Alicia McCarvell has 2.4M followers on TikTok, approx 2M more people than the population of her hometown of Halifax. If you’re one of her many fans, you like her because of her whip-smart humour and no-holds-barred sharing.

Alicia was one of the many speakers at the inaugural BodCon event this past February, the first and only virtual conference focused on body confidence and the movement towards radical self-acceptance. Alicia’s talk was such an audience hit, that organizers brought her back to headline the The BodCon TALKS: Beach Bodies event as the keynote interview. 

Taking place this Sunday, Alicia will discuss her self love journey and how she gained the confidence to feel good, no matter what she’s wearing (in the case of this virtual poolside conference it’s a bikini!).

What lasting impression did the first BodCon have on you? And what are you most excited about for this Sunday?

BodCon was the first time I got the chance to speak in front of a large crowd. It was exciting, and lit a fire under my booty to continue writing, creating and sharing. 

It reminded me how important this work really is, and how many people are on the same journey as me.

I am most excited about getting to share my story on such a large platform. My story isn’t fancy, or exciting and I think it’s important for people to see that the changes happen when you least expect it, and that the work takes time for everyone!

@aliciamccarvellDraft because I don’t have time to make you actual content today but I love you. ||•• ##fyp ##foryoupage♬ Phone ya – Claudia

How would you describe your first week on TikTok as compared to today?

Ouuu, my first week on TikTok was overwhelming and exciting. Today the TikTok platform has become like a family. It’s where I go to vent, have fun, educate, and to create. At the beginning I was creating for fun, now I create to empower change within my community!

What do you enjoy most about TikTok as a platform for storytelling? And what are some warnings?

I love how large the platform is. TikToks’s ability to connect me to SO. MANY. PEOPLE. all at once is what makes sharing my story and humour online so impactful. I have met the coolest people, and made friendships I will have for the rest of my life.

As for a warning, I think it’s important to remind people that the online world is big – which means more bullies, more opinions, and more negativity than your regular day to day life.

I’m a people pleaser, so… it was tough to learn that no matter what I do, not everyone is going to like me, and that is totally okay. 

What are some things you do to encourage self love and confidence in yourself? 

  1. Talk to myself like I would my very best friend. Most of the time we are our own worst critics which means it is important to take a step back and talk to ourselves like we’re the most important person in our lives… because we are. 
  2. Try new things. There is something so empowering in trying something you have always held yourself back from because of your body. We build things up in our heads to ben these awful experiences when really most of the time they are fun, and exciting. Even if you fail – you tried it and that’s more than a lot of people can say. 
@aliciamccarvellKEYNOTE BABYYYYY ||•• ##fyp ##foryoupage LINK TO GET YOURSELF TICKETS IS IN MY BIO.♬ original sound – Alicia Mccarvell

Which of your videos received the most attention, and why do you think that was?

The video that started it all for me was the video about having a spouse that is 10x hotter than you. I knew what I was doing when I posted it. I have been made to feel that my husband is “too good” for me for the majority of our relationship due to him being physically fit and me being fat. 

It blew up because people are looking to believe that size doesn’t matter in a relationship, and we have been showing that ever since. 

So much value is placed on our physical bodies that people forget that what we bring to the table in life has nothing to do with the size of our pants and everything to do with who we are in our core.  

What TikTokers do you follow and love, and why do you love them?

So many.

@jaimmykoroma – She does these videos recreating outfits on a plus size body, and they give me so much confidence to try new things with my wardrobe. 

@brittanilancaster – She does a wonderful job talking about her experience with disordered eating and her energy is contagious. 

@Kate – She makes me laugh, eats the best food and is unapologetically herself. 

@paradisefitnesswithcarly – I simply just love her. She isn’t afraid to call out diet culture, and does an amazing job of breaking down weight stigmas. 

I could literally go on forever.  

If you could give advice to someone struggling with body confidence this summer, what advice would you give?

Your body is with you for the rest of your life – and it’s important to start making decisions for it out of love and not hate. 

In order to do that you need to separate your worth from your size, and that starts by listing the things you like about who you are that have nothing to do with your body. 

Once you’re left with a list of how incredible you are, (believe me… you are incredible)- it will be so much easier to understand your value. When you know your value, you’ll recognize that you couldn’t be any of those things without your vessel. 

What’s on your summer bucket list?

  • Camping on an island. 
  • Travel to somewhere cool. 
  • Do my first boudoir shoot!
  • Spend as much time as possible with my nephew. 
  • Family vacation.

The BodCon TALKS: Beach Bodies Virtual Pool Party is happening Sunday, June 27, 2021 at 2PM ET. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased here.