Body Image

Plus Size Misconceptions: Health & Happiness

May 12, 2017

IMG_0835

 My daughter, Lorelai, and I recently on vacation in Hawaii. “No Filter!” Happy and enjoying life as a plus size lady and mom.

 

 

I wrote this post a while back, right after The Curvy Elle was featured on the Etsy Blog. I actually meant to post it sooner, but life happened and I kept putting it off… The usual way things that seem to go on when you have a toddler and are a stay-at-home mom.

 

Here is a little post about being plus size and the misconceptions out there by people who are not/have never been larger sized. This post started out at an annoyance about a comment someone made on the feature, but it actually was more about my feelings on the subject — it simply acted as a catalyst.

 

I feel like this comment represents a multitude of events and judgements that have happened to me through life by ignorant and sometimes mean spirited individuals.

 

*  *  *

 

The Curvy Elle’s Etsy blog feature turned out wonderful and the people commenting were so sweet, congratulatory, and happy with what I do with this blog and The Shop. But, of course, there always has to be that one negative comment to wreck all the nice things people say. Someone had to bring health into the equation.

 

They couldn’t just see that The Curvy Elle is about making people feel good about themselves, and should not be hidden because we are catering to someone’s idea of what is “right.” Being plus size/overweight does not completely equal unhealthy. Everything is a case by case circumstance, and even if you are unhealthy, doesn’t mean that you don’t have a right to look and feel good about yourself. There is no rule saying you have to weight 120 pounds to live life! Or that you can’t look good until you are a size 2!

 

“I do not like. Because such a large weight does not need to dress beautifully. It needs to be treated because that is the risk of diabetes and other serious diseases, and burden on the spine (I’m sorry if I offended someone, but I say what I think.”
 
 
 

There are thin people who are unhealthy with things such as “diabetes” and issues of “burden on the spine.” I’m not saying that some people who are plus size don’t have these kinds of issues due to their weight. I’m saying that you can still enjoy life and yourself even while being a larger size (healthy or unhealthy). A person’s health is only the business of that person and their heart care provider (to a certain extent). You don’t have to be hidden.

 

Yes, I do and will “say what I think” when it comes to ignorance and hurtfulness. Everyone should be accepted and everyone should worry about their own personal health and self care.

 

And, thank you to the person who made the comment, you have given me new inspiration and motivation to find my voice once more.

Body Image + Post Pregnancy (Plus Size)

February 13, 2016

body_image_post_pregnancy

 

I didn’t really have any problem with my pregnant body. I knew it was fleeting and I was happy to be growing my baby. The first few weeks after giving birth I was just so amazed at how “thin” I felt after losing my baby belly, that I didn’t even really think about my size. I actually dropped the 30 pounds I had gained in about 2-3 weeks naturally.

 

Once I started to forget about my pregnant body and only kept looking at my post pregnancy body, I could feel a shift in my mind. Even though I pride myself in having a good self image, I do still sometimes have to fight extra hard to stay positive. I found myself starting to get into a negative viewpoint of myself. Not being able to exercise or make healthy meals because I was so busy with a new baby made this especially hard.

 

Even though I am aware of the easiness to fall into the pit of a negative view point, I still had those negative thoughts. I realized how much negativity is ingrained in my brain. It is one thing to be a logical, intellectual adult. It is another to be in an emotional thought pattern.

 

These thoughts made me realize that I will always be fighting this body image fight. No matter if it is having a baby, having loss, life changes, etc. There will always be something put in my way to try and make me feel a certain way. Even at my smallest I had these thoughts. It all comes down to keep fighting the fight and staying strong.

 

All rights reserved © 2012-2017 The Curvy Elle & Laurel Teixeira · Theme by Blogmilk + Coded by Brandi Bernoskie