Body Positivity VS Body Acceptance: Important To Understand!

Body positivity, body neutrality, and body acceptance are terms that are gaining much popularity through social media platforms. Even though these terms can sound similar, there are some differences between these terms. Whatever it might be, the core aim of these movements is to cultivate a positive outlook on the body and inculcate self-love.

In the article, you will be able to find what these terms mean and how they are different. On going further, you can find out how to practice these theories to attain a positive outlook on yourselves. Dive right into the article to find out the differences between body positivity and body acceptance!

Body Positivity: An Overview

Starting in the late 1960s, body positivity is a social movement that challenges the existing views of society on the body. According to the proponents of this movement, every kind of body is beautiful regardless of the differences in size, shape, color, tone, or gender.

The major aim of the movement is to accept the bodies as it is regardless of their differences. Body positivity advocates helping people to have confidence in themselves and criticizes unrealistic body standards set by society and culture.

The core theme of the movement is to depart from the dominant ideals of beauty and inculcate different standards of beauty.  

Benefits of Body Positivity Movement

Body positivity can foster certain benefits that can cause positive impacts on a personal and societal level. Some of these advantages are detailed below:

• Promotes self-love and self-acceptance: One of the crucial benefits of body positivity is that it can harness self-love and self-acceptance in you. The basic principle that guides the body positivity movement is to accept oneself- with all the flaws and imperfections. It encourages us to accept the differences in body features, regardless of aspects such as color, contour, complexion, size, weight, gender, etc. So when you practice body positivity, you tend to love all parts of your body regardless of its perceived flaws. This can lead to much better self-love and self-acceptance on your part. 
• Supports your mental health: Having a body-positive attitude can improve your mental health. Studies show that people who have negative body image issues tend to have higher levels of depression and anxiety. When you change the way you see your body, it can have a greater impact on your mental wellness as well. Accepting your flaws and acknowledging that everybody is different will create a sense of harmony for you. This in turn can make you at peace with yourself and your mental well-being will be improved. 

• Helps you to challenge unattainable beauty standards and goals: Another benefit of having a body-positive mindset is that you will learn to understand the unattainable beauty standards set by society. When you scroll through various social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook you can see that everyone else is beautiful and perfect except you. This is a great lie inculcated by the media and the beauty standards, you see they are unrealistic. Once you learn to have a body-positive attitude, you will naturally get the skill to challenge social media beauty standards. 

Methods to Practice Body Positivity

By adopting certain methods, you can honor your body and practice body positivity. Make sure to stick to these practices to inculcate the basic principles of body positivity. Some of the methods that assure you have a body-positive outlook are provided below:

✅ Frame your fitness goals for improving health: One of the ways through which you can practice body positivity is to evaluate how you see your fitness goals. Rather than changing the numbers on the fitness scale, the goal of your fitness schedule should be to improve your overall health. So instead of following some extremely restrictive diets and workouts, enjoy whatever you are doing. Do not put too much force on yourself to lose weight. The only aim should be to eat healthily and stay healthy. 

✅ Identify things you love about your body: You can power up your body’s positive game by finding out things you love about your body. So instead of spiraling into an endless cycle of negative thoughts, you can choose to accept the good things about your body. 

✅ Wear clothes that make you feel comfortable: Often we tend to wear clothes that don’t fit us properly. This is because we fall for unnatural beauty standards set by the society we live in. To practice a body-positive attitude, you need to start wearing clothes that you are comfortable in. If you have any dress that doesn’t fit you anymore, donate it to someone else.

✅ Ask for support: Reaching out for support can be an effective way to practice body positivity. Build a supportive community around you that can identify your strengths and motivate you. Participate in body-positive workshops and seek psychiatric counseling.

✅ Stop comparing yourself to other people: To practice body positivity, you first need to stop comparing yourself with others. Accept the fact that everybody is built differently. And start loving the way you look and act.

✅ Practice positive affirmations: One of the ways to practice body positivity is through positive affirmations. You can spell out some positive affirmations loudly every morning to yourself. Or you can post it as short messages on your mirror. Practice these affirmations daily and you will start believing those words.

Pros and Cons of Body Positivity

Like every movement, body positivity has many pros also as well as cons. Some of these pros and cons are shared below: 

Body Positivity & Weight Loss: Can They Work Together?

If you are someone who wants to lose weight, body positivity might help you. Even though this can seem a bit contradictory, by adapting certain body positivity measures you can successfully fulfill the weight loss journey. Here are some body-positive tips to lose weight.

• Go for joyful exercises: One of the basic body-positive principles is to enjoy the things you are doing. Often people tend to view exercises as punishments. This can create an enmity towards the workout and you. Choose activities that you can enjoy and at the same time helps you to lose weight. You can opt for Yoga, Dance, Swimming, Jogging, Trekking, etc as per your choice. 

• Do not restrict too much food: Fitness experts and dieticians will suggest you ditch this, or that, from time to time. But if you are planning to lose weight in a body-positive way, you don’t need to restrict food. Always choose a diet that works for you and go with it. Do not label food being good or bad. Consume every food in moderation. 

