Navigating Body Positivity in the Ozempic Era: A Soft Rebellion
It’s getting harder to stay body positive.
Everywhere you look, the pressure to be thin is creeping back in. Influencers who once embraced their curves are now visibly shrinking. Celebrities are “mysteriously” smaller. And weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are being quietly - or not-so-quietly - promoted as a quick fix for appetite and size.
If you’re someone trying to recover from binge eating or build a better relationship with your body, it’s completely normal to feel shaken by this. You might even wonder: Am I the only one still trying to do this differently?
You're not. And you’re not doing it wrong.
Why it feels like the 2000s all over again - and what it means for body positivity
For a while - especially around the 2010s - it felt like we were making progress. The body positivity movement was growing. There was more visibility for body diversity. Diet culture was being challenged.
But lately, we’re seeing a shift…
Thinness is being celebrated again - often through before-and-after transformation stories
The “wellness” world is increasingly overlapping with appearance-focused weight loss messaging
People in larger bodies are being pushed to the margins, made to feel invisible or “less healthy” again
It’s not just about Ozempic, it’s what Ozempic symbolises. This idea that weight loss is the solution, that being smaller is better and that your appetite is a problem to fix.
The return of “thin at all costs”
Let’s be clear: some people do need these medications for diabetes or medical issues, and people have the right to make choices about their own bodies. Always. So if you have chosen to take Ozempic, this is not about you.
It’s about these drugs being handed out like sweets through private clinics, with minimal screening or follow-up. When this is happening it’s become a public health issue - especially for those living with or recovering from eating disorders.
I’m seeing it in my practice:
Clients with anorexia becoming fixated on the idea of using injections to suppress appetite further
Clients with binge eating or bulimia hoping it’ll be the thing that finally “fixes” their eating - only to feel more out of control when they stop
People believing that they should lose weight because everyone else is doing it
You see, the message we are being fed is that we should be thin, no matter the cost. Even if it means ignoring your mental health, nutritional needs, or long-term wellbeing.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: you can be in a larger body and healthy. AND, you can be in a smaller body and struggling with your health. Health is not a shape or size. You cannot tell how healthy someone is, just by looking at their body.
And yet, we’re being told that thin = good. Again.
💚 Want to feel more in control around food without extreme measures? Grab my free Binge-Free Guide.
Why this matters for recovery
If you’re working on your own body positivity or eating intuitively, respecting your hunger, and learning to stop bingeing - this cultural shift can feel like a slap in the face.
It does to me!
It’s confusing, discouraging and it can make you question all your progress.
But here’s what I want you to remember:
Just because others are taking a different path, doesn’t mean yours is wrong
The pressure to conform to a particular body shape will come and go - we’ve seen it over the decades. Body shapes go in and out of fashion, like clothes
And most of all: your body is not a trend
So what does a soft rebellion look like?
A soft rebellion is choosing not to shrink to be accepted. It’s the decision to not chase weight loss just because everyone else is. To not download the latest diet app. To not believe that your body is a problem to fix.
It’s choosing body respect in a world that constantly tells you to shrink. Choosing nourishment over restriction, curiosity over criticism, compassion over control.
It’s staying kind to your body, even when the world tells you to change it. It’s rejecting the “thin at all costs” narrative - while still allowing space for body autonomy.
A soft rebellion is also a reclaiming of body positivity - not the hashtag version that’s been watered down, but the deeper message that all bodies are worthy, visible, and valid.
It might look like:
Unfollowing accounts that promote quick-fix weight loss or body comparison
Setting boundaries with friends or family who constantly talk about dieting
Reminding yourself that hunger is not something to fear - it’s a normal, human signal
Wearing the clothes that fit your body now, not the ones you're “saving for later”
Practising self-care that doesn’t revolve around changing your body
It’s knowing that you don’t have to earn rest, food, or worthiness. It’s trusting that your body is allowed to take up space - exactly as it is today.
Even when it feels hard.
Even when it feels lonely.
Even when everyone else is choosing the fast track.
It’s the quiet, steady path of building a respectful relationship with food and your body - one that lasts longer than any trend ever will.
You are not alone
There’s a lot of noise right now, a lot of pressure. And a lot of misinformation about what “health” looks like.
You’re allowed to feel conflicted. You’re allowed to question. And you’re absolutely allowed to stay rooted in food freedom and body respect - even when it feels like you’re going against the grain.
This is your soft rebellion. And it matters.
💚 Want to go deeper into body image and food freedom? Join the Body Freedom Matters workshop here.
Or, if you have any questions, just drop me a note using the form below and I’ll reply with some tips you can implement straight away.