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It’s the time of year when we’re inundated with messages about getting fit and losing weight. And while we’re all about trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle at any weight, sometimes the messages can be just plain overwhelming.
Enter our new favourite body campaign of 2017 so far: #GainingWeightIsCool, which is all about reclaiming those new years resolutions and celebrating healthy bodies.
The hashtag was started by body-positive social media star Arianna Dantone when she Tweeted a photo on New Years Day of herself at the gym.
“Gaining weight is cool,” she captioned the pic, before encouraging others to share what #GainingWeightIsCool means to them.
The hashtag has since been used over 10,000 times on Instagram alone, sparking women to share their own inspirational journeys of weight transformation, many of whom who suffered from eating disorders.
“I did not expect this at all but it’s truly brought me so much happiness to see it take off the way it has,” the 21-year-old told Teen Vogue.
“The hashtag to me means loving yourself at all stages and appreciating your body for what it can do rather than just what it looks like. It means going against society’s standards and loving yourself through it all. It makes my heart happy to see so many people — different genders, ages, backgrounds — joining in and embracing themselves.
“The value and power of this cannot be overstated,” therapist Alyssa Mass, who specializes in eating disorders, tells the publication.
“As a clinician, these are the types of examples I love bringing to clients struggling with these concepts — whether an eating disorder or just general body dissatisfaction. [Like], ‘hey, you’re not alone. Others have been there and others have come out the other side.'”
If you or someone you know is suffering from an eating disorder or a body image issue you can find support by visiting The Butterfly Foundation or contacting them on 1800 33 4673.
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