Canadian BOPO Warriors

When I first started learning about Health at Every Size, Body Positivity, Fat Acceptance and Intuitive Eating, I initially felt like there were ZERO resources in Canada, definitely in Western Canada and little ole Calgary.  Don’t get me wrong, I love living in Calgary.  But despite being a growing city of over 1 million people, I often compare it to a very large farm town and we’re sometimes slow to adopt new trends and ways of thinking.

But off I went, curating my social media accounts, searching for various hashtags and Googling away to find local resources.  During my crowdfunding campaign in February 2019, I was introduced to many new people and found that there is a growing community of likeminded people in Calgary and across Canada, and many helpful resources to guide you through your journey away from the Dark Side that is Diet Culture.

Below are some of my favourite #bopowarriors.  Be sure to check them out and follow their pages!

Big Girl YYC:

Big Girl YYC was founded by the incredible Erin Bogle.  She started hosting events focused on body positivity, including Calgary’s very own Plus Sized Pool Party.  Erin is a new mom, and we love her honest and raw musings on post-partum life in a larger body.  Erin has an infectious smile and it’s hard not to dance along with her dancing videos!

We are also VERY excited about her recent collaborations with Villagers YYC and Buttercream Clothing, where Erin has developed a collection of water bottles and apparel all focused on living and loving BIG!

Check out her Instagram page for product links and be sure to check out her website for upcoming events!

Artist Shannon Smith:

Shannon Smith is an immensely talented Calgary-based photographer, primarily focused on boudoir shoots, and a body positive activist.  She hosts a number of workshops and seminars focused on fat acceptance, self image and more.  We are most excited to attend her Burlesque class with local performer Raven Virginia on November 15^th!  Will you join us?!?!

I recently had a boudoir photo shoot with Shannon, which was beyond empowering and liberating.  I will be blogging about it very soon, so stay tuned!

Shannon also offers a VIP Group on Facebook, where we share resources and build community.  Click the link above to sign up, and check out Shannon’s website to sign up for her upcoming events.

Kayla Logan:

Kayla Logan is a Toronto-based fat acceptance and mental health advocate. Her Instagram page and YouTube channel feature everything from try-on’s to boudoir shoots. More recently, she travelled across Canada and the Western US for the Perfectly Imperfect campaign, a series of body positive photoshoots which I had the pleasure of participating in when Kayla came to Calgary this past June.

Renee Little, RD - Livit Nutrition:

Renee is a Calgary-based Registered Dietitian and Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor. She focuses on providing a non-diet approach to female entrepreneurs, and provides practical, weight-neutral advice through her coaching practice.

Check her out on Instagram @livitnutrition and online at www.livitnutrition.com.

Vincci Tsui, RD:

Vincci is also a Calgary-based Registered Dietitian and Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor, and the author of the Mindful Eating Workbook. She made the transition from the weight loss industry and now practices a compassionate, non-diet approach. You can learn more about Vincci’s journey in her interview with Christy Harrison.

Follow Vincci online at www.vinccitsui.com and on Instagram @vinccird.

Victoria Welsby:

When I first came across Christy Harrison and the Food Psych podcast, one of the interviews I listened to early on was with Victoria Welsby. I instantly identified with her story and loved her honest, tongue-in-cheek viewpoint on how messed up diet culture really is.

Born in the UK, she now calls Vancouver home. She is a TedX speaker and the author of the book “Fierce Fatty: Love Your Body and Live Like the Queen You Already Are.” And she now has her own podcast, Fierce Fatty! I’ve gobbled up the first four episodes and can’t wait to hear more (I’m available for interviews BTW!). We highly recommend Episode 2 to hear more about her story.

Follow Victoria on Instagram @fierce.fatty and online at www.fiercefatty.com.

Let Us Eat Cake:

The Let Us Eat Cake Podcast is hosted by two Vancouver-based Registered Dietitians Ali Eberhardt and Hannah Robinson. They just wrapped Season 2 of their podcast, and they’ve tackled everything from Keto to Kurbo.  We love how they break down the science behind nutrition and take a realistic, but also hilarious, look at diet culture and the ridiculous things “It” says we should do.

Follow them on Instagram @eatcakepod and online at eatcakepod.home.blog.

Know of other Canadians who are blogging, Instagramming or podcasting about plus-size fashion, lifestyle and social justice issues?  Comment below so others can learn more about them and we can continue to grow our incredible community!

As Always, Stay Fabulous!

Aymie xoxo 😊