To stay active for the long-term, it is important to not only care about your appearance but also how you feel.
My body was in rough shape when I had my first baby, a healthy boy, last summer. My mother said it as I tried on my new sweatpants one week after giving birth: “Nothing will look good for a while.” It’s okay to not worry about it.
It was surprising how simple it was for me to follow her advice. Perhaps it was hormones or the immersion in parenting a newborn or a new appreciation of my body’s capabilities, but I felt quite sanguine about my wobbly physique.
Six weeks after my baby was born, I was allowed to exercise. A well-informed nurse told me that my extra weight would “fall off” once I started cardio. Instead of trying out her theory, my baby and I went for slow, sunny walks while he slept in his stroller. Although I didn’t revel in my loose skin, I was not bothered. It didn’t bother me at all, surprise!
This concept is known as body neutrality. It’s the ability to accept your body and be respectful of it, even when it’s not what you want. Anne Poirier, a coach on body image and author of ” The Body Joyful,” popularized the term. She started using it in 2015 to help clients develop a more healthy relationship with food and exercise. She explained that body neutrality puts emphasis on the body’s functions and what it can do rather than its appearance. It doesn’t need to be loved or hated. It is possible to feel neutral toward it.
Ms. Poirier stated that body neutrality resonates especially with people who view the highly-touted notion of body positivity, or the idea that we should love all our bodies, as too far a leap. She said that neutrality was for her a more practical way to get rid of body hatred. “I didn’t have to love my body. But I could see it from a different perspective.”
For those who find body positivity’s warts-and all approach to being a bit contrived, body neutrality may be appealing. Are we really supposed to accept our cellulite or tendonitis? We should aim for peaceful coexistence.
The philosophy of body neutrality has gained traction over the years among those with chronic pain and disability as well as those who feel excluded by a fitness culture that is dominated by thin, thin instructors who promote restrictive diets and punitive exercise routines. It has been featured in fitness apps such as Joyn which offers “movement classes to suit every body” and The be.come Project, an online program that encourages people with chronic pain or disability to feel “body neutral, I can-do it” by Bethany C. Meyers.
Although the principles behind body neutrality don’t seem new, many people follow them without really trying. For others, however, they can offer a break from the rut of trying to achieve unattainable physical standards. Lauren Leavell is a personal trainer who founded Leavell Up Fitness. She describes body neutrality as “a shift in perspective that can lead to more realistic goal setting.”
Instead of promoting the “New Year and new me” mindset that has a tendency to lose, Ms. Leavell encourages clients to do what makes them feel good and to avoid what does not. She explained that body neutrality means redefining movement as a daily practice that will evolve with you. “Bodies change, capabilities change. It’s important that you listen to what your body is capable of, not what you think it should be capable of.”
She emphasizes movement as an intrinsic source for pleasure and not as a way to get delayed gratifications such a cookie, better-fitting clothes, or approval from your doctor. She said, “I work from a space that exercise is fun and engaging.
You don’t have to worry about whether you will lose weight if you aren’t motivated by long-term goals like toned arms. A 2018 study found that participants who were instructed to concentrate on their bodies’ function during exercise had higher satisfaction than those who were encouraged and told to think about the benefits to their appearance.
This distinction is the core of what Kelly McGonigal teaches her students as a health psychologist, lecturer and author of ” The Joy of Movement“. She said that one of the most important principles of body neutrality is to engage with your body through exercise and movement, not to alter your body.
However, this doesn’t mean long-term goals can’t be considered. Dr. McGonigal said that enjoyment is all about how it feels to you. Strength training can be enjoyable, even if it’s difficult or embarrassing at times. You like the idea of getting stronger.
Justice Roe Williams is a certified personal coach. Body neutrality means that he rejects the “no pain no gain” mindset of the mainstream fitness industry. This is also the tenet of his company, Fitness4AllBodies which teaches professionals how to be more considerate with clients from all abilities and genders. He stated that his goal is to help clients let go of any preconceptions or beliefs they may have about their bodies.
People who struggle to overcome self-consciousness might find it easier to see only their bodies. Leanne Pedante is the head of fitness for Supernatural. She started her career as an instructor working with individuals recovering from eating disorders. She said, “One of my biggest requests from clients was, “Where can I exercise without mirrors?” She said that even though body neutrality is not easy, it can be achieved if support is given and triggers are eliminated.
Some critics of body neutrality claim that having a Zen-like feeling of detachment does not do enough to improve self-image. Although it may not be true, Ms. Pedante said that it can be a useful tool in this process. She said that most people have very narrow, moralized views about what is wrong with their bodies. “Body neutrality means that harmful myths are unlearned so we can think differently.
Medically, less emphasis on appearance can lead to safer and more sustainable exercise. “Body neutrality is a way to teach people to pay more attention to what they feel than to how it looks,” Dr. Lilli Lilli Link, a physician with Parsley Health. This medical practice has offices in New York City and Los Angeles, but also offers telemedicine services across the country. They’d also be more likely to maintain good fitness habits. She added that “if something causes suffering, it is not in our nature to continue it.”
Although it might seem paradoxical, letting go external goals like losing weight or putting on our pants can be a great way to achieve them. My own experience was that I let go of the pressure to get back in shape for pregnancy. Instead, I enjoyed spending my time with my baby and walking around the park. Ironically, my jeans were still in good shape five months later. It wasn’t a hard-earned accomplishment. There was no “yes” moment in my mirror. It was a body that I was happy to have, and it was a body.
