Social media has become a battleground of ideas, with body positivity posts often challenging diet culture and its oppressive ideals. These posts promote the idea of loving your body unconditionally, no matter its size, shape, or appearance. Yet, even with these empowering messages, body shame remains pervasive and continues to have a profound impact on mental and physical health.

For many, the pressure to feel amazing about their bodies every day seems unrealistic and overwhelming. It can be tough to navigate conversations around bodies, health, and nutrition when they’re often steeped in extremes—either a push for positivity or shame disguised as health advice. That’s where the concept of body neutrality steps in, offering a refreshing alternative that prioritizes acceptance and respect over forced love or guilt.

To unpack what body neutrality truly means and why it matters, we turned to several health and body image experts. Here’s what they had to say.

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What Does Body Neutrality Mean?

Body neutrality advocates for respecting your body for what it does rather than how it looks. Unlike body positivity, which focuses on loving your body unconditionally, body neutrality encourages a more grounded approach—acknowledging that you won’t always feel good about your body, but you can still care for it. Here’s how some experts define it:

• Shana Spence, RDN, CDN, Nutrition Tea: “It’s the understanding that we’re not always going to love our bodies for various reasons, but we should have a respect for them.”

• Ayana Habtemariam, MSW, RD, LDN, Truly Real Nutrition: “Life comes with transitions, and so do our bodies. They’re meant to evolve. We must find ways to adjust.”

• Dalina Soto, MA, RD, LDN, Your Latina Nutrition: “You won’t love your body every day—and that’s okay. You still need to nourish it and take care of it.”

• Jessi Kneeland, Author and Body Neutrality Coach: “Body neutrality is our birthright. It’s simply seeing your body for what it is.”

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The Flaws of the Body Positivity Movement

While the body positivity movement has sparked valuable conversations about self-love, it has also faced criticism for overlooking the very people who need its support the most.

Shana Spence, RDN, CDN, points out that body positivity has strayed far from its roots. Originally inspired by the fat acceptance movement, which focused on challenging weight stigma and discrimination, body positivity has been co-opted. Today, it often centers on thinner individuals celebrating small imperfections, such as belly rolls, while sidelining the experiences of people in larger bodies, particularly those from marginalized communities.

“Body positivity has become a movement for thin women who have belly rolls when bending over,” Spence says. “It’s a far cry from the movement that fat Black women started to address actual weight stigma and discrimination.”

The focus on self-love, while empowering, does little to combat the systemic discrimination faced by people in larger bodies—discrimination that is even more pronounced for those who are BIPOC, disabled, neurodivergent, LGBTQ+, or belong to other marginalized groups. Spence underscores the harsh truth: “You can’t self-love your way out of the way society treats you.”

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The Power of Representation

The lack of diverse representation in health and nutrition spaces compounds the challenges marginalized communities face. Experts emphasize the importance of seeing varied body types, abilities, genders, sexualities, races, and ethnicities represented in health conversations.

• Ayana Habtemariam: “Representation fosters a sense of community and belonging. If diverse bodies were adequately represented, more people would feel safe within these spaces.”

• Marisa Moore, RDN, LD: “Representation matters and can have a direct impact on healthcare outcomes. Providers who deliver size-friendly care can help reduce biases and barriers to effective care.”

• Shana Spence: “The space is overwhelmingly white, able-bodied, and straight-sized, so people who don’t identify with those categories often struggle to believe that advice applies to them. Especially when cultural foods—like rice, bread, potatoes, or tropical fruits—are vilified until the industry finds a way to profit from them.”

• Christie Melonson, LPC, Regional Psychotherapy Director: “Representation normalizes that different bodies exist naturally and emphasizes that one size does not fit all.”

Valerie Agyeman, RD, highlights another gap: “There’s a lack of imagery, especially around skin complexion and hair texture. To close that gap, we need more diverse faces and voices at the forefront of wellness.”

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The consensus among experts is clear: representation in health and nutrition spaces not only challenges harmful stereotypes but also legitimizes the existence of diverse bodies. It’s a simple yet transformative step toward inclusivity.

What Body Neutrality Can Teach Us About Health

Body neutrality also challenges traditional definitions of health, which often equate thinness with wellness. Experts agree that body size does not dictate health. Instead, it’s important to focus on sustainable habits and holistic well-being.

• Ayana Habtemariam: “You’re not obligated to pursue society’s shallow, one-dimensional idea of health. We can define health for ourselves.”

• Valerie Agyeman: “We need to look at health holistically, including sleep hygiene, stress management, emotional health, and access to nutritious foods.”

• Jessi Kneeland: “Body size does not determine health. Thin people can be unhealthy, and fat people can be healthy. Instead of weight, we should look at habits as markers for health.”

• Christie Melonson: “BMI is not an accurate measure of health. Factors like body composition, muscle mass, and fat distribution should be considered alongside disease presence and functional abilities.”

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Shana Spence adds that health should not be seen as a moral value. “Someone’s worth is not tied to their health status,” she says. “This is especially true given the systemic barriers many people face.”

Lessons From the Experts

Working in the health and nutrition space has taught these professionals valuable lessons about their own bodies:

• Ayana Habtemariam: “My needs are ever-changing. There’s no perfect way to eat or move—it depends on the season of life I’m in.”

• Melissa Alazraki, RD, CDCES: “I’ve learned to trust my body to tell me when it’s full and to respond to changes in its size and shape with kindness.”

• Patrilie Hernandez, CEO of Embody Lib: Diagnosed with an eating disorder at 32, Hernandez recalls the harmful narrative in communities of color that eating disorders are a “white woman thing.” This revelation opened the door for both personal healing and a broader understanding of systemic issues driving disordered eating.

The Takeaway: A New Year, A New Perspective

When it comes to health and wellness, many of us feel trapped between extremes—either the demand to change our bodies or the pressure to love them unconditionally. For most people, neither feels attainable.

Body neutrality offers a middle ground, encouraging you to accept your body as it is and take care of it in a way that feels good for you. Experts agree that moving away from weight-centric health practices is crucial and that fatness is not a measure of worth or wellness.

As the new year approaches, consider embracing a more holistic approach to wellness. Focus on what makes you feel good, both physically and emotionally, and remember that your health journey is uniquely yours. Whether it’s through self-reflection, reaching out to professionals, or finding a supportive community, take the steps that feel right for you.

Above all, remember this: You are more than your body, and health is about more than a number on the scale.