"Wellness" was once a clinical term used to describe the absence of illness. It evolved into a multi-trillion-dollar lifestyle industry. Ideally, wellness represents a proactive, holistic approach to life that incorporates physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
However, the commercialized version of wellness frequently became exclusive and restrictive. It often marketed expensive supplements, detoxes, and rigid exercise regimens as the only path to health. This created a superficial version of wellness that was deeply entangled with diet culture and thin-privilege. The Clash: Where Diet Culture Masked Itself as Wellness
Both events have raised questions about cultural norms, individual freedoms, and the objectification of the human body. While the Junior Miss Pageant 2000 has been criticized for promoting traditional beauty standards, the French Nudist Beauty Contest has been praised for its alternative approach to beauty and self-expression.
When you strip away commercial diet culture, body positivity and wellness naturally align. True wellness requires taking care of your body. True body positivity requires respecting your body enough to care for it.
By embracing body positivity and a wellness lifestyle, individuals can develop a more positive and healthy relationship with their bodies, leading to improved overall well-being. "Wellness" was once a clinical term used to
Eliminate labels like "good" or "bad" foods. A salad provides vitamins; a piece of cake provides cultural celebration or joy. Both have a place in a balanced life.
When negative body thoughts creep in, gently redirect your focus to function over form. Thank your legs for carrying you through the day, or your arms for hugging your loved ones. Conclusion: Wellness is an Inside Job
Learn to say no to social or professional obligations when your energy reserves are depleted.
Research suggests that a body-positive wellness approach can have numerous benefits, including: The Clash: Where Diet Culture Masked Itself as
Remove words like "cheat meal," "guilty pleasure," or "working off dinner" from your daily language. Speak to yourself with the same kindness you would offer a close friend.
The intersection of body positivity and wellness offers a holistic approach to health and self-acceptance. By prioritizing self-care, self-compassion, and overall well-being, individuals can develop a positive body image and cultivate a growth mindset. However, it's essential to acknowledge the challenges and limitations of these movements, working towards a more inclusive and accessible definition of wellness.
Strict dieting, over-exercising, and constant body checking are not wellness—they’re often disguised harm. True wellness includes:
It is the belief that all people deserve to have their bodies treated with respect and dignity, regardless of how society views them. curation of your social feeds
The wellness movement, which emerged in the 1980s, emphasizes a holistic approach to health, focusing on prevention rather than treatment. Wellness encompasses various aspects, including:
Diet culture teaches us to rely on external rules—clocks, apps, and calorie counts—to decide when and what to eat. Combining body positivity with wellness introduces intuitive eating, a framework created by dietitians Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch.
True wellness recognizes that mental health is just as critical as physical health. Body-positive wellness heavily prioritizes self-compassion. It teaches you to speak to yourself with the same kindness you would offer a friend. It also involves setting boundaries around media consumption, curation of your social feeds, and toxic conversations about weight and bodies. The Scientific Case for Weight-Inclusive Wellness