The Body Beautiful

I cannot begin to share the stories I have heard, from woman of all sizes, regarding how they feel about their bodies. They want to be bigger, smaller, shaplier, straighter. They want bigger boobs, smaller boobs, a bigger or smaller ass. They go on diet after diet, and beat themselves up for how they look.


I, too, have fallen prey to this sort of mentality. 


Just yesterday, I saw an incredible post on facebook through Christine Clifton, that really resonated with me. I reposted it and saw that it resonated with many of my friends, as well. The woman who originally posted it, who I don't personally know, had written that people could share it, so I am doing so here.

French plus size model, Tara Lynn

What I'd like to say is that body image and weight loss/gain, is a struggle for most women. I have studied it in depth, and find myself struggling with it daily. It is my hope that we all learn to love our bodies as they are, instead of trying to fit them into some sort of pre-defined shape.


For me, spending time with my family is hands-down more important than ripping it up at the gym, and while I try to eat as healthy as possible, I am not going to punish and starve myself to fit into smaller jeans. Yes, I want to wear my smaller sizes again, and despite Geneen Roth's order for women to throw out those old clothes that just don't fit, I hang onto them with the total belief that someday, I will be back in those old clothes again. I will not crash diet, cleanse, or stop eating bread. Instead, I will try to love myself everyday, just the way that I am, listen to my body, eat when I am hungry and stop when I am full. 


Reading this post (see below) reminded me that beautiful is a way of life, not a designated size. Happiness comes from self-acceptance and living a life filled with love and enjoyment.


Be good to yourself.

Again, Tara Lynn

Reposted from Delphine Fieberg's page:

Delphine Fieberg

A while back, at the entrance of a gym, there was a picture of a very thin and beautiful woman. The caption was "This summer, do you want to be a mermaid or a whale?"

The story goes, a woman (of clothing size unknown) answered the following way:

"Dear people, whales are always surrounded by friends (dolphins, seals, curious humans), they are sexually active and raise their children with great tenderness.
They entertain like crazy with dolphins and eat lots of prawns. They swim all day and travel to fantastic places like Patagonia, the Barents Sea or the coral reefs of Polynesia.
They sing incredibly well and sometimes even are on cds. They are impressive and dearly loved animals, which everyone defend and admires.

Mermaids do not exist.

But if they existed, they would line up to see a psychologist because of a problem of split personality: woman or fish?
They would have no sex life and could not bear children.
Yes, they would be lovely, but lonely and sad.
And, who wants a girl that smells like fish by his side?

Without a doubt, I'd rather be a whale.

At a time when the media tells us that only thin is beautiful, I prefer to eat ice cream with my kids, to have dinner with my husband, to eat and drink and have fun with my friends.

We women, we gain weight because we accumulate so much wisdom and knowledge that there isn't enough space in our heads, and it spreads all over our bodies.
We are not fat, we are greatly cultivated.
Every time I see my curves in the mirror, I tell myself: "How amazing am I ?! "

(The girl on the picture is French model Tara Lynn)
Last comment: I'm not putting down thin people, being a thin woman myself (BMI of 22 maybe?) just saying that being large doesn't equate to being unattractive.