#Bopo – Body Positivity
Bopo (or body positivity) is a movement that’s rapidly gaining momentum. The transition away from a physical ideal (read: skinny) and towards acceptance at every size is LONG overdue. Check out the hashtag #bopo on social media, and you’ll find a world of inspiration. Instagram alone has over 615,000 #bopo posts.
I am hilariously late to the game here. After having been on my own intuitive eating journey for over 8 years, I am a huge believer in health and happiness at every size, and love the movement away from the ‘ideal body’ image. Thanks to my experiences and my studies, I am now able to pass on this liberating and positive message to others. So how did I only hear about the term bopo a few months ago?!
I’m making up for lost time now.
#Bopo is possibly the most inspiring hashtag on social media right now. In a platform where health is defined by your booty gains and just how photogenic your smoothie bowl is, #bopo is a big breath of fresh air. Here’s a quick screenshot from some of the current top posts with the hashtag:
Why Body Positivity – My Experience
Why do we continue to base our happiness on our weight? I remember listening to a podcast not too long ago where the yoga teacher being interviewed (whose name I can’t remember, typical!) described our bodies as a ‘meat sack’. As unattractive as the concept may be, she’s kind of spot-on. We are so much more than our physical bodies, and its time to start recognising that!
When I focus on my body, I now focus on what it can DO, rather than what it looks like. Above and beyond that, I spend more time improving my mind. This is not limited to “just” my mental health, but to my studies too. I am constantly working on how I can be a kinder and more considerate person – to others, but also to myself.
I am not perfect – of course there are moments where I feel inadequate, unattractive and imperfect. That said, am however proud of the fact that I am able to soothe myself away from these thoughts. Proud that I am able to bring myself back to a self-compassionate state of mind. Life is too damn short to spend it hating ourselves (meat sacks and all!!).
Bopo and Intuitive Eating Events this Spring (Edinburgh and Glasgow)
I am really excited to be speaking at some events over the next few months in both Edinburgh and Glasgow – Tali’s Yoga x Chachi Power Project. These talk+dinner events will be based on Intuitive Eating, which was definitely my introduction to improving my relationship with my body.
With the toxic messaging that we receive everyday about what we should be eating, how to eat, how much to eat and when, it’s very easy to feel like the control isn’t in our hands anymore.
Diet culture, weight conversations and body shapes fill our eyes and ears every day and some people equate every thing they consume with a points value or what has to be done in the gym to make that next bite justified. All the pleasure has been stripped out of one of the most pleasurable experiences: eating. But can we trust ourselves without the diet or ‘lifestyle choice’ dictating to us?
The Chachi Power Project wanted to create this special evening to explore Intuitive Eating and has asked Tali from Tali’s Yoga, who is a graduate from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and an advocate for Intuitive Eating, to talk about the basics. We will discuss emotional eating, body cues, mindful eating, having an unrestrictive approach to food alongside making a commitment to do the right thing for your body. In essence Intuitive Eating is about rebuilding the trust between your mind, emotions and your body.
We’ll do all of this while walking the talk: we’ll be eating a scrumptious communal dinner! Let’s get together to chat, laugh, eat, drink and be merry- while also learning how to take back control of our own bodies and the food that goes into them. We invite you to join us!
Ticket price includes a delicious meal (all food intolerances taken into consideration) and one glass of wine, beer or soft drink of your choice.
Spaces are limited; check out the links and dates below for more info:
Edinburgh | 16th May 2018 | Tickets
Glasgow | 13th June 2018 | Tickets
Edinburgh 18th July 2018 | Tickets
Bopo Inspo (Stay Inspired with the Body Positivity Movement)
Here are some of my favourite Instagram accounts that keep me inspired regarding body positivity and intuitive eating:
- @ The Chachi Power Project – Danni is Edinburgh-based and a passionate speaker about all things bopo
- @ Bodyposipanda – Body positivity and feminism
- @ The Goodness Guru – Pro-recovery nutritional therapist-in-training
- @ Not Plant Based – duo who are passionate about helping you love food again
- @ Krista Murias – anti-diet, pro-health at every size
- @ Wholly Healed – Women’s health (the non-diet-culture way)
- @ Body Image _ Therapist – Self-acceptance and and body image
Be sure to check them out! I’m also going to be including a lot more #bopo and body image-related posts on my feed (@talisyoga) as well as my usual yoga posts.
Have you heard about the Bopo / body positivity movement? What are your thoughts?
Tali xx
