Can Weight Loss and Self-Acceptance Co-Exist?

We are spending more time scrolling through social media, getting caught comparing ourselves to others, trying to live in the fictional world of all things perfect. Perfect nails, food, workouts, bodies, willpower, discipline and control to name a few. When you mix comparison and perfection together, we start to feel small, less than what we are, in the pursuit for more. More weight loss, flatter stomachs and leaner legs.

Except looking perfect, whatever that is to you, isn’t a requisite for good health, a happy life, or a higher level of self-acceptance.

But the question still exists: Can you practice self-acceptance and want to lose weight at the same time?

Perhaps body change comes down to motives.

Are you dieting and working out because of self-hate towards yourself or your body?

Are you dieting and working out because of what magazine covers and social media tell you?

Are you dieting and working out at the expense of your emotional well-being?

What you choose to include in your self-acceptance journey is up to you. I constantly set goals for myself to lift heavier, achieve business goals, experience life adventures etc. If my motives to lose weight are in check, can’t that be part of my goals and my self-acceptance story?

Your weight loss goals can be about overall health. How you nourish your body, fuel your body, or exercise can be steps towards your self-care practice. Weight loss can also be a happy bonus instead of having it as the only goal.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to look a certain way if it is attainable for you. You’re entitled to look in the mirror and be satisfied with what you see. But you can also strive for more. You’re allowed to do you!

When you explore your motives, what it boils down to is our mindset and self-talk. Is your goal of losing weight fuelled by self-hate and negativity? Losing weight doesn’t always mean we hate ourselves. Weight loss can be about exploration rather than a concrete number on the scale. It’s OK to pursue being comfortable in your body and skin. The real question to ask yourself is what makes you uncomfortable with your body in the first place?

There was a time in my life where I was fuelled by self-hate, comparison, control, and all things negative. After years on the dieting hamster wheel, I now nourish my body because of the way it makes me feel. My workouts are about feeling accomplished and boosting my self-confidence, not to mention moving better through life and knowing I can take on any new adventure.

Your weight loss goal can be about feeling better, both physically and mentally. And this can be part of your self-acceptance journey. It isn’t to say that someone with a lean physique is healthier; body weight isn’t the only marker of health. Bodies come in all shapes and sizes.

There isn’t one body type everyone should strive for. If you believe there is, then it’s time to examine your own body bias. What works for me is unique and specific to me. It’s not open for anyone else to judge. Period. If you have a goal to lose weight, check your motives. Ask yourself what you really want to see and feel. When you look in the mirror, what will make you excited to say “That’s me!”

Weight loss can be a part of your self-acceptance journey. Love and honour where you are now and through your journey.

Bottom line: You Do You. I’ll Do Me.

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