As someone who has been plus-size for as long as she can remember, I have always been aware of my body, its size and the fact that my mere existence makes many uncomfortable. The journey to both love and accept my body was long and hard. It was not until I realized that my body was mine, that I truly started to love myself and feel comfortable in my own skin. I hope sharing my body positive journey will motivate you to shake off the haters and start celebrating their body.
Being Bullied is Painful
I have memories of being bullied, for my size, that date back to third grade. I was called fat and made to feel less than worthy, simply because of my size. For my thirteenth birthday, my present was a visit to the weight loss clinic. Counting calories is something I can do in my sleep. I remember carrying around a little book that had a list of foods, the caloric count, fat count and portion sizes for every food item under the sun. Everyday was filled with a two mile walk and a thirty minute workout, usually a jazzercise video or Billy Blanks’ Tae Bo. For me this was normal.
Regardless of my efforts to fit in and be small, I will continue to be bullied until college.
The Turing Point
Giving birth to a beautiful child made me take a step back and realize that I did not have a problem. The world has a problem. I committed to loving myself ,so I could teach my child to do the same thing. I wanted my child to know that it was beautiful and perfect and no one should ever make it feel less than based on the way its body looked.
A New Set of Rules
I quickly realized that in order to be the example my son needed, I had to walk the walk and talk the talk of body positivity.
New Rules for a New Attitude
Rule #1: All bodies are good bodies
This rule is the most important of them all. It is important to know that your body is perfect just the way it is. A person’s weight, height, pants size or shoe size does not determine his or her value.
Rule #2: Fitness doesn’t = diet and weight doesn’t = health
I enjoy fitness, making smart food choices and I monitor my overall health. My plus-size body is not an indicator of my level of physical activity, overall health or daily food consumption. Just because I am plus-size doesn’t mean I don’t care about my body. If someone makes that assumption that is their problem, not mine.
Rule #3: Don’t look to others for approval
There is only one person on this earth that matters, and that is you. You can’t live your life trying to get approval from other people. You have to live your life for you.
Rule #4: Do what makes you happy
My favorite step toward body positivity was doing me. Wearing what I wanted, when I wanted, was a liberating feeling. I stopped wearing what I thought others wanted me to wear and I started to wear what made me feel comfortable and confident. The end result was a felt pretty and happy in my skin.
Rule #5: Find a community
Representation is very important. As a plus-size person, I deliberately surround myself with images of other plus-size people. I read plus-size magazines, follow plus-size individuals on social media and find pride in seeing other people that look like me.
Rule #6: Eliminate the negative
I found that eliminating both negative people and thoughts out of my life propelled me into a state of pure body acceptance. It is not healthy to be around people who constantly put themselves and others down.
Rule #7: Love yourself and not others
Comparing yourself to others is a receipt for disaster. My journey to self love and body positivity began with the knowledge that my body is unique, my body is real and my body is special. It is harmful to spend time comparing your body to other people in magazines and on social media.
Following these rules has eliminated so much stress from my life. I walk around with my head held high because I don’t care about what others think. I love my body and I love me.
Learn more about Izzy Spears at www.izzyspears.com or click here. Check out her book, “Diary of a Curvy Gal” and her plus-size clothing line, Plurvy or visit www.plurvy.com. You can also listen to her podcast – “It’s Coffee” by clicking here.
