Body Neutral Copy: A No-BS Marketing Guide for Wellness Brands

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Heads up! We’ll be talking about diet culture and appearance-based marketing in this blog. If you’d rather not read looks-based messaging then skip the entire section titled ‘Sneaky Messages That Make Your Body Neutral Copy…Not So Neutral’.

The wellness industry is shifting. And it’s about time. 

‘Cause let’s be honest: we’re all a bit tired. Tired of the ‘dream body’ promises. Tired of forced self-love. Tired of making bodies the main character in every wellness story.

But here’s what’s beautiful: More and more wellness professionals are embracing body neutrality. 

You’re creating spaces where bodies can just… be. Where movement is about feeling strong and energized, not burning calories. Where health is measured in sleep quality and energy levels, not inches or pounds.

So What Does Body Neutral Mean Anyway?

Before we dive into the marketing stuff, let’s talk about how we got here.

Remember when body positivity felt revolutionary? It pushed back against unrealistic standards and encouraged body acceptance… yet, it kept appearance at the centre.  Love your body! Celebrate every curve! You’re beautiful just as you are!

That’s where body neutrality comes in.

Developed by Anne Poirier, body neutrality offers a refreshingly simple perspective: Your body isn’t good or bad, worthy or unworthy. It just exists. It’s the thing that lets you hug your friends, dance at concerts, and chase your dreams.

Body neutrality creates space to step back from aesthetic-based conversations entirely and focus on what your body does rather than how it looks. 

And for wellness professionals? It opens up new ways to talk about health, movement, and well-being.

Instead of telling clients to ‘burn those calories!’ you can talk about having energy for weekend adventures. Instead of promising to ‘tone those arms!’ you can celebrate being strong enough to carry a toddler and grocery bags.

But the question is: How do we translate this philosophy into your messaging?

Making The Switch To Body Neutral Marketing

Let’s talk about why marketing wellness can sometimes feel icky. It’s not just the focus on appearance (though we’ll get to that). It’s the whole playbook of unethical sales tactics that have somehow become ‘normal’ in the wellness industry. 

When marketing crosses into unethical territory, it usually involves some combination of:

• Exaggerated or impossible claims
• Exploiting pain points and insecurities
• Cherry-picking success stories
• One-size-fits-all solutions

And these tactics often go hand-in-hand with appearance-focused marketing (I’m looking at you, before/after photos). 

Think about it: harmful generalizations, shame-based messaging, and those too-good-to-be-true transformations? They all prey on the same thing – making people feel like they’re not enough. Whether they haven’t achieved their ‘dream bod’ or aren’t loving their body enough. 

But body neutral marketing naturally pushes you toward more ethical practices.

Because when you focus on what bodies can do instead of how they look, it’s easier to connect with clients through honest claims, realistic expectations, and feel-good messaging. 

Sneaky Messages That Make Your Body Neutral Copy…Not So Neutral

Look, we all know traditional wellness marketing tells us bodies need ‘fixing’ or ‘improving’. And while you’ve rejected that mindset in your work, these messages can still sneak into your copy.

You’re creating amazing spaces where bodies can just exist. Where movement is about feeling strong. Where health isn’t measured by a scale. But sometimes when you sit down to write? Those old industry defaults come creeping back.

Here are some patterns to watch for in your copy:

Let’s start with the obvious stuff: weight-loss marketing wearing a ‘wellness’ costume. We’re talking ‘get your beach body,’  ‘slim into summer,’ or ‘finally get fit.’ Sure, they sound more positive than ‘lose weight fast’,  but they’re still saying some bodies are better than others.

Even swapping ‘skinny’ for ‘strong’ or ‘fit’ doesn’t fix the problem. These terms still create a hierarchy of bodies. The same goes for ‘real bodies’ or ‘natural curves’ – they might sound inclusive, but they’re still telling people how their bodies should look.

Then there’s the sneaky punishment mindset. You might have dropped ‘burn off those calories’  but watch for subtler versions like ‘earn your breakfast’ or ‘no pain, no gain.’ These still frame movement as something you do to make up for eating or living in your body.

And don’t forget those ‘good’ and ‘bad’ food references that slip into wellness copy before you can say ‘cheat day.’ Even positive spins like ‘guilt-free recipes’ or ‘clean eating tips’ still moralize food choices.

Once you’re conscious of these patterns, you’ll start spotting them everywhere. And that awareness is the first step to creating marketing that truly reflects your practice.

Body Neutral Ways To Talk About Movement

So you’ve caught the sneaky appearance-focused messages in your copy. Now let’s talk about what to actually say when you’re marketing movement services.

The easiest way to keep your messaging ethical? Focus on how movement makes life better, not bodies different.

Think about why your clients show up to work with you. Maybe they want more energy for weekend hikes. Maybe they’re tired of their back hurting during gardening season. Maybe they just want to get up and down from the floor easily to play with their kids.

These are the benefits worth talking about in your copy:

• Energy that lasts through your whole day
• Strength for carrying groceries and kids
• Balance that makes you feel steady on your feet
• Movement that helps you sleep better
• Healthier blood pressure readings
• Flexibility to get down on the floor to play
• Core strength that supports your back at work

And when you’re setting goals with clients, skip the measurements and focus on function. 

This might mean training for a specific achievement like running a 5k or conquering your first pull-up. Or it could be about building daily habits, like morning walks or twice-weekly strength training.

The best part? These benefits will actually improve your clients’ lives. 

Because at the end of the day, no one’s lying awake at night thinking about arm definition. They’re thinking about moving without pain and having energy for what matters most.

Writing Service Pages That Welcome Every Body

Your services page is where all the details live like your packages and pricing. But it’s also where you show potential clients what makes your approach different.

It’s a chance to give people a real peek at what working with you feels like.

When you describe your offers, you get to paint a picture of what matters – the supportive environment you’ve created, the way you adapt movements, and how you celebrate progress that has nothing to do with appearance.

Think about the last time you felt welcome in a new space. Someone probably took the time to explain what to expect, answer your questions, and show you how things could be adapted for you. 

Your services page can create that same feeling of belonging and understanding with:

• Program names that don’t promise appearance changes
• Package descriptions focused on the experience
• FAQs that address real concerns, not insecurities
• Client stories that celebrate all kinds of wins

Writing service descriptions this way takes more thought than promising quick fixes or body transformations. But when your services page reflects your approach to movement, clients see exactly what makes your work right for them. 

Done With Wellness Marketing BS? Let’s Write Body Neutral Copy

Marketing wellness services isn’t easy. 

You’re pushing back against years of industry defaults about weight loss, appearance goals, and ‘transformation’ promises. Even when you’re committed to body neutrality in your practice, those old marketing habits can be sticky.

And while we’ve walked through the essentials of body neutral messaging – from spotting sneaky appearance-focused language to writing about movement in ways that actually matter – knowing what to write and actually writing are two very different things. 

That’s exactly why I love helping wellness professionals write their websites. 

You bring the expertise and body neutral approach. I’ll bring the words and marketing know-how. Together we’ll create copy that connects with your ideal clients while staying true to your values.

Want to see how we can work together?

Bonus Resources On Body Neutrality

• The Cut on Body Neutrality vs. Body Positivity
• ISSA on Body Neutrality For Clients
• Health Line on Practicing Body Neutrality
• Science Direct on Body Neutrality Strategies
• Science Direct on Body Neutrality Critiques