BALANCE AND BOLUS: NORMALISING ILLNESS

@The Rising Womxn Zine / Balance and Bolus

Written by Emily Stephens (she/her) for The Rising Womxn Zine

Type 1 diabetes causes the level of glucose (sugar) in your blood to become to high. It happens when the body can’t produce enough insulin, a hormone which controls blood glucose. Those who suffer with the illness need daily injections of insulin to keep blood glucose levels under control and managing type 1 diabetes can take a long time to get used to. 

 

Diabetes has long been associated with being overweight and obese by the media, but this simply isn’t true – people leading a perfectly healthy lifestyle are also exposed to diabetes.

 

Balance and Bolus - created by Ciara Cray (she/her) started as a website to show how she balances life with Type 1 Diabetes. ‘I wanted to share my experience studying to be a Registered Dietitian and eventually Certified Diabetes Educator mixed in with my experience as a Type 1 Diabetic. I took these two goals and ran towards them while just being myself on Instagram. I have always been a very positive but emotional person, so I share a lot of my ups and downs. A lot of the ups include my humour and weird dance videos that make people laugh, my emotions are shown through serious talks about life and diabetes. I basically try and show everyone what my life is like and that just so happens to involve being diabetic. I also love to talk, so this gives me a place to have conversations with diabetics like me every single day.’

@balanceandbolus

 

Ciara created Balance and Bolus after she graduated with her first bachelor’s degree and was feeling a little lost. ‘I wanted to combine this passion I had behind food with the knowledge I had on Type 1 Diabetes so I started a blog that I thought would be a good outlet for me while I sort out my next move. I ended up deciding to pursue being a Registered Dietitian (R.D) and wanted to talk about that mixed with living with Diabetes on what became Balance and Bolus. It wasn’t until a friend of mine suggested I share my blog posts on Instagram that I decided to start an account there and was amazed by all the diabetics in the community who were helping others. So, I decided to put myself out there, share what I knew and what was learning.’

 

@balanceandbolus

 

Long standing stigmas surrounding diabetes can make it very hard for sufferers, especially younger girls in particular. With the constant assumption of diabetes being linked to being overweight or unhealthy, this creates a whole problem surrounding body confidence and body positivity. ‘Women are constantly under the microscope. We can’t be too skinny, but we can’t be too fat. We can’t have too small of boobs but if we have big boobs then we’re...promiscuous? Being a woman is hard and to have a disease as a woman that is stigmatised as being from an unhealthy weight can definitely grind the gears a bit. We walk around already feeling judged and now this? But I also think that this disease with the carb counting, and body awareness can make it difficult to ignore food and the effect food has on our body which has definitely led to bouts of disordered eating for me. All the more reason to start a brand that works to help people with this and the stigmas around the disease.’

@balanceandbolus

 

Ciara has managed to grow a big following on social media, reaching 10.3k on Instagram. When asked about how important it is to share her experience with diabetes as a newfound influencer, she said, ‘I really had no intention of building a following like this. I had no idea what it would entail or the lives I would touch. But now that I’m here, I can’t help but think that I must be doing something right. I must have something worthy of saying or else why are all these people here? So, I have to use that. I’ve always had a bubbly and at times loud personality. I love to talk. I need to use that now. I didn’t always know what I wanted to do in life, but this just feels right. Keeping the conversation going is how we educate people, how we bring awareness and allow those diagnosed with this disease (and weren’t given a say in the matter) to live the best life they can be.’

 

@balanceandbolus

 

Much like the breast-feeding in public debate, we wanted to know if Ciara had ever faced similar backlash from checking her bloods in public. ‘I will check my blood sugar absolutely anywhere I please. I haven’t personally been told to do my blood checking elsewhere, but I know people who have. I’ve also felt guilt around checking in public before, so I’ll excuse myself to the bathroom. I don’t think we should have to do that though. This is our body; we’re trying to stay alive. Look away.’

@balanceandbolus

 

Ciara’s main focus is to normalise the conversation around illnesses, in particular diabetes. ‘I think I actively normalise my illness by showing my weird, wild, sometimes just boring and relaxed life with diabetes. I do all the things that someone who produced their own insulin would do. I exercise, I work really hard, I study, I watch hours of Netflix, I go on vacations and travel. But I do it all with a broken pancreas. So, I hope that people can see that, I mean people without diabetes too, and be like oh, I guess having that disability doesn’t stop someone from living a life to the fullest.’

