Nicole Groman MS, RDN, CDN
Nicole Groman MS, RDN, CDN, is based in New York City. She received her Bachelor of Science in Human Development from Cornell University, and her Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition from New York University, where she also completed her dietetic internship. In her private practice, Nicole Groman Nutrition, Nicole helps you reconnect with your body. She encourages prioritizing your body over your mind, having faith that your body will tell you what it needs, what it doesn’t, when it’s had too much, or if it hasn’t had enough. She’s been quoted in Vogue, Women’s Health, and Well+Good. Check out her work and learn more here.
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An excerpt from Nicole‘s writing…
Recently, “body positivity” has gained significant attention in the media and popular culture. Body positivity is the idea that everyone, no matter their size or shape, should love their body and feel confident in themselves.
While this movement has undoubtedly helped to challenge harmful beauty standards and promote self-love, it is not without its criticisms. Some argue that body positivity can be problematic, especially when it emphasizes the need to be positive about one’s body at all times, even when that may not be realistic. Here, we’ll discuss the potential issues with body positivity and how adopting a body-neutral approach can be a more sustainable and healthy approach to our relationship with our bodies.
Body Positivity and Its Criticisms
At its core, body positivity is all about promoting self-love and acceptance. It encourages people to move away from strict beauty standards that say certain body types are more desirable than others and helps create a more inclusive society. This movement has gained momentum in the media and popular culture in recent years, with countless celebrities speaking out about the importance of loving and accepting one’s body.
Despite its positive intentions, body positivity can be problematic in certain ways. For one, it often emphasizes the need always to be positive about one’s body, even when that may not be realistic or helpful. This can create pressure to feel good about ourselves all the time and lead to guilt or shame if we fail to live up to this ideal. Additionally, it can be exclusionary in practice, as it may not fully represent those who don’t fit certain body types deemed “worthy” of love and acceptance.
Further, focusing on “positive” feelings can lead to overemphasizing appearance-based affirmations, leading to a superficial understanding of body acceptance. This can be damaging, as it may encourage behavior based on external validation rather than true self-love and appreciation.