As someone who looks to Instagram for foodspiration , inspiring quotes and all-around life hacks, it means a lot to have accounts I can go to for some real #fitspiration. Now I don’t mean people like Khloe Kardashian, Beyoncé or the IG celebs who might have surgically-altered bodies. I don’t mean those who have been photoshopped and get paid to take pics with their waist trainers and their fit teas. I mean real people , people who are struggling, who fight every single day to maintain a healthy self-image and do not wage their self-worth on being thin. People who remind their followers that it’s so important to love yourself.
I want to see people I can relate to physically and mentally, because as much as I love following celebs (and trust me, I do), their stories don’t always inspire me. I just can’t relate to their circumstances. So, here are my favorite body positive Instagram accounts. They’re filled with activists, models, mental health warriors and all around awesome people, who remind me to take care of myself and teach me to forgive my body for not looking like a magazine cover. They are taking a stand against typical beauty ideals and normalize beauty in all shapes, sizes and colors. Most importantly, these IG accounts show me that body positivity goes beyond size and they provide me with more inspiration to love myself than any celebrity photos ever could.
Earlier this week I went to an event hosted by Instagram and Elle magazine to celebrate women who tell their stories on social media. There was a panel discussion, and when question time came I raised a shaking hand, and asked the most influential woman in the room what she thought about the toxic side of social media, and how much she worried about her daughters body image being influenced by what she saw. Her answer? Young people are smart nowadays so they can control how much the media affects them, they know what’s real and what’s photoshopped and we don’t give them enough credit. Now, some of the most intelligent people I’ve ever known have been the ones to fall furthest into the depths of eating disorders and self hatred. So being smart has nothing to do with it. And sure, most of us can tell when an image has been photoshopped beyond belief, but that doesn’t stop us comparing ourselves to it. We still get the message that this is the ‘ideal’, edited or not, and that we don’t measure up. As for giving credit, let’s give it where it’s really due. To every person who survives another day at war with themselves because of the media poison that’s seeped into their mind, convincing them they’ll never be good enough. I left the event really disheartened, that someone who could actually change things would rather evade responsibility and avoid the truth. That smart, creative, extraordinary people are dying everyday for this. And while magazines and social media aren’t the sole cause, they are a powerful part of the machine that works to reduce us to imperfect pieces, and sell us the solution. And denial isn’t going to change that. To anyone out there struggling to find their self love, their recovery, I see you. I know you are smart, I know you are fighting against forces greater than yourself. Your struggles are valid, and your fight is a real one. So please, don’t give up. And first steps? Throw away the things in your life that make you feel bad about yourself. Refuse to let them profit from a pain that they won’t even acknowledge. You’ve got this. 💪💜💙💚🌈🌞
A photo posted by Megan Jayne Crabbe 🐼 (@bodyposipanda) on Jan 23, 2016 at 10:58am PST
We live in a society of instant gratification and I think many of us tend to expect that one day self-confidence will appear out of thin air. However, obstacles are how we grow stronger. Verbal + emotional bullet wounds make us better. Usually, people who’ve never been bullied evolve into hypersensitive adults who buckle under the slightest bit of emotional pressure. I am forever grateful for the people who showed me no mercy as a child, who made it their mission to let me know just how “fat”, “ashy”,and “ugly” I was in their estimation. Because of those “insults”, I was forced to get to know myself inside and outside those descriptions. I didn’t know it at the time, but those shitty experiences were tests of character & strength. And strength means nothing if it’s not tested. Often, the test is waking up and going to school or work in active defiance of our oppressors. I guess what I’m saying is that it gets better. Really. If you’re afraid to go to school tomorrow because your classmates make fun of you, or if you eat lunch in your car while at work because you can’t stand the smirks and stares in the break room, believe me- it gets better. Building an internal fortress against those who mean you ill will is hard as fuck, but the payoff beats being a victim. So happy to be home tomorrow at noon, @durhamyoga! FYI, after 1/19, I’ll be on the west coast w/ @nolatrees until late February for #mynameisnola West Coast Edition. I know, it’s sad but look on the bright side- we’ll see each other tomorrow and next week! (ALSO,HAAAAY NEW @codyapp FAM!!💋💋👊🏾👊🏾💪🏾💪🏾) Top- @purelimesport Leggings- @rainbeaucurves Fingers & Toes- @yogapaws (Fuck all the imitators, these are the real deal. I paid ~$50 for mine & they are worth every penny.) Photo by @lydiahudgens Also, @babyface_garza & @haddadtraining (& Everyone else) we’ll be teaching #inversions+ #armbalances & #fundamentals in Portland, The Bay Area, & The LA area- click the link in my Instagram header for registration info! & @sophina1, click the individual date links for registration info!
