I am BIG. Use the word you want, plus-sized, full figure, voluptuous, fat – politically correct or not – I am BIG!
During all those years that I have attempted to lose weight, diet after diet (I have done them all), I have learned to live with the body I have and actually now love it with its imperfections. I even find it kind of artistic.
At age 18, I had the chance of leaving my home of France, where most people resent extra body fat, to Senegal, Africa, where most people prefer full figure women. After having been ignored by the young men in France, suddenly all eyes were on me! Imagine my shock. That was the first time in my life that my self-esteem had been given a boost.
Look at the picture of me when I was 18. And I thought I was obese!. Through this experience , I have learned that you can be perceived as “ugly” in one place and beautiful in another. What really matters is how you see yourself and how you feel from the inside.
I know the words that make you feel less beautiful and ashamed; I have heard them many times. But most of the time, the negative comments actually come from ourselves. “Negative self-talk”, brings us down. And all too often, it gets worse. We succumb to those negative thoughts by not going to the gym because we think everybody is staring at us. We feel ashamed with our doctors, hairstylists or aestheticians. We’re buying clothes that hide us, or avoid shopping altogether. Sometimes we are our worst enemy.
Have FUN, enjoy life however you are, wherever you are. You deserve it as much as anybody else.
Be present to your life and “Remember that we have only moments to live.” (Full Catastrophe Living, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D.) Make your life beautiful from the inside out!
And..... Welcome to my Plus-sized world!
Ottawa, November 1st, 2008Catherine LG
During all those years that I have attempted to lose weight, diet after diet (I have done them all), I have learned to live with the body I have and actually now love it with its imperfections. I even find it kind of artistic.
At age 18, I had the chance of leaving my home of France, where most people resent extra body fat, to Senegal, Africa, where most people prefer full figure women. After having been ignored by the young men in France, suddenly all eyes were on me! Imagine my shock. That was the first time in my life that my self-esteem had been given a boost.
Look at the picture of me when I was 18. And I thought I was obese!. Through this experience , I have learned that you can be perceived as “ugly” in one place and beautiful in another. What really matters is how you see yourself and how you feel from the inside.
I know the words that make you feel less beautiful and ashamed; I have heard them many times. But most of the time, the negative comments actually come from ourselves. “Negative self-talk”, brings us down. And all too often, it gets worse. We succumb to those negative thoughts by not going to the gym because we think everybody is staring at us. We feel ashamed with our doctors, hairstylists or aestheticians. We’re buying clothes that hide us, or avoid shopping altogether. Sometimes we are our worst enemy.
Have FUN, enjoy life however you are, wherever you are. You deserve it as much as anybody else.
Be present to your life and “Remember that we have only moments to live.” (Full Catastrophe Living, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D.) Make your life beautiful from the inside out!
And..... Welcome to my Plus-sized world!
Ottawa, November 1st, 2008Catherine LG
No comments:
Post a Comment