Evidence-Based Body Positivity: Shifting the Conversation to Performance vs Appearance

At 14 years old, I stood on stage in Alabama at a pageant and was told “If you would have lost 10 pounds you would have won.” Not only did these words hurt me at the time, but their sting affected me for the next several years.

These are the types of comments that help create a negative body image, and they often lead to eating disorders.

I did lose those 10 pounds (and more) and went on to win the Miss America title in 2013. During my year as Miss America, I traveled 20,000 miles a month and lived out of hotels. Sure, I gained weight. Back then, I didn't know how to maintain my figure with all the pressures of the job and the unique dietary challenges that came from living out of a hotel.

But I was subjected to intense and often cruel remarks and ridicule about my body weight and appearance. Yes, it was humiliating and painful...but I have always been a fighter. This public criticism fueled my determination to advocate for women, to show that we are much more than our bodies.

What was initially a negative experience gave me the opportunity to be one of the first voices in the body positivity movement. Since then, I have remained committed to empowering women to not be tied to their outward appearance, but to understand that achieving optimal health and wellness enables us to live the life we imagine.

Now I’m excited to be one of the first voices in the evolution of body positivity and women’s wellness Evidence Based Body Positivity. This new movement shifts the conversation to performance vs. appearance.

Why is the New Evolution in Body Positivity Necessary?

Body positivity has its roots in the fat acceptance movement of the late 1960s. So, when this current movement started to emerge around 2012, it initially focused on the acceptance of overweight bodies, seeking to change society's unrealistic view of the ideal female body weight and shape.

This was a good first step. For over 100 years, women were shamed and told they needed to be a size 2 to get the body that society demanded of them.

Eventually, though, the body positivity message shifted into acceptance of all body types, shapes, and sizes. Though a worthwhile message, it did not differentiate between a size 12 and someone who is suffering from the medical conditions known as obesity or diabetes. These two conditions are related, given that obesity is the leading risk factor for type 2 diabetes and that around 90% of people with diabetes are overweight or obese. (1)

Obesity and diabetes are twin epidemics that damage health and shorten life expectancy. They significantly increase the risk of several dangerous conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, and even kidney failure.

Those who are obese are also often subject to fat-shaming, sometimes on a daily basis. Shame prompts them to go on unhealthy starvation diets that never work, leading to years or decades of weight cycling (yo-yo dieting). This not only leads to frustration and depression, but yo-yo dieting itself may be harmful to health. For example, in a study by Columbia University Irving Medical Center, researchers discovered that women with a history of yo-yo dieting may be at increased risk of developing heart disease.(2)

Even worse, we've been fed a lie about the causes of weight gain and how to lose weight. Turns out, restricting calorie intake is not the answer. Rather, as a Harvard study shows, the quality of the calories you consume are much more important than quantity.(3) Calories are still important for weight management, but the quality of the calories consumed can affect the number of calories burned.

The concept that the quality of the foods you eat is far more important than the number of calories...this is SO freeing! We no longer have to count calories or limit ourselves to ridiculously small portion sizes and deprive our bodies of the nourishment it needs and deserves simply to please beauty standards set by someone else.

I found that changing your thinking from shame and deprivation to loving and respecting your own body's unique needs encourages the adoption of quality lifestyle habits that enhance every area of your life!

That is why I am so passionate about spreading the word about "evidence-based body positivity." It is this new balanced approach that allows all women to thrive using proven science, practical habits, and powerful self-love.

It gives women more energy to thrive in their careers, in love, and at home with the family. This lifestyle helps women to get the most out of life without the unrealistic and shaming expectations that so many of us struggle with.

Reference

1- Whitmore C. Type 2 diabetes and obesity in adults. Br J Nurs. 2010 Jul 22-Aug 11;19(14):880, 882-6. doi: 10.12968/bjon.2010.19.14.49041. PMID: 20647979

2- Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Yo-Yo Dieting Linked to Heart Disease Risk in Women. Mar 7, 2019. Accessed Aug 18, 2021. https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/news/yo-yo-dieting-linked-heart-disease-risk-women

3- Gann C, Albin S. For Calories, It's All About Quality Over Quantity, Harvard Study Says. ABC News online. Jun 26, 2012. Accessed Aug 18, 2021. https://abcnews.go.com/Health/calorie-calorie-harvard-study-compares-popular-weight-loss/story?id=16654506