I started writing a post about what I’m doing, or more importantly not doing, to lose weight but I realized I should back it up and first discuss the reasons why. Not in a, I need to explain myself kind of way because well…I don’t, but because the topic of losing weight has become somewhat vilified lately.

The rise of the body positive movement has had a residual effect of people casting judgement towards those wanting to lose weight. The mere mention of it elicits remarks such as, “you should just love yourself the way you are” or chants to burn down the patriarchy.

But what’s wrong with losing weight? Can we not love ourselves and our bodies in their current form while also acknowledging that it can serve us better if we weren’t carrying as much weight around? Doe those that want to lose weight have to have some sort of psychological issue attached to that? I don’t think so.

I’m not trying to lose weight because I struggle with loving myself or feel pressured by any outside influence to look a certain way. There really isn’t anything deeper to it. The idea that you have to be skinny to be pretty or accepted or well..anything is not an ideal I subscribe to (although yes, I know it exists).

I think you can both love your body and also want to just be healthier. For many people, losing weight leads directly to feeling better. Not in a superficial, I look prettier sort of way but in the real fact that carrying around less weight can make a difference in how your body feels.

Listen, I’m not a doctor or nutritionist. I just know that I physically feel better at 165 than I do at 180 and I feel even more better at 150. My joints and lower back aren’t as achy, I have more energy and that creates an overall better mood.

That’s my truth.

I do have great disdain for diet culture and the myriad of diets on the market (most of which are not sustainable in the long term) and agree that they lead can lead to unhealthy relationships with food. Even diets that are marketed as the opposite of diets (looking at you Noom), can be tricky to navigate. Like why do I need to weigh myself every single day? It’s not that deep and can get real obsessive, real fast for some.

To each their own at the end of the day but let’s not pretend that exercise and eating healthy aren’t good for you or that there aren’t different health implications being 400lbs versus 200lbs.

I guess what I’m saying is body positivity goes both ways. What’s normal is different for everyone. How does the naturally slim girl feel when people tell her she should eat or that she doesn’t have a “real” body? Is it not the same as the girl whose maybe a bit fluffier and getting shade from the skinny chicks? Who gets to define real bodies?

No one. Your reality is not mine and vice versa and no one body type should be set as the standard of what “real” is. How about we just accept everyone at both ends of the spectrum and everyone in between, and if they decide to do whatever they want to change their physical appearance we don’t automatically assume it’s driven by some body hangup.

Sometimes, it just aint that deep.