 

 

To find out more from Ciara and her amazing work, visit her website www.balanceandbolus.com or follow her on Instagram @balanceandbolus

 

 

BLURRED LINES: ALL SKIN IS BEAUTIFUL: OPINION PIECE

@The Rising Womxn Zine 

Written by Stephanie Anjo (she/her) for The Rising Womxn Zine

Having endured persistent acne for around 8 years and the negative feelings which arose from this, I feel it is a significant topic which is seldom addressed in regards to mental health. 

Whilst my acne has never been ‘severe’, it was incessant from the age of about 12 until recently, I am now 20. Following a course of Accutane, my skin has almost completely cleared (for me this was a last resort and I am not advocating it as a cure). Although I feel grateful for this, to my surprise it has not magically fixed insecurities which I thought derived from this. Instead, I feel that these fixations have transferred to other aspects of myself. It is an issue which has dominated my lifestyle and to a very lesser extent, some of the behaviour I adopted during this time is still present. In some ways, it feels therapeutic to write this article. These are thoughts which, as with a lot of people, I have internalised. 

Unfortunately, acne and mental health problems may come hand in hand for some people. Not only does it have a physical presence, perhaps even more detrimental is the psychological impact. I can only speak from my feelings and conversations with other people, however, I have noticed that there seems to be an obsessive hole that you can fall into. The abundance of information, facilitated by the internet, can lead to a fixation on how to ‘improve’ your skin- at the detriment of your sanity. This was predominantly in the form of youtube videos for me at a young age. I have most likely watched every video there is on the topic, including titles such as,  'how I fixed my acne with my diet', 'how to get rid of acne in 10 days' and 'DIY remedies for acne' (this often included me putting toothpaste or honey on my face). This, in turn, leads you to try every single thing out of desperation. I have tried antibiotics, over the counter gels, overloading my face with Sudocrem, vitamins, herbal remedies, not eating dairy, countless creams etc. Although these resources can be extremely useful, for me it contributed to an unhealthy dissatisfaction with my appearance. Looking back now, I think this is an issue which stems from a lack of control and the unpredictability of acne. It is frustrating not knowing why you are getting spots and it was my attempt to try to regain control, this may also lead some people to behaviours such as compulsive picking. I primarily became fixated on the idea that food was the culprit and stopped eating a lot of things which resulted in me seeking professional help. I can distinctly remember at school being sat next to someone in class and opened my phone to show them something and much to my embarrassment, my last internet search was 'do bananas cause acne?'. I feel grateful to not worry as much about this now and whilst the thoughts are still there, they are less intrusive.

More recently, I feel that this is an issue which has been exacerbated with apps such as Facetune which allow you to blur out your spots and modify your features according to your ideal perception of yourself. This also has the potential to turn into an obsession as you are essentially ‘improving yourself’ without any physical alterations and to go back to my previous point, controlling things which in actuality you do not have much power over such as acne. I think it is important to acknowledge the potency of the internet and social media, especially at an impressionable age. It can be overwhelming with so much information and I feel there should be an awareness that you do not have to follow what each person suggests and it may not necessarily work for you as acne can have many causes. Notably stress, hormones, food intolerance, genetics etc. With this also comes the awareness that not everything on social media will be truthful and it may be highly tailored. I am guilty of this myself. Being a self-critical person, I have only recently started to feel comfortable with posting photos of myself but when I do, a lot of thought has gone into whether I like my appearance in it. Consequently, it is selective.

@stephanjodesign for The Rising Womxn Zine

Another way in which acne may affect your lifestyle is restrictive behaviour: limiting what you eat/drink, having certain rituals you feel you have to do, reducing career choices such as modelling, withdrawing from social activities, avoiding looking at yourself in the mirror, the list is endless. This is something I am still learning to overcome and it is difficult when you are not feeling great in yourself. I have found challenging these thoughts can be helpful, for example: what is the very worst-case scenario that could happen and how likely is it to happen? Sometimes (not always) this can be helpful as the thinking process makes you realise how far fetched your worries can be. There have been many times in the past where I have felt unhappy in my skin and did not want to go somewhere, that is okay too. When your acne reaches a point where it is governing your life choices it can feel as if you are being physically held back by your skin. This can be extremely difficult to rationalise yourself and I have found great comfort in confiding in family and friends. 

An insightful video by Celia Edell, a writer for ‘Everyday Feminism’, discusses the pressures surrounding clear skin and how this may feed into wider issues in society. She proposes a range of reasons for this including how there is a lack of representation of successful people who have acne in the media. Edell refers to how a lot of films will reserve the use of acne for “awkward flashbacks to teen years and the geeky friends who are never a love interest”. As such, we may attach negative connotations to skin problems and encourage feelings of undesirability if you have them. Our social norms may reinforce the perception of acne as ‘unclean’ or ‘dirty’, this is further shaped by advertisements which promote clear skin as something you can achieve with ease if you simply ‘splash water on your face’. Speaking from my own experience, this resulted in feeling as though there was something inherently wrong with me. If these products which are being advertised aren’t working, surely it must be something I am doing wrong?  In fact, it tends to be the opposite. Those with acne can sometimes be those who are most diligent with their skincare routine. 

