Body Positivity post, blog post

“If you worked out, you would be slimmer”….
“If you dieted, you’d lose it quicker”
“There’s no excuse for being your size”….
“People don’t look better with weight on them”…
”Big is not beautiful”…

Well #effyourbeautystandards society and all you trolls out there. Our bodies are not “One size fits all!!”

We talk about body confidence daily at Celtic Curves – it’s all over every social media site, it’s in every newspaper, and this week is #BodyPositiveWeek. But to be body positive and confident, you need to have the strength to be positive mentally too.

I watch what I eat (but I never diet) and I “workout” a little. I don’t do it to lose weight, I don’t even own a weighing scales. I’m extremely happy and confident in my skin. I do it for fun with my friends. They do more hardcore classes and gym work also, but I go to Zumba and Pilates. I LOVE Zumba and Pilates!!

Zumba is a fast-paced dance to some really good songs and it just gets you out of your head for 40 minutes. You let loose and shake every inch, while not being in a room of judging eyes. I am always sweating after it, and look, as one of my mates says every time “tomato faced”!! But I come out feeling happy and refreshed for doing it. It increases my positive look on life because in raises my endorphins without me feeling like I want to collapse from running 100 miles on a treadmill.

Pilates is relaxed and challenging. My hips don’t move like they used and my size 38F boobs try to smother me several times in class (Haha)!
None of this puts me off though. We do Pilates on a Friday evening, and after a stressful week of being a mammy, partner, friend, college student, daughter, model, blogger…(you get the idea – I’m busy!), I need something to chill me out and relax my mind. I don’t know about you but sometimes 40 minutes of rolling on the floor just listening to yourself breathing can help mellow you out, and also gives you a giggle and a smile when your friends are there beside you looking just as odd!!

I’m not telling you to start working out. I’m not going to tell anyone they need to permanently live on a diet. I have hypothyroidism since I was 11 and up until then I was a size 6, with not a lump or bump out of place. I take my medication and I do small amounts of exercise to feel good in my head, which in turn feels good to my body.

Even if you just get up and out for a walk, bring the dogs, bring a friend – better yet if you have a child, bring them! The fresh air helps them mentally and they’ll sleep after it too. Fitness, working out, activeness doesn’t need to be because you are trying to lose weight or conform to societies rules. It can simply be an escape from the hectic lives we lead.

In this day and age, mental health awareness has never been more prominent and I can promise you, getting up and out will help clear your head and allow you some “me” time.

We all NEED “me” time.

Why not try it??? Zumba and Pilates are low impact classes and no one there will judge you because we all look as ridiculous as each other bouncing around, and I swear it’s really fun!!
There’s only one me, in one body, and I love her!
Rach @CC xx
#StayFabulous #BodyPositveWeek #ConfidentInMySkin

p.s. as with all physically activities, please seek advice from your GP/class instructor before beginning if you have any underlying medical conditions or injuries.