I don’t know about you, but I’ve always found some aspects of the body positivity movement to be impossible to apply to my real life. From reciting affirmations in the mirror to feeling this daunting pressure to radically love every inch of myself, I just couldn’t get on board - it never felt realistic or achievable to me. But then I discovered Gabi Fresh’s content on Instagram and learned about the concept of body neutrality: which leaves room for the times we find it hardest to love ourselves and our physical body, rather than feeling like we have to be obsessed with the way we look 100% of the time. I knew after watching a few of Gabi’s videos, I had to have her on the show to commiserate about the days we just hate ourselves–to put it bluntly–and how to navigate our often-tumultuous relationship with our body, brain, and being.  

 

Gabi Gregg AKA @gabifresh, to her almost-a-million Instagram followers is a creative director, writer, former blogger, designer, and the self-titled ‘OG Fat Girl’. Not only has she been posting her glam outfits for over a decade, she’s also, interestingly, one of the very first influencers to ever get into the brand collaboration space. From designing revolutionary swimsuits to creating stylish and highly-coveted plus-size clothing collections, there are very few things Gabi hasn’t done. 

 

Gabi and I talked about the moments from our childhood when we first became aware of our body’s supposed shortcomings, and why we still remember those comments so sharply. I asked her if she feels Facetune and body neutrality are mutually exclusive, and how to confront people in your life, from your mom to your neighbor, that still insist on commenting on your body. We talked about feeling jealous when your friend loses weight, dating and being fetishized, reclaiming words like fat, and feeling like rejections are all rooted in people’s judgment of your body. Gabi shared her experience with both chronic illness and mental illness, how those impact her physical health, and why some people feel very strongly about her weight.

 

Download this episode of Tell Me About It with Jade Iovine wherever you get your podcasts! And to continue the conversation DM me: https://www.instagram.com/jadeiovine/

 

Executive Producer Nick Stumpf

Produced by Catherine Law

Edited and Engineered by Brandon Dickert

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