After having my company Christmas party on Saturday and seeing all the beautiful bodies of all shapes and sizes, I wanted to talk a little bit about “body positivity”.

This is the season where feelings of negativity appear because the clothes don’t fit quite the way we’d like — we didn’t quite hit that fitness goal; we’re feeling down in the dumps about our bodies because of stress, family or friends.

Body positivity has sometimes been distorted online and in day-to-day life. Some sites have alluded that overweight people want to glorify obesity. I don’t know anyone that is overweight on or offline that openly says “let’s be fat and unhealthy or skinny and unhealthy”.

Body positivity, to me, means that all bodies should be celebrated: wrinkly ones, old ones, tight ones, fuller ones, thin ones, lumpy ones, covered ones, nude ones and clothed ones.

Don’t beat yourself up because you are thicker than you want to be! You are fabulous whatever size you are. Try and be confident in your own skin. Try not to let other people’s insecurities affect the way you think and feel about yourself. We’re all just trying to make it day by day.

Just being you — being confident in your abilities and respecting and encouraging others to be the best that they can be — encourages those around you to exude positive affirmations.

Let’s speak out against body shaming or fat-shaming. If you see someone getting teased because of their size, step in. No one deserves to be shamed because of a physical attribute. No one.

So remember, you don’t have to hate yourself when you are around friends that are smaller than you. You can do your make-up, wear an amazing outfit and feel equally beautiful.

You don’t have to worry about what other people think of you eating in public. You can love your body and be OK with it, and if you want to lose or gain weight, you can without regret.

Stay body positive in 2020 and B-Active for life!

• Betty Doyling is a certified fitness trainer and figure competitor with more than a decade of experience. Look for B. ActiveForLife on Facebook