The hottest Body Image Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Food & Drink Topics

There Are No Satantic Elites and the Scramble to Redefine "Woke"

Default Wisdom • 403 implied HN points • 17 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Body Image
  1. Calling elites "Satanic" is a mistake — their ties to things like Kabbalah or Freemasonry aren’t the same as modern Satanism, and the more dangerous Satanic-adjacent networks today are lower-profile online groups, not secret elite cabals.
  2. The rush to rename or declare a new phase of "woke" is mostly a branding contest driven by incentives to be first, and fast, screen-based reporting often produces shaky theories rather than clear evidence of a coherent new movement.
  3. Looksmaxxing grew out of gay culture’s individualized sexual market and now spreads widely, encouraging endless self-optimization, risky DIY cosmetic procedures, and racialized pressures that can cause real harm to people who can’t access professional care.

Who Is Responsible for TikTok's Feeder Fetish?

Many Such Cases • 1218 implied HN points • 06 Aug 24
🎭️ Culture Body Image
  1. Mukbang videos on TikTok show people eating large amounts of food, which many find entertaining. Watching someone indulge can feel fun and even a bit luxurious.
  2. Some viewers develop a fetish for watching people gain weight, known as feederism. This can involve both the enjoyment of watching someone eat and the transformation of their body.
  3. Not everyone watching these videos has a sexual interest; they may just enjoy the visual of someone eating. This leads to debate about the intention behind such content and its widespread popularity.

#246: The ethics of “optimizing” for beauty

Maybe Baby • 1383 implied HN points • 23 Nov 25
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Body Image
  1. You can stop optimizing your face for beauty without abandoning grooming; developing a personal style and basic self-care can make you feel attractive in a different, healthier way.
  2. Personal taste matters — some people genuinely prefer a bare face and find it more authentic, but aging and the beauty industry’s standards warp self-perception and make divestment harder.
  3. Criticizing the beauty industry and loosening impossible standards helps reduce pressure, while still recognizing that wearing makeup or getting procedures can be a valid personal choice and shouldn’t be shamed.

Arthur Brooks: Do GLP-1s Make Us Happy?

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 370 implied HN points • 16 Jan 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Body Image
  1. Drugs like GLP-1s and other quick fixes can improve health or mood for some people, but the evidence is mixed and some users experience worse mental-health symptoms.
  2. Cosmetic procedures often raise self-esteem in the short term, yet those benefits can fade and may harm people with body‑dysmorphic tendencies.
  3. Changing your appearance won’t automatically create self‑love — real and lasting well‑being usually requires inner work and ongoing effort.
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Plastic Surgery

We're Gonna Get Those Bastards • 16 implied HN points • 28 Feb 26
🎭️ Culture Body Image
  1. Extensive cosmetic surgery can erase a person’s recognizable face and often feels excessive, while subtle, tasteful changes are more acceptable.
  2. Being comfortable and authentic in your own skin matters more than buying a perfected look. Energy and effort often attract people more than genetics or perfect features.
  3. Cosmetic work is reasonable for medical or minor fixes, but widespread pursuit of manufactured beauty and homogenized looks is worrying and can reduce individuality.

American Bulk

Culture Study • 5514 implied HN points • 22 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Body Image
  1. Bulk shopping reflects a deep cultural connection to abundance in America. It's not just about getting what you need; it's tied to feelings of security and desire.
  2. Family dynamics and personal histories impact our relationship with stuff. Experiences with parents and grandparents can shape how we view consuming and accumulating items.
  3. There are complexities in how we handle issues of body image and weight. Personal acceptance is often mixed with societal pressures, and it's okay to feel conflicting emotions about it.

Goblins

Disaffected Newsletter • 3617 implied HN points • 24 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Body Image
  1. There seems to be a growing visibility of individuals who challenge traditional gender norms and body sizes, leading to strong reactions from observers. This reflects a deep societal divide in understanding and acceptance.
  2. Some people feel a sense of distress when they see others who clearly struggle with their mental and physical health, leading to feelings of discomfort and resentment towards those individuals.
  3. The narrative suggests a belief that societal values around beauty and behavior are shifting, often leaving traditional views feeling out of place or invalidated in certain communities.

