There seems to be a movement of larger individuals being big and proud. According to wikipedia this is referred to as fat acceptance. The counter is that it isn’t healthy to be overweight, so why do people promote a larger body type? I have been watching The Bold Type, a show about a fashion magazine, supposedly based off of an editor in chief at Cosmopolitan magazine. One episode features a body positivity story and one board member doesn’t want to promote images of overweight people who are happy in their bodies, while the Editor sees the value in it (unfortunately I forget her comeback).

I have struggled with this dichotomy my whole life, but as I wrote yesterday, I strongly believe that the best attitude is to come from a place of love. I know and have heard so many more stories of people who do all the things right but are still technically overweight. Going through life hating yourself does no one any good. Furthermore, even if you can and do lose weight, lasting change is far more likely if it comes from that place of love and compassion.

Here is one definition of Body Positivity:

Body positivity is a social movement rooted in the belief that all human beings should have a positive body image, in doing so it challenges the ways in which society presents and views the physical body. The movement advocates the acceptance of all bodies no matter the form, size, or appearance. The goal of the movement is to address the unrealistic beauty standards and to build the confidence of oneself and others.^[1] The body positivity movement addresses the unfeasible about self-acceptance, beauty, and self-esteem.^[2] The movement sets forth the notion that beauty is a construct of society, and poses that this construct should not infringe upon one’s ability to feel confidence or self-worth.^[3] The idea surrounding the body positivity movement is centered around the notion that people need to love themselves to the fullest, accepting their physical traits.^[2]
Body positivity has roots in the fat acceptance movement as well as the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance.^[4] Body positivity differs from fat acceptance in that it is all encompassing and inclusive of all body types and body shapes, whereas fat acceptance only advocates for individuals considered to be obese or overweight.^[5] The movement makes clear that neither fat-shaming nor skinny-shaming^[6] is okay, and that all body types can and should be celebrated.^[7] Body-shaming of all types has been shown to yield detrimental long-term psychological effects such as negative body image, depression, anxiety, as well as eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and body dysmorphia.^[7] The shift of fat activism from a niche movement to a mainstream platform, activists recognize that size is just one of the many ways that our bodies are judged by other. The movements is working with fat acceptance, racial justice, trans and queer inclusivity and disability.^[8]

~ Wikipedia