Body Positive Nutritionist in the St. Louis Area, Missouri, and Illinois
Get Medical Nutrition Therapy from a Body Positive Dietitian Nutritionist and Improve Your Relationship with Food and Body
What is the body positivity theory?
The body positivity movement is a social and cultural movement that advocates for acceptance and appreciation of all body types regardless of the person’s shape or size. Its goal is to challenge the cultural norm that a “smaller/thinner” body is considered superior or healthier than a person living in a larger body.
What are the criticisms of body positivity?
Overall, the body positive movement has made great strides. It does, like most things, face some criticism for its limitations and shortcomings with intersectionality. Some criticisms of the movement say it may promote an emphasis on body appearance (still celebrating the idea that 'thin is better'). And, unfortunately, certain brands use it as a marketing technique.
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We are mindful of these criticisms and how this important movement might have gotten watered-down over the years; nevertheless, our dietitian nutritionists try to support our patients, helping them heal their relationships with their bodies and learn to honor and value them.
Does that mean they love what they see every time they look in the mirror? Nobody does. But finding space to respect our bodies, accept our bodies, and feel freedom from what others might perceive about our bodies is something we believe everyone can achieve.
Meet with one of our dietitians, online or face-to-face, to begin healing your relationship with food and body and experience freedom. Exhale.
Can you be body positive and still want to lose weight?
Weight is not a sole determinant of health or worth and people can pursue health and wellbeing at any size meaning you can still pursue weight loss and actively work toward being body positive. Being body positive means accepting and respecting your body.
As dietitian nutritionists, we believe you should have the autonomy to make choices that support your overall health and wellbeing. Weight loss and body positivity can be compatible, but it is challenging.
In our nutrition practice, we work with our clients to help them restore their relationship with their bodies. We know this is hard, and we don't expect it to happen overnight. But a key component of our work is redefining this relationship, moving to a neutral place where we can honor and value our bodies, and working toward being body positive.
This Today's Dietitian article discusses the challenges of weight loss, body positivity, and achieving that critical balance in a dietetics practice.
What does a body positivity dietitian nutritionist do?
A body positivity dietitian practices within the Health at Every Size® module supporting intuitive eating and food freedom while ditching diet culture, addressing body image concerns, and working towards optimal health and wellbeing.
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When did the body positivity movement start?
This important movement began in the 1960s with the "Fat Rights Movement." A man in New York, Bill Fabray, was tired of watching how poorly his wife was treated because of her weight. He formed a group called the National Association to Aid Fat Americans (today known as the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance or NAAFA, the world’s longest-running fat rights organization). Fat Activism was budding around the United States and across the world, and over the following three decades, it continued to grow.
In the 2000's with social media, individuals took to Instagram, Facebook, Tik-Tok and more and began to share their experiences, challenges and joys related to body image and self esteem. The term 'body positivity' was coined.