Nutritionist warns: Don't let "The Body Positivity" movement affect your health

A leading Australian certified nutritionist has called out the growing “anti body shaming” and “body beautiful” trends as being detrimental to women leading healthy lifestyles.

 

Zhanna Gee, founder of holistic health and well-being company, Slim By Nature, has raised concerns that women have become too ashamed to go on a diet.

 

“I am worried that many women have become too ashamed to embrace a healthy lifestyle due to the growing “anti body shaming” and “body beautiful” movements,” said Ms Gee.

“There are a number of women who will attempt some kind of diet without any form of education, or even support from family or friends.”

 

The body positivity phenomena recently prompted the founder of Greatist, a health and fitness site, to defensively write, “It’s O.K. to want to lose weight”, in response to criticism.

 

“Many people in the body positivity movement believe that the desire to lose weight is never legitimate, because it is an expression of the psychological toll of fat shaming,” said Ms Gee.

 

“So any public discussion of personal health or body size constitutes fat shaming.”

 

Mrs Gee’s interest in women’s health was born seven years ago after being involved in two separate car accidents resulting in a dependency on pain medication, crippling back pain, weight gain and the onset of depression.

 

"I started doing research on how to lose weight, which led me on a path to connecting with incredible naturopaths and nutritionists who I then worked with to develop and perfect a number of unique holistic formulas and eating plans," said Mrs Gee.

"At the time I thought, ‘So many women could benefit from this’ and Slim By Nature was born from there.”

 

Mrs Gee said the Slim By Nature movement, which includes more than 30,000 women, aims to avoid the stigma associated with weight loss programs, and instead focuses on clean eating, detoxing and fat burning.

 

“The words ‘diet’ and ‘weight loss’ have such a bad name these days - as a company, we want to ensure that women feel safe, and are equipped with the right tools to aid their journeys to leading happier and healthier lives,” said Mrs Gee.

 

“We absolutely support the ‘No Body Shaming’ movement, but we also know too many women are depressed and will try anything to look and feel better.

 

“The detox and fat-burning programs are just the first step. My main goal for every client is to give them a healthy and happy lifestyle beyond the program.

“I am driven by the passion and desire to nurture, educate, and not only support, but empower, women throughout their entire journey.”

 

- ends -

 

For more information or photo/interview requests, please contact:

Joanne Rahn

Director

zanthii communications

Phone: 0402 148 334

Email: joanne@zanthii.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/zanthiiau