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Women's Health magazine bans phrases 'bikini body' and 'drop 2 sizes' from cover

It's New Year's resolution time, and in the January/February issue of Women's Health, the magazine itself is making a couple of biggies.
/ Source: TODAY

It's New Year's resolution time, and in the January/February issue of Women's Health, the magazine itself is making a couple of biggies.

According to editor-in-chief Amy Keller Laird, Women's Health will never again feature the phrases "bikini body" or "drop two sizes" on its cover.

Carrie Underwood Women's Health cover
Carrie Underwood poses on the front of Women's Health.Women's Health

"Dear 'Bikini Body,'" Laird wrote in a letter from the editor. "You're actually a misnomer, not to mention an unintentional insult. You imply that a body must be a certain size in order to wear a two-piece. Any body — every body — is a bikini body."

Laird explained that they'd rather emphasize the real "benefits of getting a strong-as-hell core," such as "running, surfing, dancing, climbing, being able to carry a 2-year-old up and down the stairs 10 times a day."

RELATED: The one-step solution to a 'bikini body' courtesy of size-22 model Tess Holliday

As for "dear 'Drop Two Sizes,'" Laird blasted the words the magazine has used so often.

"We've been in a relationship for most of WH's 10-year history, so it's tough to tell you this, but the time has come," she wrote. "Yes, it's true that many of us are looking to drop a few pounds — surveys and studies prove as much. But two sizes in one month? Not super practical or even all that healthy."

Women's Health

The changes come on the heels of a recent survey, in which the magazine asked readers what they like and don't like about the cover. While "toned," "strong" and "sexy" were hits, the now-banned words were misses.

Also on the miss list? "Shrink" and "diet," but the publication already nixed those words earlier in 2015.

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