary from person to person, the starting point of overcoming body image concerns, weight stigma, chronic dieting and eating disorders involves using flexibility and neutrality even in emotional moments. 

Body neutrality may promote functionality over beauty. However, even this might feel disheartening to some because not all bodies function the same. To reach true body neutrality, I encourage you to look even further past functionality and move toward the core basics of worthiness. What makes someone or something worthy of existence, and furthermore, respect and care? I take care of my dog every day, although he doesn’t pay the bills. I love little babies even though they don’t make me dinner after a long day at work. I even make sure to water all of my plants on a regular basis, even though all they do is exist and sometimes die (I try my best). Now consider someone with a physical disability. Is that person unworthy of body neutrality towards their legs because they may have to use a wheelchair to get around? Of course not. 

At the end of the day, the fact that these people or things exist is what makes them worthy of respect and care. Our bodies shouldn’t have to depend on a production or outcome in order to be respected for simply being. If body positivity feels too difficult at this time in your journey, start with neutrality to build the foundation of respect. 

Some affirmations that you can start with may sound like this:

• I am allowed to exist in this body.
• I am allowed to take up space.
• I will respect and care for my body at this moment, even if I am feeling emotions towards it. 
• It is a normal human experience to not feel comfortable in my body all the time.
• I am not the exception to the rule; all people are worthy of respect and care simply because they exist.

When we can sit with the basic foundation of respect for existence, we can then consider what it would look like to move towards body positivity, fat liberation, and fat justice. Instead of maintaining a culture of criticism, we can be a part of the change. 

Leah Hovel is running a Body Acceptance Group, beginning this July, to explore this topic further and offer her support to anyone who is struggling. Reach out to us to enroll at any time.