Shownotes
Welcome to the BariNation Podcast, where summer sparks a choice: hide indoors, caught up in body image struggles, or embrace the sun with confidence? Today, we explore body neutrality, a powerful approach to move beyond negative self-talk and live fully in your bariatric journey.
This week, we are taking a deep dive into the concept of body neutrality, exploring eye-opening statistics about body image and sharing personal stories from our bariatric journey. Whether you’re embracing body acceptance or working through negative self-talk, this episode is packed with insights to help you live joyfully in your summer body. Join our vibrant bariatric community today and dive into a journey of self-discovery and empowerment! At BariNation, we’re here to support you with humor, humility, and honesty as you navigate your bariatric life.
Tune in, and don’t forget to join the BariNation Community to attend community meetups, watch exclusive bonus content and support the podcast for as little as $5 per month! You can also contribute to BariNation and become a Drive To Thrive Supporter with a one-time donation.
IN THIS EPISODE:
- (00:15) - Introduction to bariatric community support, emphasizing a safe space for personal wellness and inspiration for a bariatric life
- (01:30) - Discussion on body neutrality and body positivity on your bariatric journey
- (03:00) - National Eating Disorders Association; 5 Steps to Body Neutrality article, defines “body neutrality” as not hating or loving your body, but having a neutral perspective
- (03:32) - Shocking statistic that 97% of women have a daily “I hate my body” moment
- (06:45) - Strategies for achieving body neutrality, including physical awareness and catching negative thoughts to improve personal wellness
- (11:45) - Emphasis on shifting from negative self-talk to body acceptance, making it easier to find joy and live fully in the bariatric life
- (13:27) Join the BariNation Community to receive the support you deserve
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Body neutrality is about accepting your body as it is, without hating or loving it, and helping those on a bariatric journey move away from negative self-talk.
- Over 90% of women dislike their bodies, but success lies in accepting body neutrality and embracing the summer months in your vessel, your body.
- Practical steps, such as recognizing and reframing negative thoughts, focusing on what you can’t change immediately, and engaging in joyful activities, can foster personal wellness and body neutrality.
RESOURCES:
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Transcripts
Natalie Tierney: Our goal is you leave us today feeling hopeful, inspired, and ready to live your best bariatric life.
April Williams: Hi friends. [:Natalie Tierney: I did, it was pretty eyeopening.
was this articles from Nita, [:So I am, I. Just really excited to have this conversation. April knows longtime listener, listeners know I've had a lot of, um, pretty vocal journeys with body neutrality and body [00:01:30] positivity and all of that stuff, so I'm excited. Yeah.
April Williams: Yep. And this whole week in, in variation, if you're listening to this podcast, when it first drops, we are dedicating the, the entire week to learn about body neutrality.
talking about summer bodies. [:Can just be really challenging. It's hard to do, especially when we have been through so much physical change. Mm-hmm. So if you have a body, this conversation is for you. So [00:02:15] Nat, let's dive into the stats. What are they saying about body love or appreciation?
le, body Neutrality does not [:So for us as we go into this episode, I just want us to be on the same playing field. The two definitions of body and neutrality Body is just our physical structure, so the vessel that we are [00:02:45] currently in. Uh, neutrality is a state of not supporting either side of a conflict or disagreement. So we're in the middle.
if we combine the two, Nita [:April Williams: It is. It is what it [00:03:15] is, which is a challenging place to get to because the numbers that you found out about the percentage of people who don't like their body or they say something negative about their body is astronomical.
So what are those numbers?
Natalie Tierney: Okay, [:99 in 10. Oh my god. [00:04:00] Dislike their bodies. Okay, and this one is a big one. 97% of women have an I hate my body moment every day. [00:04:15]
April Williams: Mind blowing, mind blowing. That is so much negative self, self-talk that we're doing every single day,
. And when I read that I was [:Count.
April Williams: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Natalie Tierney: Percentage.
il Williams: Yes. And I know [:I would also have to agree with those thoughts. I think there's, there's fewer days now that I have a negative thought about my body, but I still have them. [00:05:15] Yeah,
Natalie Tierney: yeah. And I am with you on the disassociating part. I would see a picture of me and I'd be like, who is that?
