Fit Shaming, BMI, and Body Positivity: Where’s the Line Between Health and Sensitivity?

Welcome to Nacho Fitness Coach — the podcast for people who want to get healthy… but also kind of want to go lay down.

In this episode, we dive into a topic that’s uncomfortable, nuanced, and surprisingly common: fit shaming, body positivity, BMI, and personal responsibility in health.

Because apparently, saying “I feel bloated” can turn into a full-blown controversy.

Let’s unpack it.

When Expressing Discomfort Becomes “Insensitive”

Here’s the situation:

On a girls’ trip, one host ate a $6 chicken fried steak — greasy, salty, deep-fried, and absolutely fighting back. By the time the group made it to the bar, she felt bloated, uncomfortable, and honestly miserable.

So she said so.

She held her stomach. She mentioned feeling gross. She said she was uncomfortable.

The next day, a friend told her she “wasn’t reading the room.” The implication? Because the other women in the group were overweight, her comments about bloating could have been interpreted as insensitive.

But here’s the key point:

It wasn’t about weight.
It was about physical discomfort.

So why did it turn into something bigger?

What Is Fit Shaming?

We’ve talked before about fit shaming — the backlash people sometimes receive when they make health-focused choices.

It can look like:

• Eye rolls when you order differently
• Jokes when you skip dessert
• Comments like “must be nice” when you mention discomfort
• Being labeled insensitive for tracking food or prioritizing health

Sometimes, improving your health unintentionally highlights someone else’s insecurities. And that can create tension.

But someone else’s discomfort doesn’t automatically make your behavior wrong.

Body Positivity vs. Health Accountability

Let’s be clear: Body positivity matters.

Loving your body — crooked ears, imperfect skin, cellulite, stretch marks — is healthy.

But body positivity does not mean ignoring health risks.

There is a difference between:

• Accepting natural imperfections
  and
• Pretending that excess visceral fat doesn’t carry medical risks

Research consistently shows that excess body fat, particularly around internal organs, increases the risk of:

• Heart disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• Metabolic syndrome
• Early mortality

Acknowledging that reality is not shaming. It’s science.

BMI: Useful Tool or Flawed Metric?

The conversation also explored BMI (Body Mass Index) — one of the most debated health measurements.

BMI categories:

• Under 18.5: Underweight
• 18.5–24.9: Healthy weight
• 25–29.9: Overweight
• 30+: Obese

BMI is calculated using height and weight only. It does not account for:

• Muscle mass
• Bone density
• Body composition

That means muscular individuals can technically fall into the “overweight” category despite having low body fat.

Is BMI perfect? No.
Is it useful as a general screening tool? Yes.

Doctors use it because it’s simple, fast, and correlates reasonably well with long-term health risk trends across populations.

But it’s a starting point — not a moral verdict.

The Real Issue: Projection

Here’s the uncomfortable truth.

If someone feels insecure about their body, that insecurity doesn’t disappear just because they adopt body-positive language.

And sometimes, when someone else:

• Talks about bloating
• Mentions tracking macros
• Cuts back on carbs
• Shares fitness progress

…it can feel triggering.

But that doesn’t make the person sharing wrong.

You are not responsible for managing someone else’s interpretation of your health choices.

Carbs, Diet Trends, and Finding Balance

The episode also touched on common nutrition cycles:

• Intermittent fasting
• Keto
• Carnivore
• Carb reduction

Experimenting isn’t the problem. Extremes can be.

Instead of focusing on what to eliminate, a more sustainable strategy often includes:

• Prioritizing protein
• Monitoring portion sizes
• Watching trends over time
• Making adjustments before habits spiral

Health isn’t about punishing yourself.
It’s about awareness and course correction.

Choose Your Hard

This was the core takeaway:

Both paths are hard.

It’s hard to:

• Track food
• Stay consistent
• Say no to cravings
• Maintain discipline

And it’s also hard to:

• Feel uncomfortable in your body
• Avoid movement
• Ignore warning signs

You get to choose your hard.

If you’re happy where you are, that’s your decision.
If you want to change, that’s also your decision.

But don’t project your discomfort onto someone who chooses differently.

Final Thoughts

You are allowed to:

• Feel bloated.
• Express discomfort.
• Track your macros.
• Adjust your carbs.
• Improve your health.
• Be proud of the progress you worked for.

None of that makes you insensitive.

Health is personal.
Accountability is personal.
Growth is personal.

And you don’t owe anyone an apology for taking care of yourself.