5 Female Creators That Will Help You Love Your Body
This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s summer editorial intern Maggie Lardie. Find her on Instagram at @maggielardie. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
If you’re reading this article, chances are you’ve had at least one negative thought about your body at some point in your life, and you’re not alone! Managing a good body image can be absolutely exhausting, especially with the comparisons social media can often force us to make between ourselves and others. Even before social media was conceptualized, negative body image was an issue that many people dealt with. “Ideal” body standards were (and still are) nearly impossible to meet – and practically always changing. Since the creation of social media, it feels like everyone’s lives have been placed under a magnifying glass. Capturing every detail of every moment to post online has become the norm, and although most creators post with innocent intentions, it can often do more harm than good. I’ve recently been noticing an abundance of “what I eat in a day” videos on my TikTok for you page, accompanied by beauty filters, try-on hauls and workout routines. If your TikTok page even slightly resembles mine, you know how hard it can be to avoid comparing yourself to the influencers you’re watching. Luckily, there are creators out there who understand the struggle – be it with food, exercise or your relationship with your body – and want to help. If you’re ever having a bad body image day and are in need of some encouragement, here are five female, body positive influencers to check out.
Victoria Garrick Browne
Victoria Browne is a content creator, podcast host and retired D1 athlete. Having previously played volleyball for the University of Southern California, Browne is well aware of the strain that playing a sport can put on your relationship with food and fitness. Her podcast is titled “Realpod,” in which she discusses topics like body acceptance, mental wellbeing and major life events. Browne isn’t afraid to keep things real herself; if she’s not interviewing a guest on an episode, chances are she’s filling you in on her life and her relationships (whether that’s with food, herself, or people around her). In case you needed one more reason to give her a follow, Victoria is a hardcore Swiftie! One of my favorite series that she does is where she breaks down Taylor Swift song lyrics for her husband.
Madeline Johnson
Going by the username @maddsmaxjesty, Madeline Johnson’s goal is to remind you how important it is to live life in the moment! She uses her page to spread messages of self-love and confidence, as well as share her own story in which she dealt with family pressures regarding her appearance. A quote that can often be found on her page is “don’t waste your life trying to get it together,” which I think is one that could benefit many.
Camilla Lorentzen
Along with her wife, @julieevlorentzen, Camilla advocates for food freedom and the practice of exercising to be strong, not to be skinny. Her videos aim to keep the majority of fake social media posts in check, as she exposes the ways simple factors such as lighting, positioning and even time of day can affect someone’s appearance and why comparing yourself to someone else is completely unreasonable. Much of Camilla’s content stems from her own past with negative body image and her current occupation as a personal trainer. She stresses that “healthy” looks different on everyone and what’s really important is finding the joy in life.
Olivia Kirkby
Since going through eating disorder recovery herself, Olivia Kirkby’s mission is to be as real, confident and carefree as she can online and hopefully inspire you to do the same! Along with body confidence videos, Olivia posts makeup tips, hair care and fashion advice. Instead of actively combating toxic posts and diet culture, Olivia takes a stance against them by simply enjoying her life and living it the way she intends.
Brittani Lancaster
Last, but certainly not least on our list is Brittani Lancaster! Since gaining a large following during quarantine in 2020, Brittani’s account has taken off. She is most known for posting “what I eat in a day” videos, but she makes sure to add in that each video won’t make you feel like s**t. She also has healed her relationship with moving her body, having discovered that referring to exercise as “movement” is more beneficial for her. Currently, she is training for her first full-length marathon, so if you’re a runner looking for some inspiration, Brittani’s account might just be worth a look!
Struggling with body confidence is far from easy, but hopefully you were able to relate to and find comfort in at least one of the creators on this list. Whenever you find yourself having a bad body image day, please remember to be kind to yourself!
Do you follow any of these body positive influencers? Are there any that you love who we missed? Let us know in the comments!