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11-07-18, 04:49 PM | |
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Australia
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I feel your pain. My mother and family were/are obsessed with weight and appearance. I was put on my first diet at almost 8 years old.
I have done a lot of work and reading in the last few years to move my head away from the diet and weight and appearance driven experience. It has been so worth the work for me to be finally free from the influences that drove me for my childhood and much of my adulthood.
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Anny |
11-19-18, 10:52 AM | |||
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Join Date: Mar 2002
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I'm reminded here that even if the term "body-positive" didn't have a complicated history, the words "body" and "positive" are subject to a lot of ambiguity--like words in general. I could describe myself as "body-positive," but I'd want to be careful to clarify (even if only briefly) what I mean and what I don't mean. For example, certain instructors use the term, but they don't use it as I would. If I use a popular phrase and tell you to "love your body," what do I mean by "love" and "body," two words that are already used in a variety of ways? I can see myself using the phrase, but if I did, here too I'd always want to be careful to explain what I mean and what I don't mean. There are interpretations of "love your body" that I wouldn't intend, such as "favor your physique, even to a point of openly considering it superior to other physiques." When I consider the five points of this article as a starting point for more discussion, I notice that what meanings I favor for "body positivity," within the range of probable meanings, resemble what I like about the points. For example, all five points shift the emphasis from looks to other things, and I prefer meanings of "body positivity" that do likewise.
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"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand." The Velveteen Rabbit |
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11-19-18, 11:17 AM | |
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Arlington, VA
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What did Meryl Steep say a few years ago about "...how God (or nature) made you?" "Perceived" imperfections are really perfections because we are all works of nature and inherently a miracle, right?
I love listening to affirmations---one in particular goes something along the lines of loving and respecting your body because it's your oldest friend and most constant companion. It's what's in your heart and how you treat others, when all is said is done. |
11-19-18, 11:28 AM | ||
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Connecticut
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11-19-18, 11:57 AM | ||||
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Join Date: Mar 2002
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Love First, Then Acceptance Quote:
I can easily think of a way that we do "accept" people first before we "love" them, and it's the prime example of why I earlier talked about the differing meanings of "love": the kind of "love" in which we "accept" before we "love" is narrower and more conditional. My idea of the term "body positivity" is related to this: Quote:
The author also mentions other points that are worth reading. For example, without using the term "old talk," she mentions messages that she receives because is now a "post-menopausal woman."
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"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand." The Velveteen Rabbit |
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11-19-18, 12:16 PM | ||
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Join Date: Oct 2006
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How fierce will you be today? VFer KateTT Watula, Cheeto, Charli, Lux, Merlin, Rudy, Finley the Cat, Hobbes, Winston, and Finley the Dog Fan Girl! Word of 2024: Patience |
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12-18-18, 12:38 PM | |
Join Date: Jun 2004
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I am SOOOOO FAR BEHIND on this thread, and I apologize. I'm going to pop on and add a couple of body-positive people I follow just so that I don't forget - again - as I know I will.
I really appreciate Louise Green - her instagram handle is louisegreen_bigfitgirl. Heavy on the fact that she can be bigger and be happy and fit as heck. For a laugh, I love Celeste Barber - her instagram handle is celestebarber (easy enough ). This is not directly fitness related, but she's so fun. Also not directly fitness related - Taryn Brumfitt who is @bodyimagemovement loves her fitness and has created a documentary on body image, which i think is actually available on netflix now (I somehow haven't watched it yet!!!). I follow several body positive people, but I've already strayed far from the fitness world. My own feelings about the body positive world conflict, as I tend to disagree with just about everyone on some things here and there. But, that, too, is the ultimate work in acceptance. I don't have to believe as they do 100% to get great value from what they do/say. As I've mentioned before - I really love and appreciate British books and shows, as they put older/heavier/non-completely-plasticized women front and center often enough. I mean, a woman over the age of 25 being a love interest!!!!!! THE HORROR. Once you dive into other cultures and come back to American media, you begin to realize how hideously sexist, agist and every other -ist our culture has shoved down our throats. I do think that as America starts to consume and control international media, though, it is changing for the worse. I like the discussion about body positivity. I think that it's hard to define because everyone has their own definition for it. This is why I despise joining "movements" and "groups" because we feel forced to take on some rigid definition of a word that doesn't suit what we're trying to accomplish or what we're feeling. I follow and get value from the body positive world while not agreeing with everything and sometimes getting plain mad. But that's my issue. |
12-18-18, 04:37 PM | |
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Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Kansas City
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I think one thing that contributes to a positive body image is simply not to focus on your body. Sometimes I think the more obsessed we are with how we feel about our body, the worse off we are. I don't really want to love my body. I don't know what love my body means. I want to be grateful for it and appreciate it, but I don't want to spend any mental/emotional energy on what it looks like. (I DO, sometimes, but I consider that unfortunate when it happens!)
Face it, aren't most bodies are "ugly"? They are scarred and bruised and funny-shaped, with skin that has wrinkles and cellulite and wobbles. Think of a naked human as being the alien in a movie. I think we would be pretty horrifying aliens! At the same time, the people inside the bodies can be so dang beautiful and tough and strong and sensitive and just lovely. I think focusing on what your body can do instead of what it looks like is a key to appreciating its wonder. |
12-18-18, 09:45 PM | ||
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Join Date: Mar 2002
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Soon, I'll try to look at these people. I'll continue replying to your post in another post. For example, I'll have more about the fitness world and the world of "body positivity" (I may agree with you here quite a bit), and I hope to have read more from those people. Again, thanks!
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"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand." The Velveteen Rabbit |
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body image, self image |
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