Two weeks ago I received this message:

“I feel guilty for putting myself first. Is wanting to have less weight to carry around a bad thing? I want to be confident and have a healthy body for my girls, but I think society + wanting to remain ‘body positive’ gets in the way.”

Everything – every movement, every idea, every person, everything – has a shadow side, and the body positivity movement is no exception. I’ve been thinking a lot about this, and I’d like to offer some of my thoughts in case some of my readers have struggled with this concept of “can I love my body and want it to change at the same time?”

Body Positivity Bright Points:

If you choose to change your body (for good), I believe it requires unconditional love. This is a hill I will die on.

When we place conditional love on our bodies, we come at it from a place of “I want you to change so that I can love you.”

Now, I’m no relationship expert, but this feels like a primary cause for divorce. It doesn’t work for relationships with other humans – or your body.

However, when we love our bodies unconditionally, we come from a place of “Because I love you, I want you to change.”

This takes your relationship from you vs. me to “we.” And while your partner may not choose to change in the end, you’ve made the decision to love every part of them – even the parts you may not always like. The same goes for your body.

To me, this is body positivity.

It’s having enough love for your body to be able to make the decision whether or not you want to it change and having that decision come from a place of “I want to live longer,” “I want to show my kids how to build a healthy body,” “I want to see what my body can do,” “I wonder how good I can feel?” or “I love my body and I don’t want to change it.”

This is a far different vibe – and will yield much more sustainable and healthy results – than, “I hate my body and it deserves to be punished.”

This movement is invaluable for those who interpret it this way.

Body Positivity Shadow Side:

But it’s no secret that the criticism of the body positivity – or body neutrality – movement is the glorification of “IDGAF about my health.” And I’m not here to argue whether or not that was the intention of the movement – I don’t think it matters at this point. What matters is the woman in my inbox who felt guilty for wanting to have a healthy body for her daughters because of the societal pressure to not have a weight loss goal.

Did you know? In the US…

• 30% of teens are prediabetic
• 50% of children are overweight
• 50% of adults are diabetic or prediabetic (and many have no idea)
• 75% of adults are overweight
• 93% of Americans are experiencing at least one marker of metabolic dysfunction
• Metabolic dysfunction is a precursor for the 4 chronic diseases that will eventually kill the majority of Americans: Heart Disease, Cancer, Neurodegenerative Disease, and Diabetes.
• And life expectancy is declining for the first time – ever

Our healthcare system will not be able to physically handle what’s to come over the next 50 years. Unless dramatic changes are made to the system – or to the humans who are overwhelming the system – it will be crushed. This isn’t a prediction. This is a fact.

And that brings me back to you and your body.

90% of Americans believe in a higher power. Whether that’s a God, a loving intelligence, or a galactic confederacy – most of us can agree that we were created by something or someone who wanted us to be here on earth at this exact moment in time.

And I also think most of us can agree there was a reason behind it. We all came here for a divine purpose in a divine body that is a home to our eternal soul. It is our home.

So, what society says about your body is none of your business. You get to decide –

• How you will care for your home
• How sturdy the foundation will be as it ages
• What it feels like when the sun comes up every morning
• What you put in your home
• How nice the bushes are trimmed 

It is my belief that we have a responsibility to care for our vessel and treat it with respect. And you get to decide what that looks like too. Not me. Not your mom. Not the internet.

A few ways you can start:

• Take some time to prep 2 proteins this week. Protein is the easiest macronutrient to skimp on because it’s more time-consuming to prepare, but it’s our most satiating and metabolism-supporting macronutrient.
• The 20-minute power walk. There’s no barrier to entry here. Get outside and get your heart rate up for 20 minutes. Not only does it increase metabolic flexibility, bring blood sugar levels down, and improve insulin resistance, but the benefits from sunlight alone are worth getting outside.
• Start reading labels on your carbohydrate sources, and stick to the following ranges: This doesn’t include fruits and veggies, dairy, nuts, or seeds. I’m talking beans, lentils, quinoa, rice, crackers, chips, pasta, bread, etc.
  • Women: 30-40g carbs
  • Men: 40-50g carbs
  • Women in midlife: 20-30g carbs

If you are experiencing insulin resistance, prediabetes, or PCOS, you may not be able to handle that many carbohydrates in a sitting. This is where a continuous glucose monitor can be helpful so that you can actually see how your body is responding to carbs. We often recommend more like 20-30g carbs in a sitting for this group, but it just depends.

And great news – the FDA just approved an over-the-counter CGM called Stelo. I would recommend working with a practitioner to interpret your data as it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles some of the most expensive brands like Levels have.

If wearing a CGM and getting assistance in interpreting the data is something you’d be interested in, join our newsletter and let us know. Now that these are becoming so much more accessible, it’s easier for us to put together programs to help!

ILY – have a wonderful week!

xxMegan

Ways to Work Together:

1. ​Metabolism Makeover: our signature 30-day program, helping you to feel better and lose weight by increasing your metabolism instead of decreasing your calories.
2. ​VIP: high-touch, customized nutrition coaching for those who need 1:1 support.

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