Ep 170 - What is body neutrality?

<p>Hi I'm Jenna Free and this is Lauren McAulay, we are intuitive eating counsellors here to help you heal your relationship with food and your body.</p> <p>Welcome to this week’s episode of How to Love Your Body.</p> <p>Today we are talking about weight neutrality and body neutrality, what is it, when is it useful and how can you use it to start feeling better about your body?</p> <p>The weight-neutral approach acknowledges that body weight is determined by a complex set of genetic, metabolic, physiological, cultural, social, and behavioral determinants, many of which individuals cannot change. Instead of focusing on a weight-oriented outcome, participants in weight-neutral programs are taught to take charge of the factors they can, such as thoughts and behaviors, which ultimately lead to improved well-being, regardless of weight.</p> <p> </p> <p>Body neutrality is rooted in acknowledging what your body does, not how it appears. Your body allows you to exercise, travel the world and experience new cultures. Your body gives you the ability to hold hands or hug someone you love. Your body gets you from point A to point B. Body neutrality is about seeing your body as a vehicle that, when treated with care, can help you move about the world in a way that brings you joy. That’s it. No thinking about how you look, either good or bad.</p> <p>Both weight neutrality and body neutrality can be so beneficial for all people, especially those struggling with body image issues.</p> <p> </p> <p>Weight neutrality is a powerful way to approach healing your relationship with food and your body, it’s a way to take care of your body without it leading back down the diet culture rabbit hole.</p> <p> </p> <p>With a weight neutral approach, since you aren’t seeing weight loss or weight gain as either good or bad you can then make choices that best serve your body PERIOD.</p> <p> </p> <p>For instance, perhaps moving your body more regularly feels really good and that is something you are working on participating