Ughhhh. Every time I’m about to talk about a taboo/controversial topic, I get a little out of sorts. But I also can’t shake it when I feel like I’m supposed to address something, so here we are. I think I’ve also been putting off topics like this one because it’s not exactly easy to compress into an Instagram caption, no matter how wordy I can tend to be on IG.
(Speaking of which, these days I’m actually reverting to enjoying short & sweet captions over long ones on Instagram, and saving the novels for here on the blog. I digress).
As a wellness blogger – even as one who promotes Food Freedom – I often find myself going against the grain of what others are saying, both in the realm of Food Freedom/Intuitive Eating, but also when it comes to things like weight loss, body positivity, etc.
Let me be clear in saying that I am ALL FOR body positivity and no matter what. Mental, emotional & spiritual wellness should NEVER be compromised by desiring to look a certain way.
But the truth is, for me personally, Food Freedom has never really been attached all that much to body positivity. I can 100% see the connection, but it’s just not a strong one for me. For me Food Freedom has always been primarily about…well, being free in the area of eating. So when I get questions about how certain things (i.e. CryoSkin, EmSculpt, Botox, etc.) relate to Food Freedom, it’s difficult for me to connect the two.
Like I said – I still totally get it. I get how and why the connection exists for many people. But I also awant to be true to myself and my own experience because I’ll always choose to be authentic over aiming to please everyone (which, plot twist, none of us will ever be able to do).
What really encouraged me to pull the trigger on writing this post was some of the responses I received to posting about a CryoSkin slimming treatment I got. Don’t get me wrong – I was SO glad to receive that feedback. I always want to remain open to learning and receiving feedback, even if it’s (constructively) critical. So please keep it coming.
The main thing it got me asking myself was, where do we draw the line? Working out every day? Wearing makeup? Fake nails? Hair extensions? Botox? Desiring to lose weight? Getting rhinoplasty? Wearing high heels? What are “acceptable” changes to our bodies and what are not? And who the heck is to determine that (for others)??
For me, it falls back to what I’m always saying on repeat. Everyone is different. Everyone is different. EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT. And these are all personal decisions. If we’re going to say things like “my body, my decision” then that should be the case across the board.
Can you change things about your body/looks and still love your body/heart/mind all the same? I say yes. And can you not change a single thing and feel the same? YES!!
I know this post might push some buttons, but I’m okay with that. We need to be more ok with having conversations about taboo topics. In a world of unfollowing what we don’t like or agree with, I think we should get better at appreciating people being their authentic selves, agree to disagree sometimes, and celebrate our different point of views.
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