A survey finds that 80% of Americans are not happy about their appearance, thanks to the virtual imaging trend on social media. Most people find it difficult to move forward from dating sites considering their insecurities. WooPlus encourages audiences to make their mindset body positive.
Stereotypes and prejudices related to a person’s size and dating have held hands together forever. Every society has established norms for the perfect couple.
Even though it does not directly describe physical appearances, statements indicating the desired physique get thrown your way from time to time. For example, words like “tall, dark, and handsome,” “beautiful bikini body,” “beautiful abs,” zero fat,” “long legs,” etc. are considered compliments.
Sadly, they all portray a typical image, an idea far from being body positive. Instagram influencers and celebrities add up to the complexities with a physique deemed desirable in dictionaries, making dating difficult for real people.
Wait! What does Body Positive Mean?
While the term sounds fantastic and cheerful, you can move forward without understanding its true meaning.
Body positive is a movement started to break the stereotypes against plus-sized men and women. The movement sheds light on the lives of large people who face discrimination and a lot of negativity due to their size.
However, the body-positive social cause that initially aimed to empower plus-size people slowly became a more significant acceptance movement.
The movement struck the chords of reality, enlightening the world of the majority of youngsters’ insecurities about their appearances irrespective of their size, height, race, hair, etc.
Body positive movement encourages everyone to love themselves for how they look even if they don’t meet the desired norms, changing the definition of beautiful in its real sense.
But hey, can you be Body Positive and Lose Weight?
It is a crucial question, don’t you think?
Losing weight and being body positive can go two ways; why would you want to change your frame if you love it? Does trying to alter your size always suggest feeding into your insecurities? So much confusion isn’t it?!
You need to understand that Body Positive is a mindset change that modifies your size and others’ perception. And while losing weight might always seem to be a goal towards becoming more beautiful, it is the reason with which you want to lose weight. Your senses are what make you different and more body positive. Because this concept never stops you from losing weight, not quite literally.
For example, you may choose to lose a little weight to become more active and fit or because it’s suitable for yourself and not to please the eyes.
It Brings Us to how to Be Body Positive and Healthy
Being healthy is a personal choice taken for you and not for others. It is pushed by a force of self-love and not self-loathing. The thought is where the difference lies.
Now, coming onto being health conscious and being body positive at the same time. You may think of it as an oxymoron, but it is not!
Being fit and healthy is one of the most important duties that we have towards ourselves. It does not always have to be by losing weight.
A fit shape helps in increasing productivity and higher immunity. You may want to work on your strength, do Yoga to boost your immunity and flexibility, dance for your passion, eat healthy to protect your heart without losing your weight. It is crash dieting or, in other words eating disorders that result from insecurities which you need to avoid.
Being body positive tells you that there is no reason to lose weight in thirty days; it is essential to feel good each day.
Taking out some ‘Me time’ for yourself helps in being healthy and being body positive together.
Body Positivity and Feminism
Body positive movement has been associated with feminism since the Victorian Dress Reform when women 1850s to 1890s revolted against wearing corsets to modify their shapes.
The first wave started when a radio host gathered an event at Central Park New York named “Fat-in” in 1967.
The second wave in the 1990s began positive body activities for different people like Yoga for round bodies.
And finally, the third wave started when celebrities like Tess Holiday began to use social media to push the concept of body positive.
Even though being in this movement is not about a single-gender; Feminists worldwide have been the primary force behind it since women have been subjected to scrutiny almost everywhere and always. Hence the strong relation between feminism and body-positive messages.
Body Positivity vs. Self-Love
Although closely related, the concept of body-positive is beyond self-love. It aims to change the mindset towards everyone and not just for self.
Thanks to the third wave of body positivity on social media, more and more numbers of Body Positive Life Coaches are making appearances on different platforms.
Some people’s voluntary practice is inspiring many people, and most importantly, the youth who find it difficult to date because of their insecurities are getting inspired.
These people from different backgrounds help you move forward in your journey towards positivity and confidence with Body Positive Messages and various other content types.
Body Positive Mindset in Finding Love
General beliefs tell us finding love is easy when you have a hot physique, but it’s not true.
Wait; what?
Yes, we are not lying; there are so many successful couples too much in love and romantic goals despite breaking the stereotypical thinking every day.
It’s true that a typically accepted physique attracts more people but does not guarantee a beautiful relationship. Two people that go deeper than the skin can form a healthy relationship.
It is why dating sites have found so much popularity. The body-positive messages on dating sites help people connect based on their compatibility score and not looks.
The body-positive mindset helps you connect on a deeper level without feeding into your insecurities. Move past insecurities. Build confidence to find love and romance. And for a change, real love.
It is every bit possible to have a fantastic relationship irrespective of your shape & size, and there are many couples to prove that on dating sites. But what truly matters is that your mindset towards yourself.
Body positive makes you ask yourself, are you genuinely helping yourself to blossom?
Remember, confidence, intelligence, and kindness defines a person’s real beauty that cannot be washed away.
Body Positive as the New Philosophy: Summing up
True, the growing popularity of virtual reality and social media influencers are increasing insecurities, but it is not all boon but also a blessing. It depends on you what you choose to see.
The Body Positive movement has successfully highlighted so many plus-sized models, dancers, yoga experts in its wake as Body Positive Life Coach.
And it’s not just the plus size but many dark-skinned, skinny, and all those who were looked down on making inspiring stories every day now with Body Positive Messages.
Which brings us back to the question- How comfortable are you in your skin? Share your views with us on Instagram!
