Maya froze. For years, movement had been a currency. Run for thirty minutes, earn dinner. Do a hundred crunches, deserve that slice of cake. Her body had been a machine for producing guilt or pride. Joy had never entered the equation.
Slater, A., & Tiggemann, M. (2015). A comparative study of the impact of traditional and social media on body image concerns in young women. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 44 (1), 113-124.
To promote a more inclusive and accepting wellness culture, we recommend:
In a body-positive wellness lifestyle, health is viewed holistically. It moves the goalposts from weight loss to well-being. When we stop obsessing over the number on the scale, we clear the mental space to focus on the pillars that actually improve our quality of life:
Wellness is the active pursuit of activities, choices, and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health. When you remove the pressure of "fixing" your body, you can focus on: Eating for vitality rather than restriction.
It looks like eating a slice of birthday cake at a party without calculating the calories or planning a run for the morning. It looks like going to the gym because you missed the feeling of lifting heavy things, not because you stepped on a scale. It looks like taking a rest day when you are tired and sleeping deeply, without guilt. It looks like looking in the mirror and thinking not "I look hot," but simply, "That’s me. We’ve been through a lot together."
The wellness industry has experienced rapid growth in recent years, with an estimated global value of over $4 trillion (Global Wellness Institute, 2020). However, this industry has also been criticized for promoting unrealistic beauty standards, perpetuating body dissatisfaction, and excluding individuals who do not conform to traditional notions of health and beauty (Tylka, 2006). In response, the body positivity movement has gained momentum, emphasizing self-acceptance, self-care, and self-love (Slater & Tiggemann, 2015).
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