@stephanjodesign for The Rising Womxn Zine

I have recently finished “Women Don’t Owe You Pretty” by Florence Given (which I am sure most people have read). In this, she touches on the nature of social media and how it can be a useful educational tool when you follow accounts which discuss subjects that you may be less familiar with. In the same way, I have found that actively seeking out social media resources which are aimed at empowering your skin as opposed to ‘fixing’ it has made me feel a sense of comfort when scrolling through these platforms. This is because it detaches the negative connotations surrounding acne and instead promotes feelings of appreciation for oneself. In this way, you may utilise social media in a way which aids a healthy lifestyle as opposed to adding to feelings of dissatisfaction. 

Whilst I don't yet feel in a position to post photos of myself without makeup, I have found it encouraging following accounts which do. Some lovely ladies who focus their content on skin positivity include @izzierodgers, @lounorthcote, @sarahskinpositive and @alexandra_breeze.

I think perhaps the main thing I have learnt from this experience is that I have a tendency to fixate on things to do with myself and now that I have achieved what I have wanted for so long, these obsessions have simply manifested into other forms. An awareness of your behaviour is a step forward in feeling better about this and I will not lie to you, the first thing I do when I wake up every morning is still to check the mirror to see if any spots have appeared!

If you feel that this is a topic which you would like to discuss further or you have experienced any of these things yourself and want to have a chat, please feel free to email me at stephanieanjomedia@gmail.com or via Instagram: @stephanjodesign.

References: 

https://dermnetnz.org/topics/psychological-effects-of-acne/

https://everydayfeminism.com/2017/02/pressure-clear-skin-feminist-issue/

“Women don’t owe you pretty” by Florence Given

IN THE NUDE BY MADDIE BOOTH

@angiecouple on Instagram

Written by Emily Stephens (she/her) for The Rising Womxn Zine

In the nude motto: Self-love and celebration of the human body 

Many people struggle with their body image; most have been insecure about the way they look at some point in their lives and this has a huge impact on our relationship with our bodies.

When lockdown began, Maddie (she/her) found herself with more time on her hands than ever, something she wasn’t used to and frankly made her really uncomfortable. She turned to art to fill the evenings and empty periods. But like most, she also found herself on her phone a lot more, browsing various social media pages. Maddie was constantly seeing threads about how people were struggling with their bodies during a time where they spent so much time alone; constantly having internal battles about finding motivation to work out or to eat right during these times. 

Maddie decided then to turn her hobby into helping people become more in tune with their naked self. 

So, what Maddie is trying to help with at ‘In the nude’ is showing her naked volunteers that there isn’t a single type of beauty. There simply isn’t a right or a wrong way to look. 

Painting these array of naked bodies is so much more than creating artwork, it’s about sharing honesty, being brave enough to put yourself out there, and to accept and love your naked form. For many of those who got involved it was actually their first time sending a nude image. After seeing their picture turned into art by Maddie, many volunteers said they felt empowered that their bodies were being recognised as art instead of being viewed sexually.

A message from the model: "When I first saw Maddie advertising for models to be painted nude, I instantly thought that I would never be confident enough to do something like that. But the truth is, that thought had more to do with my relationship with my body. Then I realised that confidence comes from within. Maddie’s work is all about celebrating our bodies and I’m hoping that putting myself out of my comfort zone like this can allow me to celebrate my body more"

A message from the model: "I loved seeing all of Maddie's submissions but seeing my own self painted with all the beautiful colours made me feel genuinely emotional and so empowered. It reminded me that not only had I taken a step to picture my fully naked body and show it to someone but it also showed me I was able to see my body in a different light , as an art form. Like many others , I spend so much of my time criticizing my body, missing out on fun because I feel I look fat, overworking my body to the point of exhaustion and feeling I’m only accepted by people if I look a certain way but it’s something I’m working on and being painted like this feels like such a great step. On bad days it’s easy for my mind to be clouded by negative ways of thinking about myself but I think having this painting hung up will be a gentle reminder to quit being so hard on myself and just to take a moment to realize the natural and vulnerable beauty of my body without all the chaos and comparison from the outside world . Every time I look at the painting I feel like I could cry a bit because I’m overwhelmed with love for myself and my body- not just because of what it looks like but because of all the wonderful things it allows me to do. Moments like this are so special they must be celebrated- they are a sign of growth and mental progress."