A photo posted by Jessamyn (@mynameisjessamyn) on Jan 11, 2016 at 7:29pm PST
I never saw a trans man on television or in a movie when I was a kid– and I watched a LOT of TV. I never even met another trans man until I was 14. I had only ever met two trans women before. The first time I saw a trans man on television was Max from “The L Word.” We shared a similar gender identity, but we looked nothing alike. What about my race? What about my ethnicity? Where were the Asian trans men? Did they even exist? For a little while, I was convinced that I was the only one. I knew there had to be others out there, but I didn’t know where or how to find them. But then I met another Chinese trans guy. And eventually, I was connecting with other East Asian trans men on Tumblr and here on Instagram. But there was a good three/four years between meeting the one other Chinese trans guy and connecting with the others–three to four years where I still felt like few of us really existed. It’s a crappy thing to feel like there is no one else like you. This is why I share my story. This is why I post about my journey. I’ve always hoped that it would help promote respect and acceptance, but it’s more than that. Messages from other EA trans guys about how they’re happy to have found more EA trans men to talk to, how they appreciate seeing EA trans men tell their story– THAT is why I do what I do. Because I know what it’s like to feel alone, to feel like you are the only one. I know what is to see people who are supposedly like you, but are really nothing like you at all. And I what it’s like to wait to see yourself reflected in the media, but never to do so. I don’t speak for all EA trans men. I speak for myself and for the kid I once was. #ftm #transisbeautiful
A photo posted by Leo Sheng (@isupersheng) on Feb 13, 2016 at 10:02am PST
@chekothari
A photo posted by ♔Winnie♔ (@winnieharlow) on Feb 12, 2016 at 8:52am PST
https://www.instagram.com/p/BBzo2ZoJVFf/?taken-by=philomenakwao
I give love away freely. It’s not because I’m stuck in some childish Disney fantasy, but because why effing not? The world is a nasty place, and there is enough hatred. I have a lot of love to give, and I see no reason why I shouldn’t share it. I may not know you, but that doesn’t mean I can’t love. We may never have met, but you still hold a place in my heart. I tell my friends I love them, even if we aren’t very close, and I absolutely mean it. I call them names like, “babe” “honey” “sweetie” and “darling”, because to me it’s a way of expressing my deep appreciation for their existence. My friends are used to being showered with hugs, kisses, and flirtations, because I’m so flushed with adoration, I can’t help myself. It makes me sad to know that the world has made some people so bitter and hardened that the slightest sign of love makes them uneasy. I may seem over the top. I’m emotional, sensitive, and a little sappy. I’m that way because, even though I’ve seen terrible things, I know that we can counteract the evil the world with positive vibes and kindness! So, today, instead of worrying about not getting your loved ones a box of chocolate or a bouquet, show your love. Loving yourself and others is so much better than obsessing over meaningless material gifts. Let your aura be one of warmth, so when people enter, they feel at home. Be the light the world needs. #LoveYourself #Encouragement #BoPo #Feminist #AlternativeCurves #effyourbeautystandards #celebratemysize #bodypositive #pizzasisters4lyfe #positivevibes #allbodiesaregoodbodies #mybodymyrules #Empowered #riotsnotdiets #Confident #NobodyShame #SelfLoveWarrior #Happy #edrecovery #Empowerallbodies #Inspiration #GoddessVibes #Inspire #Beautiful #Girlgang #BodyPosi #BodyPositivity #Valentines #edsoldier #Valentinesday
A photo posted by Cheyenne (@goofy_ginger) on Feb 14, 2016 at 9:32am PST
Every body-positive person sharing their story makes a difference to someone. I hope that like they have for me, these Instagrammers will provide some encouragement and real inspiration for you.
Photo: Giphy Which accounts do you follow for body positivity and inspiration? Share with us in the comments!
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