Body Positivity vs Body Respect, What’s the Difference?

Back in July, I spoke with Salma Dinani on the Realistic Nutrition Podcast and she taught me about body positivity vs body respect. It was such a mind-blowing conversation about diet traps, body appreciation, and we also talked about reasons to workout (that’s not about weight loss).

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Body Positivity vs Body Respect

Don’t miss out on the conversation. Subscribe to The Realistic Nutrition Podcast on your favorite listening app.

Do you know the difference between body acceptance, body positivity, body respect, and a positive body image? Before my interview with Salma, I had no idea. I’m going to break this down in this blog post but be sure to listen to the podcast above.

What is Body Positivity?

Did you know that body positivity is a term used incorrectly most of the time?

Body positivity isn’t about “here’s my body in its glory with my rolls and muffin top”. Body positivity was a movement that was started for women with marginalized bodies (bodies that were bigger, didn’t move properly, etc). It was to empower these women.

It’s about not going to extremes with diet culture to change your body to what society thinks you should be. You have respect for your body.

Body Positivity vs Positive Body Image

To have a positive body image is to embrace your beautiful body. For example, if you are embracing the changes in your body after having a baby and realizing how much work and change your body has gone through.

Body respect and positive body image is a social movement.

What is Body Neutrality?

Salma says that body neutrality is a great place to start. If you’re at a place where you don’t love your body (yet) you can be neutral about your body.

Instead of putting your body down, accept it. Think about all the amazing things your body does for you. It allows you to walk, you are able to take care of your family, you created freaking babies!

What is Health at Every Size?

Health at Every Size essentially means just that. Health doesn’t come in one picture. It’s not a thin woman with a tiny waist and a bigger butt.

Health comes at every size. You cannot look at someone and judge their health, judge how fit they are.

Just because someone has an amazing physique doesn’t mean they’re healthy. Maybe they’re starving themselves, are depressed and that’s why they lost weight, maybe they don’t have their period. We don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes.

Get the Health at Every Size book here (both paperback and on audible).

Unlearning What We Know

The change isn’t going to happen overnight. We’re not going to go from hating our bodies to body love in one day. This will take time.

Do it for you. Do it for your kids. Do it so your son or daughter doesn’t have to stare in the mirror and feel ashamed.

Find Salma here:

Workout With Salma website
Body Positivity Blog post and what it really means
Follow her on Instagram
Workout with Salma Facebook Group