In the media, you will often find haters of the body positivity movement. Many of these people claim that this movement is promoting unhealthy habits, being morbidly obese, and allowing for fat to be the new standard. In my own belief, there is no reason that you cannot love your body and make changes to it at the same time. If you want to make changes in your habits or health, there is no need to hate yourself on that journey or do it for reasons that do not stem from self-love.
You can lose weight because you have gained the self-love to do it for your health and wellness rather than our society's beauty standards (plus, healthier does not always mean skinnier). You can get up and jog because it makes you feel good and strong rather than because you need your butt to look a certain way for an Instagram picture. You can love yourself on this journey, and the body positivity movement that we embrace is allowing you to do that. However, it doesn't stop at what I believe. In fact, Health.com explains that the pressure many people have to look a certain way enhances mental health problems, causes overeating in some, and is not helpful in the progress someone may make in having a healthier lifestyle. How can we make positive and sustainable changes in our own lives if we aren't doing it out of love for ourselves? - Maybe we can, but it would sure be a lot more sucky! It is okay not always to be happy with every aspect of who you are and what you look like. However, hating yourself isn't going to help you in your journey to change, but a little self-love just might.
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