Reader Question: What is Food Noise?

Weight and Healthcare • 798 implied HN points • 06 Apr 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Body Image
  1. Be cautious of the concept of 'food noise' promoted by weight loss drug makers as a rebranding of normal hunger or a way to profit off people's broken relationships with food.
  2. Some weight loss drugs aim to manipulate hunger signals through impacting the brain and gut, with unclear long-term effects and potential risks.
  3. The weight loss industry's push for drugs like GLP-1 agonists raises concerns about informed consent, lack of long-term research, and prioritizing short-term weight loss over potential health consequences.

Two Years of Writing Emails

Burnt Toast by Virginia Sole-Smith • 2535 implied HN points • 06 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Body Image
  1. Virginia Sole-Smith started Burnt Toast newsletter two years ago after leaving freelance writing for corporate media.
  2. Paid subscriptions from the community made it possible to sustain Burnt Toast, support marginalized voices, and fund various projects.
  3. The newsletter created a safe space for discussing body liberation, anti-fat bias, and building a supportive community.

Radical Honesty Has Come for the Boob Job

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1029 implied HN points • 07 Jul 25
🎭️ Culture Body Image
  1. People are becoming more open about plastic surgery, moving away from old habits of denying enhancements. It’s more common now for celebrities to be transparent about their procedures.
  2. Kylie Jenner, for example, used to deny having surgery, but now she openly shares details about her breast implants. This shows a shift in how society views body modifications.
  3. The conversation around body image is evolving, with many now favoring honesty and transparency over secrecy, highlighting a changing attitude towards beauty standards.

5 Questions with Christy Harrison, MPH, RD, CDN

Weight and Healthcare • 599 implied HN points • 24 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Body Image
  1. Christy Harrison is an anti-diet registered dietitian and journalist who aims to challenge diet culture and promote body acceptance through her work.
  2. She learned about weight-neutral care around 20 years ago but fully embraced it later on through experiences in recovery and training in eating disorders.
  3. Harrison applies weight-inclusive principles in her work across various platforms like books, podcasts, online courses, and speaking engagements, critiquing diet culture and promoting critical thinking about wellness.

Men's Hotness Scale

Knowingless • 1742 implied HN points • 06 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Body Image
  1. A study was conducted to rate men's attractiveness based on women's opinions. Similar to a previous study on women, the results were surprising and showed that women's tastes can differ from the male perspective.
  2. The survey involved around 260 images of men’s faces, mostly AI-generated, rated by approximately 100 women. The results revealed that women often rated men's attractiveness lower than men rated women's.
  3. The highest rating for a man was 7.8 out of 10, while the highest for women was 8.4 out of 10. This suggests that women might take personality into account more than men do when judging attractiveness.

Whose Bodies Get Studied

Culture Study • 4373 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Body Image
  1. The majority of research studies focus on cis-gender men, leading to biased advice, knowledge, and healthcare.
  2. Women's bodies have historically been considered anomalies in sports and medical research, impacting areas like sports gear design and participation rules.
  3. Excluding women from research studies leads to gaps in knowledge, affecting areas like injury prevention, gear design, and understanding menstrual health.

Reader Question - Dealing with Diet Culture at the Holidays

Weight and Healthcare • 758 implied HN points • 22 Nov 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Body Image
  1. During the holiday season, there is often an increase in diet culture behaviors like food policing and body shaming.
  2. Strategies like ignoring/responding silently, setting boundaries, and engaging in conversations can help navigate inappropriate comments about food and body during gatherings.
  3. It's important to prioritize enjoying meals in peace and remember that others' opinions about our food choices are not our concern.