April Williams: Yes. Right?
Natalie Tierney: Because I didn't know what my body looked like.
April Williams: Yes. No, no. [:Want that to stop me from having fun or engaging wi with that. And really, I think that's what, that's what [00:06:00] we're hoping we can all lead this conversation with. If we let this negative self-talk hold us back from doing things in life that we really wanna do or having fun with, with our kids, with our nieces, with our nephews, with our friends, [00:06:15] then it's impacting our lives in more ways than we can really count and we can do work.
endpoint. So that we're just [:Natalie Tierney: Yeah, I think the biggest thing. This is something I learned from you. April actually is, and not you always say, not in a creepy way, but like touching my body, right? [00:07:00] Yes, yes. This is my vessel, right? Yes. If we're going off of what Nita says, like, this is me, um, this is what my jiggly thighs feel like, or this is what my, [00:07:15] my shoulders feel like, or like, we all have the bat wings, right?
easy for anyone who has been [:Mm-hmm. Of like, this is how my body feels today. Um, but I think the other major thing that I have done is catching right Laura Bu says, catch it, check it, change it.
April Williams: [:Natalie Tierney: Catching those negative thoughts. Checking it and being like, is that true? Um, am I a bump on a log if we want to take that analogy?
entimes it's not right. So I [:So I think for me, like getting dressed every day, like especially having to work in an office now.
shorts and a t-shirt mm-hmm. [:April Williams: Yeah. No, no. And especially, I appreciate, and I echo what what you said, when I have noticed these negative thoughts are creeping into my head about my body, I just ask myself a question. Is this something you can [00:09:30] change immediately? Right here and right now. The answer is no. Right? No. I can't change this thing that I am not loving necessarily about, about my body right now, but what I can do is focus on the things that I do appreciate.[00:09:45]
that for decades, almost my [:Mm-hmm. So exactly what you said, catching those thoughts in the moment, asking myself, is this something I can change right now? No. Can I say. One thing that I like about my body to myself, [00:10:15] can I just balance out that, that negative thought with a more neutral one? Yes. And then can I dress my body or can I move my body in a way that brings me joy, that helps me feel strong, powerful, capable.
almost always yes. Right? So [:[00:10:45] Okay, I'm gonna go put on a bathing suit that I know. I at least will look at myself and go, great bathing suit. Now I'm gonna move on with my day. I give myself permission to just be like, I'm not feeling good in this [00:11:00] outfit, bathing suit, whatever. I'm gonna change into something that I know I feel good in.
I'm gonna call it a day. That's how I've been able to get to this, not body love, but acceptance and neutrality.
Natalie Tierney: Yeah. And [:April Williams: mm-hmm.
Natalie Tierney: Part.
-hmm. Um, because you're not [:April Williams: yes. Yep. [00:11:45] And really I think what, what we both hope you are getting from this episode is to know that it's okay if you're not feeling great about your body, but part of the work of weight loss surgery, and I'm saying that in quotes, right, is, is this work is having these [00:12:00] conversations with ourself, it's sharing these things in community and it's trying to shift.
or you. We are not a hundred [:We're not letting the things that we think about our bodies hold us back from doing things that are, that are joyful for us.
n't matter what size, shape, [:However, that looks for you and. That's something I have to, especially during the [00:13:00] summer months, remind myself of every single day I deserve to feel the sun on my shoulders. I, I deserve to feel my belly. I mean, Jason talked about the first time going shirtless right at the, at the beach, and it's like, mm-hmm.
My belly [:April Williams: Yep. Well, friends, we hope you're leaving here with a little bit of inspiration. [00:13:30] If you heard something or saw something, uh, that you wanna try, let us know.
ve steps that we can take to [:But we'll make sure we link this article in the show notes. So if you would like to reference it yourself, it'll just be down there. Alright, friends, thank you for joining us today. We'll see you in the nation soon. [00:14:00] Bye guys.
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