In the world of sports, female athletes face immense pressure—not just to perform like an Olympian, but to also look like a supermodel while doing it. Athletes are expected to have a “perfect” physique: lean and toned. This creates an unrealistic ideal that many struggle to achieve. But this mindset is shifting, thanks in part to influential athletes like rugby star Ilona Maher, who are advocating for body neutrality and redefining what it means to feel confident in your own skin.
However, the message of body neutrality is not just for athletes. While many athletes are on the frontlines of this movement, body neutrality applies to everyone. Whether you’re in sports and fitness, or simply navigating day-to-day life, learning to appreciate your body for what it does, rather than how it looks, is a much needed perspective shift.
What Is Body Neutrality?
Body neutrality is a mindset. Practicing body neutrality means valuing your body more for its function, not its appearance. Often confused with the body positivity movement, which encourages people to love their bodies, body neutrality allows you to simply accept your body as it is, without judgment. Many who have tried body positivity find it difficult to practice long-term because it requires you to constantly love your body at every stage and set your own beauty standards. This positivity can be difficult in a world of strict beauty standards, which is why many are turning to neutrality instead. The goal is to remove the pressure to feel constantly positive about how you look, ignore beauty standards completely, and instead focus on appreciating your body for what it allows you to do.
For female athletes, body neutrality is particularly significant. Athletes like Ilona Maher, a U.S. Olympic rugby player, are speaking out about the importance of accepting diverse body types in sports. With her candid social media posts, Ilona encourages her followers to focus on strength and performance, rather than chasing an unrealistic ideal. She’s known for celebrating her body not because it fits a narrow beauty standard, but because it allows her to compete at the highest level. Her voice in this movement is helping to break down barriers for women everywhere, whether they’re on the field or in the stands.
Why Body Neutrality Is Important for Everyone
While athletes often face heightened scrutiny for their appearance, the pressure to conform to societal beauty standards affects all women. Whether it’s comparing yourself to influencers on social media or feeling self-conscious in a fitness class, the desire to fit a certain mold is pervasive. However, body neutrality offers a way out of this constant comparison. Instead of worrying about whether you look like the person next to you, you can focus on what your body does—and what it allows you to experience.
Ilona Maher, along with other body-neutrality advocates, reminds us that we don’t need to meet anyone else’s expectations. Whether you’re lifting weights, running a marathon, or simply walking to class, your body is strong, capable, and worthy of respect—regardless of how it looks in the mirror. Body neutrality reminds us that there is no “perfect” body, and that success, strength, and confidence come in all shapes and sizes.
The Power of Representation in the Body Neutrality Movement
Athletes and influencers are crucial to the body neutrality movement because they provide representation of what different body types can achieve. Seeing someone with a muscular, powerful physique competing on the world stage challenges traditional beauty standards and opens the door for women to feel comfortable in their own skin, regardless of their athletic background.
This representation matters because it signals to everyone—athletes and non-athletes alike—that bodies are meant to be diverse. Just as athletes come in different shapes and sizes, so do all women. The body neutrality movement is about embracing that diversity, and recognizing that no one body is more valuable than another.
How You Can Embrace Body Neutrality
Let’s be honest- practicing self love is hard. It’s the main reason why many stray away from the body positivity movement. If you’re struggling with body image, whether you’re an athlete or simply trying to feel better in your own skin, here are a few ways you can start practicing body neutrality in your daily life:
Appreciate What Your Body Can Do
Whether it’s walking to class, completing a workout, or simply getting through the day, your body is constantly working for you. Instead of focusing on how your body looks, shift your mindset to appreciate what it allows you to do.
- Set Function Based Goals
If you’re in the gym, set goals that focus on performance rather than aesthetics. Instead of working out to lose weight or change your appearance, set goals like increasing your stamina, lifting more weight, or improving your flexibility. These kinds of goals help you shift the focus from how you look to how you feel
Social media can be a huge source of negative body image. If the accounts you follow make you feel like you’re not enough, hit unfollow. Instead, follow athletes, influencers, and creators who promote body neutrality and a healthy, balanced approach to fitness and life.
2. Celebrate Small Wins
Whether you’re an athlete or not, your body achieves something every day. Celebrate the small victories, like feeling energized after a workout or getting enough rest. These are the moments that remind you how capable your body is, regardless of its size or shape.
3. Practice Neutral Self-Talk
Instead of feeling the need to constantly praise or criticize your appearance, focus on neutral self-talk. For example, instead of saying, “I love my legs because they’re toned,” you might say, “I appreciate my legs for carrying me through my day.” This takes the pressure off constantly trying to feel positive about your appearance.
Final Thoughts
The body neutrality movement, led by athletes like Ilona Maher, is not just for those who play sports—it’s for everyone. Whether you’re an athlete pushing yourself to new limits, or someone just trying to feel better in your own skin, body neutrality offers a way to move past appearance-based judgments and embrace a more holistic view of health and wellness. By shifting the focus from how our bodies look to what they do for us, we can all experience the freedom and confidence that come with body neutrality.