12. The Ripple Effect: Six Strategies for Nurturing Body Acceptance & Igniting Positive Change

Summer can be a really challenging body image time of year. As the weather gets warmer, diet culture gets even louder and we’re bombarded with an onslaught of messaging about being “summer body ready”.

As the weather gets warmer and clothes get lighter, wearing shorts, tank tops, and bathing suits can trigger anxiety and can cause those struggling with negative body image to avoid some summer activities and experiences that should be enjoyable for everyone. And diet companies and influencers use this as an opportunity to make money off of insecurities.

The term "summer body" is completely problematic because it implies that bodies need to look a certain way in order to be able to enjoy summer. Thank you diet culture! The research is very clear regarding the failure rate of restrictive dieting.

95% of people gain the weight back in 2-5 years.

66% of those gain back even more than they lost.

Not to mention the physical and psychological harm of yo-yo dieting.

To be clear, skinny DOES NOT equal healthy and the never-ending battle to change our bodies to fit within an unrealistic thin ideal is keeping so many stuck in a losing battle and stealing precious time, energy and emotional bandwidth.

Humans were meant to come in all shapes and sizes and that’s a beautiful thing. Society still has a ton of work to do when it comes to embracing and honoring our differences, but we don’t have any more time to waste to start living life to the fullest!

It’s time to start practicing body acceptance now – in the body you currently exist in. In this episode I am diving into what body acceptance truly is and how nurturing body acceptance on your journey to creating a healthy relationship with food and your body will ignite positive changes.

Nurturing body acceptance is NOT about letting yourself go and giving up on yourself. It’s actually quite the opposite and is an act of self-care that when practiced will lead to a greater emphasis on health promoting behaviors. You will learn my top 6 strategies that will help you shift your mindset and behaviors to begin practicing body acceptance in your daily life and show you how these will be a springboard to move you toward making positive changes in your life.

Resources: **Below is the reference to a study conducted that shows how genetics are a driving factor for a person’s weight and shape.

Logel, C., Stinson, D. A., & Brochu, P. M. (2015). Weight Loss Is Not the Answer: A Well-being Solution to the “Ob*sity Problem.” Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 9(12), 678–695.