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What We’re NOT Going To Do Is Use Our New Year’s Resolutions To Body-Shame Ourselves

Sorry, no. …

Many of us have done it: Started the year with the resolution to lose weight, sure we’d stick to high-pressure goal we’d dreamed up in a fit of self-hatred. To drop 20lbs, go to the gym every day, count calories or never look at a piece of bread ever again. The fact of the matter is, New Year’s resolutions about weight loss can be dangerous and damaging, especially if you let them warp your self-image and negatively impact your self-esteem.

I’ve been that person—the first one at the gym on January 1, so sore by day three that they take the rest of the month off. I’ve also been the person to go and stick to it, grinding day in and day out. Both versions of myself are valid. In transparency, I’ve never been the person to commit to a hardcore diet, but I’ve definitely been the person to try to eat less and end up binging, only to totally hate myself for it. In at least one of these examples (or potentially all of them) I’m sure you see yourself. That’s OK. This is a reminder that you don’t have to start your 2021 apologizing for or trying to “fix” your appearance.

For some reason, weight loss, gym dedication and getting in shape are some of the most common New Year’s Resolutions of all time. And for people who, for one reason or another, need to do all of the above, that’s perfectly okay. Setting goals and sticking to them is a good thing. A great thing. I’m not here to shame anyone for trying to become healthier. My concern is for anyone who allows an unhealthy self-hated to bloom from the desire to look a certain way.

My concern is for anyone who allows an unhealthy self-hated to bloom from the desire to look a certain way.

I’m sure I don’t have to give you the whole ~we live in a world of Face-Tuned Instagram models and Photoshopped magazine ads~ spiel, but in case I do, I’ll keep it brief: The perfect bodies you see online and in ads are often not real. You shouldn’t compare yourself to them. Healthy looks different on everyone.

Before you think I’m out here shaming anyone with the goal of hitting the gym, let me clarify yet again. Working towards a healthier lifestyle is an admirable goal! However, in this negative world, it is all too common that we use the season of New Year’s Resolutions to body-shame ourselves, picking our appearance apart in the mirror until we’ve resolved to change every little thing we hate. Does this behavior ultimately lend itself to a healthy lifestyle? No. Very often, it leaves us so distressed that we lose all motivation to do anything. We feel doomed. Defeated. Embarrassed. Trapped.

Out of all those words, “trapped” hurts me the most. My body is my home, the only home I’ll have forever. I hate the idea of someone feeling trapped inside theirs. My body is the reason I am able to get up and live my life every single day—how can I hate it (and hate myself!) for not looking exactly the way I want?

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My body is my home, the only home I’ll have forever.

As you set your New Year’s resolutions, ring in 2021 and maybe even stock up on some new gym gear or healthy snacks, I urge you to be intentional with your goals. Don’t use your resolutions as opportunities to body-shame yourself. Instead, resolve to appreciate and love your body—in fact, this is a far better reason to vow to make healthy choices. Aim for health because your body deserves a long and beautiful life, not because you need to drop 10lbs in case low-rise jeans come back in style (and believe me, I’m doing all that I can to ensure they don’t). In 2021, I challenge you to a different kind of New Year’s Resolution: Resolve to be kind to yourself. You deserve it.

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Lizzo’s Bold Transformation and Powerful Message Ignite Fan Debate

Lizzo

Grammy winner Lizzo is back in the spotlight this time, not for her music, but for a new chapter on a different path in her life. The “About Damn Time” singer sparked a flurry of comments when she took to Instagram over the weekend, showing off a noticeably trimmer figure. But she wasn’t just turning heads with her transformation. It was the statement she made alongside it.

In the clip, Lizzo spray-painting the words “Bye B####” across the cover of her Special album felt like a bold yet symbolic move. Alongside the clip, she wrote, “End of an era.” The four words reverberated across social media, leaving fans and critics alike wondering. What era was coming to a close, and what’s next?

Lizzo’s body positivity and self-love advocacy have long been central themes of her work, which makes this moment all the more provocative. Several fans lauded her evolution, viewing it as a sign of natural maturation. Others were unsettled, wondering if her transformation changed the message she had long promoted.

Social media erupted in response. Some commended her for calling her own shots in a changing era, while others debated whether this decision was consistent with the fearless body-acceptance philosophy she had long personified.

The Special era was a watershed moment for Lizzo, cementing her place among the industry’s heavy hitters. From songs of self-empowerment to adrenaline-infused performances, she clearly illustrated that confidence isn’t about a stain on a scale. It’s about knowing who you are. By spray-painting the album cover, she appears to be closing a chapter to clear the way for something else.

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Artists evolve. As musicians do, Lizzo is trying her skills out on fresh sounds; her evolution physically, emotionally, and artistically is hers to narrate. Whether this moment is a rebrand, a shift in perspective, or an artistic expression, one thing is certain: Lizzo is fully owning being Lizzo.

With an “end of an era” declaration, fans eagerly wonder what comes next. Will she bring in a new sound? A new way to think about body image? An utterly wild card project? If Lizzo has a specialty, it’s ensuring that the world never knows what to expect.

Whether you love, hate, or celebrate it, her latest move shows she still owns her narrative and is not afraid to rattle the bones.

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Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” Dominates Spotify’s Global Chart for Ninth Consecutive Day

Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar’s powerhouse hit “Not Like Us,” is showing no signs of slowing, spending its ninth consecutive day atop Spotify’s Global Chart. The track, which debuted on top on the strength of dethroning The Weeknd and SZA, shows no signs of losing momentum. Lamar’s blistering anthem has fended off all challengers, racking up 11.4 million streams this week alone, despite fresh competition from Drake and PartyNextDoor’s new album, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U.

This newest milestone only enhances the song’s already historic run. Before this week, “Not Like Us” spent two weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and a record 20 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Rap Songs chart. The track also solidified its legacy on Spotify’s Billions Club, crossing a billion streams on the platform earlier this month.

The series, it turns out, has also been involved in a legal battle that continues to roil the industry, beyond its streaming success. (A Model Company)/Duckwrth With Allure Records, Drake Accuses UMG of Defamation, Alleges Payola Tactics at His Expense Previously, Drake Filed a Federal Lawsuit Against UMG Earlier This Year Drake Filed a Federal Defamation Lawsuit Against The Label This Year (image) Drake filed a federal lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) the label that allegedly used payola tactics at his expense. UMG has vigorously denied the accusations, which adds an extra layer of intrigue to the current feud between the two rap titans.

K. Dot, you’ve done it again, and with “Not Like Us” still topping the charts and making headlines, your influence in the music world is as formidable as ever. Whether it’s record-shattering streaming figures, contentious rivalries, or cultural relevance, one thing is for sure this song isn’t leaving the chat anytime soon.

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