The hottest Body Image Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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The Many Dangers of Conflating Weight and Health

Weight and Healthcare • 179 implied HN points • 28 Oct 21
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Healthcare Body Image Medical system
  1. Weight and health are separate concepts - people can have different health statuses at the same weight and vice versa.
  2. The idea of 'healthy weight' is problematic and has generated more harm than good, particularly for higher-weight individuals.
  3. Focusing on healthy behaviors rather than solely on weight loss is a better predictor of future health outcomes.

Diet Culture Perpetuates Eating Disorders, There is a Solution

Weight and Healthcare • 119 implied HN points • 02 Mar 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Eating Disorders Weight Stigma Healthcare Body Image Mental health
  1. Diet culture can perpetuate eating disorders, making recovery more difficult.
  2. Weight stigma and fat-shaming, especially among girls, can lead to unhealthy behaviors and eating disorders.
  3. Promoting a weight-inclusive approach and moving away from weight-centric models can help prevent eating disorders and support full recovery.

The Ugly Side Effects of Being Extremely Attractive

Torture Chamber Small Talk • 79 implied HN points • 21 Apr 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Loss Body Image Medication Beauty Standards Physical health
  1. Weight loss drugs like Ozempic can have serious side effects but are increasingly popular for cosmetic weight loss.
  2. Beauty standards and societal pressures play a significant role in the obsession with appearance and weight loss.
  3. Health should be the priority over beauty, and extreme measures like weight loss drugs should only be considered for health reasons, not just aesthetic purposes.

What Is a PAWG(Blog)?

Many Such Cases • 219 implied HN points • 02 Jun 21
🎭️ Culture Sexuality Feminism Media Identity Body Image
  1. The term 'PAWG' refers to a specific body type that is attractive to many, especially in porn. It's about being confident in your body and owning the label.
  2. This newsletter will explore culture through the lens of what it means to be a PAWG. It will discuss famous PAWGs and also share personal reflections.
  3. Identifying as a PAWG can be seen as both fun and a reclamation of a term often used in a sexual context. It’s not just about the body type but also a state of mind.
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Profit-Maximizing Barbie

Good Reason • 56 implied HN points • 19 Aug 23
🎭️ Culture Movies Critique Corporate Influence Body Image Consumer Culture
  1. The movie 'Barbie' critiqued the doll's unrealistic standards while making billions in profit.
  2. Corporate entities like Vought in 'The Boys' and Mattel with Barbie can profit off criticism and controversial themes.
  3. Mattel faced criticism for Barbie's body image standards, attempted changes, but struggled due to societal norms and children's preferences.

Maintain Boundaries Re: Food and Family

Are You Okay? • 39 implied HN points • 13 Dec 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Body Image Emotional Well-being
  1. Maintain healthy boundaries when discussing food, weight, and bodies with loved ones to foster positive relationships and support.
  2. Recognize the impact of societal influences like diet culture on our relationship with food and body image and work towards correcting harmful beliefs and language.
  3. Prioritize your well-being by setting boundaries with family, focusing on your needs, and allowing yourself to enjoy food without guilt during the holiday season.

Woman-made: Finding Beauty and Agency in Childbirth

Humanities in Revolt • 79 implied HN points • 08 May 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Maternal health Reproductive Rights Body Image
  1. Childbirth is often misrepresented in popular culture as a life-threatening emergency, portraying pregnant women as helpless props.
  2. The painting by Amanda Greavette challenges mainstream birth stereotypes by emphasizing the beauty, difficulty, and agency of women's birthing experiences.
  3. Recognizing women's agency in childbirth is crucial for respecting their reproductive autonomy and can influence important ethical discussions around abortion rights.

What it's Like to Have a Homeostat

The Heart Attack Diet • 19 implied HN points • 02 Sep 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight management Physical activity Healthy Eating Body Image Metabolism
  1. Weight can be maintained consistently over time with a well-functioning homeostat, regardless of lifestyle or diet changes.
  2. Consistent physical activity and high calorie consumption did not impact the author's weight due to their stable homeostat.
  3. Even drastic changes like cycling across a country and significant weight loss were corrected quickly by the homeostat to maintain a stable weight.

I’ve been on a diet (almost) my whole life

The Shift With Sam Baker • 19 implied HN points • 08 Sep 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Dieting Body Image Weight Loss Self-Acceptance
  1. The author has spent a large part of their life on a diet, feeling pressure to lose weight, dating back to childhood and teenage years.
  2. The societal influence on body image and diet culture started early for the author, impacting their perception of self-image and leading to disordered eating habits.
  3. Working in the fashion industry intensified the author's struggles with body image, but the root of their dieting habits trace back to societal norms and personal experiences from childhood.

It’s that Bikini Body BS time of year again

The Shift With Sam Baker • 0 implied HN points • 23 Jun 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Body Image
  1. The post addresses the harmful Bikini Body culture and the pressure to look a certain way, emphasizing the wasted time and energy in this pursuit.
  2. It highlights the impact of societal expectations on body image at different ages, indicating that the pressure and self-criticism continue over the years.
  3. The post reflects on the absurdity of investing so much mental and emotional energy into worrying about one's physical appearance, as humorously described in a quote from Emma Thompson.

Adolescence Is No Picnic

Are You Okay? • 0 implied HN points • 27 Jun 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Body Image Self-discovery Identity Mental health
  1. Amy Chua's success was influenced by her parents' strict 'tough love' parenting style, teaching her resilience and ethnic pride.
  2. Adolescence can be challenging, especially today with the pressure to belong and social media influence.
  3. Struggling with body image and identity during adolescence is common, but changing your body may not resolve underlying self-doubt.

Be Kind to Yourself

Are You Okay? • 0 implied HN points • 12 Jun 20
🏥 Health & Wellness Anxiety Body Image Parenting Self-care
  1. Eating healthfully has become more difficult during the pandemic due to changes in routines, structures, and access to resources like gyms.
  2. Anxiety often influences people's relationship with food, leading to behaviors like restrictions, chaotic eating, and using food for self-soothing during stressful times.
  3. Practicing intuitive eating and mindfulness can promote a healthier relationship with food by prioritizing balance, consistency, and being kind to oneself.

Morgane Billuart: Elevated and Upgraded: The Paradigms of Female Health and Body Optimization

Do Not Research • 0 implied HN points • 16 Oct 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Women's Health Emotional Wellbeing Body Image Self-reflection Mental health
  1. Optimization often involves maximizing the utility of the body and striving for perfection under societal norms and expectations.
  2. The concept of an 'optimized woman' revolves around empowering oneself through pain, creating strategies based on menstrual cycles, and integrating external elements for survival.
  3. The pressure to optimize our bodies and lives is influenced by capitalist, patriarchal, and technological systems, leading to feelings of inadequacy and constant comparison with machines.