• Decide your why: Now this is an important step on your weight loss journey. Focus on the reason why you want to lose weight. Is it because you want to upgrade your health? Or is it because you want to enhance your energy? Decide your why first, and all the other things will fall into place. 

• Let go of the measurement scale: To lose weight in a body-positive way, you have to throw away that weighing scale. Instead of focusing on a number, select other ways to measure your weight loss. You can use tape to measure the waist size or how much weight you should lose to fit into one of your favorite dresses. Or you can also measure the progress by the lap reports on blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

• Get into the habit of practicing gratitude: Gratitude is important when you are attempting to lose weight in a body-positive way. Find things you are grateful for in your body. Acknowledge the duties served by your body. 

Body Acceptance: An Overview

As the name suggests, body acceptance is accepting your body as it is. In the era of diet culture, it might seem a difficult task to appreciate and accept your body. Even if you are not completely satisfied with all the aspects of your body, the body acceptance movement urges you to accept it as it is.

The prefix of body acceptance starts with an understanding of body image. Any kind of perceptions, feelings, thoughts, and behavior regarding the body constitutes body image.

Body acceptance somewhat denotes having a positive body image. Constant practice of body acceptance measures can relieve you from having negative body images. 

Benefits of Body Acceptance 

Body acceptance, in certain aspects, is more beneficial than body positivity. Here are some of the benefits of the body acceptance movement. 

• Helps you to appreciate your body and what it can do for you: When you practice body acceptance, you start to appreciate your body and its functions. More than its appearance, you tend to find out how it supports you in crucial aspects. 
• You can develop a neutral attitude towards your body: By cultivating body awareness, you can create a neutral attitude towards it. Body acceptance doesn’t impose that you have to love your body or hate your body. 
• You can change your appearance but need not go to extreme measures: One of the benefits of having a body acceptance mindset is that even if you want to make some changes in your appearance, you don’t have to go to extreme lengths for it.
• You can develop a harmonious and respectful relationship with your body: When you start practicing body acceptance, you tend to become more harmonious with yourself. Also, you start respecting your body as it is.
• It trains you in patience and mindfulness: Acceptance requires mindfulness. Body acceptance is possible through mindfulness and patience. So once you start practicing it, these skills get elevated. 

Methods to Practice Body Acceptance

By adopting certain measures, you can practice body acceptance effectively. Some of the ways through which you can attain this are listed below:

✅ Be mindful of the present moment: One of the ways through which you can practice body acceptance is by connecting with the present moment. We often tend to cultivate negative self-talk and thereby a negative body image through overthinking and mindless interaction with our surroundings. To overcome this, you have to understand what is happening in the present moment. Analyze what you are feeding yourself with and what your inner dialogue sounds like. 

✅ Acknowledge the feelings of your body: Body acceptance means acknowledging your feelings as a priority. Instead of running away from those feelings, analyze them and try to understand where they are coming from.  Always ask what your body feels instead of what you feel about your body.

✅ Practice body neutrality: One of the core methods to attain body acceptance is through practicing body neutrality. Body neutrality means you don’t have to focus on the appearance of your body, instead just be grateful for its functionalities. Having a neutral approach to bodies can pave a stepping stone toward achieving body acceptance. 

✅ Filter out your social media: We live in an age where we are mindlessly consumed by social media. It can influence our emotions and thoughts. So watch your social media feeds and what pages are you following. Look out for negative content and choose content that can motivate and uplift your senses.

✅ Be in tune and trust your body: You can attain body acceptance by trusting your body. Create a strong rapport with your body. Learn to harmonize with your body functions. Eat only when you are hungry and sleep when you are tired. 

✅ Address your own biases: While it is completely okay to have a sense of self-care and appreciation, it is also important to look outward. Make sure you are not pointing out any fingers regarding biases. Learn to silence the judgments you have towards others. Instead, try to uplift and complement other people for their achievements.

Body Positivity Vs Body Acceptance

Both body positivity and body acceptance have many similarities which makes them almost similar. But still, there are some differences. While body positivity has an extreme focus on external appearances, body acceptance defies such aspects.

More than sticking to a middle ground in a loving body, body positivity hails for an extreme kind of self-love, which sometimes can be a bit toxic. Body acceptance on the other hand doesn’t promote extreme kinds of self-love.

According to it, if you can love your body, it is good. If you are not able to, then it is also fine. More than imposing something, body acceptance wants to accept reality as it is. While body positivity wants to idolize external appearances, body acceptance doesn’t believe in any kind of idolization.

It acknowledges both good and bad about your body and understands that self-acceptance is a work in progress. 

---

Also read: Body Positivity Vs Body Neutrality: What Makes These Two Different?

---

Final Words

On going through the article, you can find the different aspects of both body positivity and body acceptance. Body positivity as a movement urges you to accept the flaws in your appearance and celebrate the diversity in bodies.

While body acceptance hails to accepting your body as it is and advises not to indulge too much in external appearances. There are many methods to practice body positivity and body acceptance.

By being connected to the present moment and practicing gratitude, you can attain body acceptance which is way better than having a body-positive attitude.