The “health and wellness” industry often exploits our insecurities, selling quick fixes that lack real, lasting benefits. As a plus-size content creator, I see this firsthand—brands flood my inbox each January with offers to promote diet products and weight loss drugs. But true wellness isn’t about shedding pounds to fit a societal mold—it’s about embracing self-care, body sovereignty, and sustainable habits that honor both mental and physical health. In this piece, I explore the complexities of body image, cultural expectations, and the balance between self-improvement and self-acceptance.

As a Black Indigenous woman, I have seen firsthand how white supremacy, capitalism and diet culture forces people who look like me to hate ourselves. This keeps us battling our own bodies instead of the systems that oppress us.