⚠️ Trigger warning - assault ⚠️ A very poignant message from the model: "In 2018 I was followed home by a man who saw a drunk girl alone on a train as an opportunity. The next day, my body was just a reminder of where he had been. I remember curling into a ball on the shower floor and wondering whether, if I stayed there long enough I'd stop existing, and would stop living in a body that felt so uncomfortable and unsafe. 

Two years on, and I'm slowly finding ways to appreciate myself and my body again. I went to therapy, joined a gym, started fashion modelling, and started to be my own person. Having this painting done has been a really fun part of the process of learning accepting myself again. I absolutely love the result, and I'm so happy to have this painting as a reminder of how far I have come. Thank you so much Maddie!"

A message from the model: “After the birth of my 2 children , too many sleepless night, poor eating and thinking that I was never going to look like the “ pre-pregnant ME” my body positivity was at an all time low..., 4 years later and I am still not back to my pre- pregnant ME, but I have come to love the new ME, lumps, bumps, curves, stretch marks and all !! Thank you Maddie for my painting, it gave me a new perspective on myself, a positive one and I shall proudly hang my painting on the wall for everyone to see”

A message from the model: "My relationship with my body took a massive hit when I caught a disease that made me loose a lot of weight, dropping two stone in a month. It had such an impact on my body image but also on how I felt as young woman, my period stopped for almost 8 months and the extreme weight loss meant I was really flat chested. I absolutely hated the way I looked for a few years. It took a long time to get back to a healthy weight and since this I have always hated being called "skinny". Now 5 years on I'm in such a better place. A real turning point for me was finding my passion for keeping fit, I never wanted to be called skinny again, I wanted to be seen as someone strong and be happy in my body. 
But still, loving your body is really hard. There are days when I am so critical with myself, feel very self conscious and definitely push my body too hard. I've learnt to love my small boobs now though and the strength I've gained from getting fit has improved my self confidence so much! I'm proud now to show my naked figure off."

A message from the model: "I have never been kind to my body, always picking it apart and hating what I am seeing, constantly comparing myself to those around me. This was out of my comfort zone - I was shaking at the thought of it but I can’t believe that these paintings are of my body. I have never felt more empowered - here’s to the beginning of learning to fall in love with my body. Thank you Maddie for making me feel beautiful."

If you want to see more of Maddie's amazing work, go to:  https://linktr.ee/inthenudeart

BODIES HAVE FLAWS? SURELY NOT: OPINION PIECE

@feminist on Instagram

 

Written by Georgia Stainforth (she/her) for The Rising Womxn Zine

Whilst the media promotes unrealistic body standards; so-called influencers promote fast-track slimming solutions; and celebrities wear corsets to cinch in their waist just to have the perfect red-carpet look. Where do normal folk like you and I begin to look for some body positivity? As shows like Love Island and Ex on the Beach become ever more popular, people are watching men and women with their bodies out on TV every night. These shows are known for the lack of diversity they show, in particular their lack of body diversity. Super skinny and beautiful women with their makeup done to the nines, bikinis on and heels all day. Tall and toned men with rippling six packs, heads full of hair and skin bare, waxed chests. It makes me wonder where the curves are, the dad bods, the body hair, the petite men as well as petite women, you know the representation of everybody, not a reinforcement of stereotypes on what is supposedly "attractive" and makes for "good TV".

I always see this ideal of the summer ready body dotted all over my social media feed, which is inevitably promoted by these TV shows. The jokes about not being ready till next year, the jokes about spilling out over your swimwear, and currently, the jokes that we've all gained a bit of pandemic flab so it doesn't matter that our holidays are being cancelled. I get it, we all want to look ace in that bikini on the beach so we can post some gorgeous photos to make our followers jealous. We all want to feel confident in our skin to take that top off, wear a thong bikini and show a bit of cleavage. But that doesn't mean there is a right or wrong summer body, it's simply about embracing the body you're in. It is much easier said than done of course, but you cannot change your natural curves, natural stretch marks and natural scars. We all have them in different places and to different degrees, but at the end of the day we all have them - even those you see on TV. To me, whatever body I have come my holiday will be my summer ready body. I have scars, I have stretch marks and I have some rolls but each of them is a part of who I am, so I don't see the need to change them to fit with the trend.

