Can You Lose Weight and Still Be Body Positive?

Psychology Today

by Carolyn Karoll LCSW-C, CEDS-C

February 23, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

Can you lose weight and still remain body positive? This question has gained traction as GLP-1 weight loss medications have become more common, complicating discussions about bodies, health, and self-care. While wanting to feel better in your body is a natural desire, the way we frame weight loss reveals deeper societal attitudes that link worth with thinness. The article explores whether losing weight aligns with the original principles of body positivity, which emerged from fat activism as a movement for dignity and equal respect, not just self-love or personal transformation. Body positivity originally aimed to challenge systems that equate thinness with morality and value. However, as it has entered mainstream culture, its focus has shifted toward confidence-building and weight loss, often prioritizing body size over broader health and well-being. This shift risks reinforcing rather than dismantling harmful hierarchies, where a smaller body is seen as the standard for success. The article emphasizes that caring for one’s body doesn’t always mean losing weight. True self-care can include eating regularly, moving in ways that feel supportive, managing stress, and getting adequate rest—practices that don’t necessarily result in weight loss but still promote health. When weight loss becomes the primary measure of care, it perpetuates the idea that a smaller body is inherently better, which undermines the original intent of body positivity. Weight and health are complex topics. Many people improve their health metrics like blood pressure or blood sugar without significant weight loss, yet larger-bodied individuals often face weight stigma, including biased assumptions or delayed medical care, which contribute to poorer health outcomes. A body-positive approach insists that respectful, evidence-based care should not depend on body size. For those in eating disorder recovery, framing weight loss as empowerment can be harmful. It risks reactivating old patterns of control and self-surveillance. The goal of recovery is often about achieving peace with food, freedom from constant body checking, and an end to the belief that life will only begin after a body change. Body neutrality—a focus on treating the body with respect without making appearance central—can be a more stable approach than constant positivity. Ultimately, while losing weight and being body positive may coexist for some, the key takeaway is that body positivity was never about celebrating weight loss itself. Its purpose was to disrupt the belief that worth must be tied to changing one’s body. By focusing on respect, dignity, and health regardless of size, we move closer to the original vision of body positivity—one that challenges rather than reinforces harmful societal norms.

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Originally published on Psychology Today on 2/23/2026