Heroin Chic Is Back

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1247 implied HN points • 05 Jan 25
🎭️ Culture Body Image
  1. The current trend of using weight-loss drugs like Ozempic has shifted how people view body image and the body positivity movement. Many now see the movement as unrealistic since more people are choosing to be thinner.
  2. The emphasis on thinness in Hollywood is more apparent than ever, with celebrities being scrutinized for their appearance on the red carpet. This has led to a resurgence of the 'heroin chic' aesthetic.
  3. Even celebrities who once promoted body positivity are now opting for weight loss, indicating a change in societal standards regarding body image and attractiveness.

too much is never enough

bookbear express • 1001 implied HN points • 13 Dec 24
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Body Image
  1. Women often feel pressured to meet unrealistic beauty standards, leading to feelings of inadequacy. Many believe they must constantly improve their appearance to be accepted.
  2. There's a cycle of consumption in beauty routines, where buying more products doesn't lead to genuine happiness or self-acceptance. Instead, it can make women feel even more dissatisfied.
  3. Finding a balance between caring for oneself and accepting flaws is important. It's crucial to understand that external changes won't fill emotional gaps.

A clarification but, crucially, not a correction

Close-reading the reruns with Phoebe Maltz Bovy • 334 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Body Image
  1. The author clarified a theory about online pseudonyms critiquing appearances of celebrities, emphasizing it was just a neutral guess.
  2. The author received feedback from a woman contradicting assumptions about their identity and intentions behind their critique of Taylor Swift's appearance.
  3. The discussion expanded to critique societal norms around women's body image and the impact of judgments on appearance.

I feel bad about my chin

The Shift With Sam Baker • 579 implied HN points • 27 Jul 23
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Body Image
  1. The author expresses feeling bad about a specific physical feature, the chin, in the context of societal pressures and norms related to body image and self-love.
  2. There is a reference to the body positive movement that encourages self-acceptance and love for all body types, contrasting personal struggles with societal expectations.
  3. The post also touches on discussions around menopause and the losses associated with it, reflecting on personal experiences and reactions shared online.

Beachbody's Pseudo Rebrand – I Tried It So You Don’t Have To Part 2

Weight and Healthcare • 519 implied HN points • 24 Jun 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Body Image
  1. Beachbody's rebrand to 'Bodi' still heavily focuses on weight loss rather than health.
  2. The programs offered by Beachbody continue to emphasize slimming, sculpting, and weight loss, lacking representation for diverse body types.
  3. Beachbody's MLM structure and 'wellness coaches' perpetuate the narrative of weight loss over true health and fitness goals.

A New HAES™ Friendly Disordered Eating, Exercise and Body Image Screening Tool

Weight and Healthcare • 659 implied HN points • 25 Feb 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Body Image
  1. The screening tool aims to identify individuals struggling with disordered eating, body image issues, unhealthy exercise patterns, and weight stigma beyond traditional diagnostic tools.
  2. The tool underwent review by HAES-aligned providers to ensure inclusivity and effectiveness in identifying those in need of support.
  3. The challenge faced during development was maintaining conciseness while addressing the pervasive impact of weight stigma and diet culture on individuals' thoughts and behaviors.

Feel like your wardrobe hates you?

The Shift With Sam Baker • 379 implied HN points • 13 Jul 23
🪞 Fashion & Beauty Body Image
  1. Menopause and perimenopause are being openly discussed now more than before, helping women seek information and support for symptoms and hormonal changes.
  2. Despite the challenges of menopause, with physical changes like weight and metabolism shifts, and mental changes like anxiety, it is essential to remember that you are not alone.
  3. As women navigate dressing during menopause, where bodies change unpredictably, it's important to seek ways to adapt and feel comfortable in their skin.

The Ozempic Era

Absurdus • 275 implied HN points • 04 Apr 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Body Image
  1. Talk of the drug Ozempic can be triggering for those in recovery from eating disorders.
  2. Weight loss drugs like Ozempic may not address the deeper emotional issues behind disordered eating.
  3. Our society prioritizes thinness over overall health, forgetting about essential nutrients and the complexity of human needs.

