Instead of making a resolution to lose weight this year, consider resolving to work on accepting and caring for the body you actually have, with its natural size and shape! This approach is healthier physically and psychologically, and unlike weight loss, it’s sustainable long term. It has the benefit of being contagious, too: people who’ve begun to make peace with their bodies give implicit permission to others to do the same. It’s a cooperative (inter- and intra-personally) and non-competitive approach, so it’s healthier relationally as well. Win-win-win.
Here are some ways to work on body acceptance:
reassess the media you consume. is thinness glorified? white/european features? does it make you feel better or worse about your own body?
follow media that celebrates diverse bodies (incl. gender expressions and (dis)abilities)
read literature that takes a critical view of mainstream weight science and popular beliefs about body size (my incomplete resource list, and this more comprehensive list)
think critically about the diet culture we live in, journal or blog about your thoughts and observations, incl. how it affects you personally
get rid of clothes that are too small or aren’t comfortable! as your budget allows, buy and experiment with clothes that feel good on the body you have right now
cover your mirrors for a while and process your feelings around that experience. do you feel freer? more anxious? both? why?
learn about the ways in which systems of oppression inform and affect your body image. maybe start with the writings of bell hooks, sara ahmed, simone de beauvoir, this bridge called my back, naomi wolf’s the beauty myth, my body image group, and [other suggestions?]
If you’re not ready yet to give up the goal of weight loss, you could incorporate some of these for a gentler approach. Making peace with your body takes patience, intention, and self-compassion. I hope this year brings them all in greater measure. <3
