Curvy Girl Body Image

Curvy Girl Fitness is not just a health and wellness resource, it is an inspirational resource founded on the belief that Beauty, Joy and Love are within every one of us. Sometimes we just need some coaching to find it.

Curvy Girl Fitness is a blessing to me, because it has given me an access point to share my personal wealth of experience with the world. I too have struggled for years to find comfort in the fit of my own skin. I can remember being 12 years old, and feeling fat when I compared myself to my sisters and girlfriends, but the truth of the matter was that was like comparing apples and pineapples.

I was shapely at an early age, developing my curvy features before others, especially in my lower body. At the time there were no healthy pictures of women in my area. All of the magazines featured rail thin models and I had shapely hips, butt and thighs. There were also no resources available for my mother to help me cope with my body image, and she did the best she could. (There is a funny story here that I will save for another time! Love you Mom!) But it was not enough. I began abusing diet pills and laxatives my freshman year in high school, and continued this destructive cycle of disordered eating and body image for the next 18 years. That is why I am thankful for Beyonce, Shakira and Jennifer Lopez.

Now, I know that may sound a bit strange, that I am grateful for three singers, but the truth is these three women have allowed a space in the media for women who are not of a rail thin, big boob variety. See, being Caucasian, there has been a standard of beauty prevalent within my familiar society: big breasts, tiny waist and no butt. Well, the only attribute that I possessed of those three was the tiny waist, other than that I was the opposite. What the breakthrough of these three women did for me was to put a beautiful, curvy, sexy figure of women into the forefront of mass media. I finally had my own role models, and even though they were of different races I believe they brought the consciousness of mass media into a new "frame of mind" through a new "frame of body"!!!

Can I get an HALLELUJAH!!!

There was never anything wrong with the way I looked, I was just looking at images of women in the media who did not reflect my body type. Now I am drawn to these three women and their careers because I can identify myself with their beautiful bodies. I am not like the super models of the world, and that is fine with me. My body and my image are unique and sexy: remember, it all comes down to what you BELIEVE you see. If I still thought I was fat, then I would be, if I believe I am beautiful, then I will be!

What are the images that you choose to surround yourself with? What are you telling yourself about your body? I love Beyonce, Shakira and J Lo. Keep healthy, real life images around you and see how it starts to make you feel about your body!

Let's all sing: "I like big butts and I cannot lie....." one heck of a theme song!!!!! :-)