Weight Watchers - Up To Their Old Tricks

Weight and Healthcare • 559 implied HN points • 12 Nov 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Body Image
  1. Weight Watchers rebranded and uses language around health and wellness to try to improve their image, but their profit model still relies on weight cycling and short-term weight loss.
  2. Weight Watchers employs deceptive marketing tactics, showcasing weight loss results without providing clear disclaimers on realistic outcomes and promoting weight loss over health.
  3. Despite Weight Watchers' attempts to appear health-focused, their core model is profit-driven, leading to cycles of weight loss and regain for customers, benefiting the company financially while potentially harming individuals.

Testing the Edmonton Obesity Staging System

Weight and Healthcare • 259 implied HN points • 30 Sep 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Body Image
  1. The Edmonton Obesity Staging System classifies people based on health issues, but fails to prove the necessity or effectiveness of weight loss interventions for higher stages.
  2. The study authors have conflicts of interest in the weight loss industry, promoting a body-size-as-disease paradigm without concrete evidence of its benefits.
  3. Health-supporting behaviors like fruit/vegetable consumption and fitness were shown to be more important than weight management in improving health outcomes.

Is it weight loss? Or is it patriarchy?

Men Yell at Me • 237 implied HN points • 09 Feb 25
🎭️ Culture Body Image
  1. Weight loss can bring up deeper issues about gender roles and self-worth. Many women feel pressured to conform to beauty standards, impacting their relationships.
  2. The pressures around weight loss create feelings of rage in women who don’t feel empowered in their own lives. Social expectations often dictate how women perceive their rights and needs.
  3. Thin privilege is a real concept, highlighting how society favors certain body types. Achieving thinner bodies often leads people to feel they can ask for more in their personal lives.

Friday Q&A: How to talk to teens about weight, eating, and bodies

Are You Okay? • 219 implied HN points • 20 Jan 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Body Image
  1. The post discusses how to talk to teens about weight, eating, and bodies, providing valuable insights for parents and caregivers.
  2. The author encourages engagement through questions and offers a 7-day free trial to access the full content and archives.
  3. Professional advice on sensitive topics like body image and health can be helpful for creating open and supportive dialogues with teenagers.

To breast or not to breast

The Global Jigsaw • 138 implied HN points • 03 Nov 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Body Image
  1. There is societal pressure and fetishization surrounding female breasts, impacting personal decisions and experiences.
  2. Breast reconstruction procedures post-mastectomy can have high rates of complications, but are aggressively promoted by doctors and society.
  3. Patients should be informed and have autonomy in decisions regarding reconstructive surgery, being respected even if they opt out.

How to Spot the Dangerous "Hate the Sin, Love the Sinner" Approach to Weight Stigma

Weight and Healthcare • 259 implied HN points • 05 Oct 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Body Image
  1. Identifying the 'Hate the Sin, Love the Sinner' Approach to Weight Stigma involves recognizing when people suggest fat individuals pursue weight loss despite claiming to be against stigmatizing.
  2. Spotting those promoting anti-weight stigma may involve noting if they pathologize higher-weight bodies, claim weight stigma hinders weight loss efforts, or suggest weight loss as a solution to stigma.
  3. Vigilance is required to discern genuine anti-stigma advocates from those affiliated with the weight loss industry or who only reference pseudo-anti-stigma work.

What We Can Learn From Made Up History

The Heart Attack Diet • 99 implied HN points • 08 Aug 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Body Image
  1. Humans in the past often maintained a stable weight and strength without getting excessively fat, regardless of their diet or activities.
  2. The modern Western diet is linked to obesity and diseases of modernity spreading worldwide.
  3. There may be something in our current food environment contributing to the rise in obesity and health issues.

Comparing Smoking with Being Higher Weight

Weight and Healthcare • 279 implied HN points • 01 Jun 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Body Image
  1. Comparing smoking to being higher weight is not a fair comparison because they are different in terms of behaviors, interventions, and health impacts.
  2. Smoking and being higher weight are not directly comparable because body size is not a behavior like smoking, and the health implications differ significantly.
  3. Shaming fat people to be thin is not the same as shaming smokers to quit, as they are different issues with unique complexities and considerations.