Body Neutrality?

I’ve been waiting for this:

Basically, a lot of the loudest voices from the overweight “body positivity” and “health at any size” community are quietening, mainly because they’re all on Ozempic now.

I understand the drama: they said to accept your body, then they jumped on the first seemingly easy way to change their own. But, I’m also glad they’re trying to become not-obese. (Many now admit they were pre-diabetic and had a host of health problems. Shocker.)

But I also don’t love the replacement: body neutrality. It’s defined in the above article as: “…a middle ground between loving and hating your body—it’s about acceptance without trying to change.”

That’s a mixed bag. Sure, if you’re a guy who’s been training his calves hard for 10 years with specialized programs and they’re still small, maybe it’s time to admit that the genes just aren’t in your favor. Just be neutral about your calves. (No one cares anyway.) But if you have 25 pounds to lose, that’s not something to be neutral about.

What do you think?

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I think being fat is hard. Being fit is hard. People choose different hards for different reasons.

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I’ve been quite fat and quite fit at different times in my life. Being fit is overall easier and more enjoyable than being fat. Fit is a different kind of hard, but overall makes life more enjoyable.

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The more I think about it, the more it makes sense. Body neutrality. There’s no need to love or hate the body. The body is simply a manifestation of our habits. Similar to what Aristotle wrote about virtues simply being a manifestation of habits. In turn, to fixate on the body is to miss the point. The body is simply a reflection of the habits we’ve developed and engaged in.

Focus not on the body, but on how it got to where it is. It’s not “I hate that my body has 25lbs of fat on it”, but “I hate that I keep doing the things that got me here”.

Similarly, if the body is “good”, let’s spend more time reflecting on the positive habits that got us there, vs just “what a good body I have”. This also helps for those that are genetically blessed vs not. Some folks are just gonna look awesome no matter what they do, and for them to celebrate that victory isn’t making much sense. They can still reflect on their habits and think “I should still eat better and train”. And those that are genetically doomed can still take solace knowing “I’m doing the things that are right for me: this is simply what it has gotten me”.

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Dan Duchaine used to take bodybuilders to Tijuana for calf implants

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I think acceptance and how its used is often misunderstood.

People interpret it to mean that the subject (overweight people) want to be accepted.

I understand it to be the opposite of denial, and an internal state of being, rather than an external social status . Like if an alcoholic were to be resistant to the idea that what they were currently doing (drinking), is harmful they would be in denial.

Then when they decide to do something about it they have reached some level of acceptance.

Same with weight. People who would love to believe its what ever they want it to be, and do, are in denial.

When they finally come to terms with their state, that is acceptance.

It has nothing to do with whether others like them or fat people, and everything to do with their own internal emotional state with regard to their physical state.

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I love this. And I think the idea can help people stop overthinking the labels regarding body image.

At the same time, if you’ve put a lot of effort into your body and generally like the way it looks, why not enjoy it? The good news is, you can do that without becoming an activist for a movement that forces other people to tell you you’re beautiful regardless of what they really think.

My husband once said, “When you’re 80 you’re going to wish you’d spent more time naked when you were 30.”

I think he said that back when we had a podcast. And it’s a good point. Because it would be sad if, decades from now, we look back at our old pictures and wish we had spent more time enjoying what we could be enjoying right now.

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Leftoids have to push back against any societal norms or mores because they’re miserable malcontent cretins.

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It should definitely be enjoyed. I apologize if I communicated otherwise. We should absolutely enjoy the fruits of our habits: I’m saying that, as far as what we love vs what we hate, the focus should not be on the outcome of the habits, but on the habits that produce the outcome.

Enjoy the outcome: celebrate the habit.

EDIT: At the risk of bloviating, I’m going to extend the analogy to money.

Having a lot of money is awesome. If one has a lot of money, I hope they are able to enjoy it. However, if someone has a lot of money because they inherited a fortune or won the lottery, these aren’t habits worth celebrating, despite the outcome. I’ll definitely appreciate the good fortune that person has to be blessed with such luck, but I won’t find them worth imitating. But if someone can by their fortune by means of sweat, toil, smart investments AND some luck, those habits should be celebrated WHILE the money is enjoyed.

Money neutrality. I don’t hate the amount of money I don’t have or love the amount I do: but I will enjoy what I can and celebrate how I got it.

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They’re a perfect example of external manifestation of inner turmoil.

Like, if one finds something offensive, maybe its them that has the problem, not the target of their ire, right?

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I see this as just another opportunity for people to do nothing and still be unhealthy. It allows people say the are being body neutral and therefore they don’t need to change any poor habits.

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No need to apologize! You communicated it perfectly, and added even more good stuff in this post as well.

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This is a woman problem. Fat men didn’t cry when they were called fat asses.

No matter how in or out of shape ive been, i am body negative. If im lean, im too small. If im big, im too fat. It stems from a general self hatred.

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10000 %… all with zero self awareness

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