I have been overweight since 5th grade. Needless to say I have tried many many many times to lose weight. If you have been reading this blog for a while you can likely remember several posts where I talk about diet changes, exercise, hypnosis, etc… Ultimately I have not yet been successful. But it’s ok. It’s ok because I haven’t given up on it. It is ok because I love myself and embrace my shape.
Now I will admit that I don’t love myself and embrace my shape every moment of every day. I have good days and bad days. I have looked in the mirror and seen every flaw and other times I have looked in the mirror and been super happy with myself. Last week I found out about the Body Challenge Detox. The challenge is for us to focus on self-love and acceptance. I like the idea of the challenge because I realize that without loving, accepting, and embracing myself I may not ever overcome my challenges with weight. Perhaps I have not loved myself enough in the past to make the changes that I have needed to make.
Me and my mom before I left for my 10th grade dance. Notice the sheer jacket I am wearing. My dress had spaghetti straps and I insisted on wearing something that would cover my arms.
The first day of the challenge asked the participants to do a video about how we embrace our shape. You may have seen a clip of my embrace my shape video on my Instagram. Below is the full video. Before you watch it here is a little background. I did not start to worry about my weight until 6th grade. That was the year when a doctor first suggested I go on a diet and the first time I remember being teased by classmates about my weight. Since then my weight has been ever present in my mind.
Overall I have and still like my body shape I have just wished it was smaller. But there were times when I kind of focused on certain body parts to not only dislike but to be ashamed of. For years I would not wear any kind of sleeveless or tank top. I always wanted my upper arms covered. Then there was a time when I’d wear capri pants but not shorts. The thighs have always been an area of concerned. Over the years I have let go of these fashion restrictions and I very seldomly even think about these “problem areas”. When answering the question on how I embrace my shape for the Body Challenge Detox I realized I far I have come.
Check out the video below on how I embrace my shape.
Search the hashtag #BodyChallengeDetox and follow @CurvyGirl_Chronicles on Instagram.
Do you have self-imposed fashion rules that you follow because of your problem areas? Did you in the past? How do you embrace your shape? Will you take part in the Body Detox Challenge?
Kudos to you for weathering the ridicule from being overweight.
I think there is a style and look for everyone.
As I get older I feel I get critical about my shape ALOT. I am so happy you are just criticizing yourself and whallowing but you are embracing who you are and looking to improve your health. Keep going love!
I have a tough time putting on tank tops and shorts – even at a size 6 I felt like I was too big. *sigh* I focus more on being healthy these days. I figure the toning and weight loss will come with more activity and a better diet. For now I embrace my shape by buying clothes that fit right now, not clothes that I have to shrink to wear.
I’m working on accepting my shape. I am currently dieting…again. But this time, I’m not trying to look like a supermodel…I’m trying to be healthy again….sigh it’s so hard
I have the opposite issue, I’ve been really skinny all of my life. I’ve heard all the skinny jokes out there. I’ve learned to embrace them as I’ve gotten older. My should blades are really bone-y so I don’t and won’t do the off the shoulder look that is now back in style.
I have been working out and trying to just take on better wellness overall. Weight loss is a bonus as I walk this new wellness path and embrace myself just the way that I am.
No wonder, the name of your blog and this post’s wisdom really jives together and I’m loving it! This sounds like a start of a new challenge for me as well.
This sounds like a great challenge, I have been learning as I get older to love the body I have. Now if I like something I will buy it.
A great post. I think it is tough for most women to embrace their shape. Just a tough thing to do.. no matter what size and shape. We ALL need to do a better job of it.
I love this post, It’s important to stay what you are and love yourself even other people judge you
I like your post! It is so important that you love yourself whatever shape, color and race you are.
You are absolutely gorgeous. I do have rules that I have put on myself and I feel like I am slowly breaking out of them.
I think these are things a lot of people struggle with. I really think we’re our own harshest critics.
My husband is always questioning why us women have such body image issues, and I never have a good answer for him. My weight fluctuates, so I do go through periods of loving my body and hating it. However, I am becoming more accepting of my figure the older I get. I’m not as nit picky as I have been in the past, and that is so freeing!
I have been blessed with a hardworking metabolism but have still struggled to embrace my shape over the years. It is about time that women everywhere begin to define themselves by other things beside physical appearance.
What an important thing it is to embrace yourself and love yourself. We can love our-self and still work on changing things we want to change or grow, etc! Love this!
Let’s just say things never went back to how they were after my last baby. My shape is completely new to me & I’m figuring it out. It’s great to know I can embrace this version of myself, even if I’m working to make it better.
Great post. I am so guilty of a love and hat relationship with my size. I definitely still dont wear my arms out, hilarious that everyone around me is like- what? Why? They aren’t big, but they are like huge turkeys to me! I definitely need to participate in the challenge, for those moments that I dont embrace all of me!
I need to be better about embracing my shape. It’s hard after being taught “Fashion rules” for body shapes for years.
I think this is such an important post. We women have come a long way, but we still have this thing about thinking we’re not good enough if we don’t look like supermodels. Whatever our shape, it’s us, and we need to love it.
I have been big since l was born. My mom almost died delivering me 🙂 . I have never had it bother me. There was a period where l lost quite a few pounds and kept it off, but gained it back. The only part of my body l don’t like are my stretch marks on my arms, and so l hardly wear sleeveless stuff. There are so many other things to worry about in life..like “life” . Embrace yourself.