@ladyist on Instagram

I am a reasonably body positive person; I have my dislikes but I am happy in my skin. I think for many however their lack of body positivity is exacerbated by the unrealistic images presented by the clothing industry and popular media. As a woman I tend to look to other women - mostly well-known women - for their body positivity. One of my favourites being The Good Place star, Jameela Jamil. Upon doing image research however, I noticed that when searching body positive or body image it was mostly women who came up. Women posing for body diverse photo shoots; women running Instagram accounts; women leading the discussion on body diversity. Finding body positive campaigning for men was a lot harder. If I searched specifically for body positive men for my images it would result in mostly men with six packs, lifting weights. I think this just goes to show the stereotypes that are still entwined in our society. The constrictions of masculinity that suggest men should not be emotional about certain issues like body size and that a real man needs to be visibly strong to prove his manliness. This is a different discussion altogether, but I think it is very much apparent in the discussion of body positivity and something that is so often missed.

@georginacoxpersonaltraining on Instagram

When I think back to my own childhood and the imagery that was presented to me at that time, I find it hard to pinpoint anything that showed me a body beyond being stick thin. From playing with Barbies and Bratz dolls, whose bodies if real would be completely out of proportion with the average human being. To watching Disney princesses who are always petite and wearing waist cinching dresses. Can a doll not have thick thighs? Can a Disney princess not, god forbid, have huge sagging tits? I think we grow up believing that being super skinny, long limbed, and having C cup perky boobs is the ideal body. When really, these images cause us to highlight any bodily differentiation we think we may have as an awful flaw that needs changing. Let’s not forget that it is known most eating disorders develop during adolescence, with the average age for anorexia nervosa being ages 16-17 and bulimia nervosa being 18-19. Improving how industries present bodies is not just necessary in the media, on social media, on TV and by celebrities, it is surely a necessity that this body positive discourse is presented to our children in the toys they play with and the idols that they may grow to have.

@bodyposipanda on Instagram

A big part of the lack of body positivity people have is enhanced by the clothing and beauty industry. I am a size 6/8 and, in some shops, I need a size 10 for my top half because of my boobs, I have been this size since I started wearing adult clothes and haven't really fluctuated. I love buying new clothes but what I have noticed in my many hours spent shopping is how diverse sizing is across different shops. How in one shop a size 8 fits perfectly, another shop it falls down and in another I can barely get it over my shoulders. Womens' bodies all have their own shapes, some have wide hips, some have huge boobs, some are flat chested, some have broad shoulders, some have thick thighs, and some are blessed with gorgeous peachy bums. So why are sizes not standardised across the clothing industry? I get this differs between styles of clothing but a size 8 pair of jeans in one shop should surely be the same as size 8 jeans in another. This is just one of many popular criticisms levelled at the clothing industry today.

@bodyposipanda on Instagram

The fact mannequins in most high street stores are also built to fit the smallest size that those stores stock. Never mind if you look closely many stores use clips and pins to make the clothing more fitted. If the clothes were meant to be fitted and the designer wanted them fitted, they would have been made that way, you know like body con clothing. At the end of the day a t-shirt dress should not fit to every curve of my body, it should simply hang as that's why I bought the t-shirt dress. This is not just an occurrence on mannequins either, numerous online clothing stores have been exposed for using clothing clips and pins on clothing that real models wear, which hadn't been edited out and were then spotted by eagle-eyed customers. Not only are the models already not diverse in body types for regular clothing lines but the stylists feel it necessary to fit the clothing even more to accentuate their skinny figure.

@kenziebrenna on Instagram

I have nothing against models, they are always very attractive men and women. My problem is with how the industry itself promotes these figures and fails to present bodies in all their natural beauty. The thinning of limbs and waists; the editing out of natural rolls and skin folds; the blemish touch ups of moles and stretch marks to name a few. All of this takes away from what it is like to have a human body, we all have rolls, we all have stretch marks, we all have moles. I notice this most often when shopping for swimwear - women with super smooth and unblemished skin, and apparently non-existent crotches. When I shop for new bikinis, I often question how anyone can confidently fit in the size of crotch which is offered. If you're confident enough to wear this style then that's fantastic and good for you, but I cannot see how these styles can be seen as anything beyond a clit hammock for the average woman. I even own a bikini that is like this, I bought it because I absolutely love the pattern, but I always feel so fearful of wearing it because quite simply it is not made to fit me well.

@alexlight_ldn on Instagram

Of course, there are many shops, beauty stores, TV shows and celebrities who have joined the campaign for body positivity. But there is still so much that has been left unaddressed. Having one woman who is above a size 8 on Love Island every year is not aiding the discourse of body positivity in men and women, it is quite simply a performative action. Having a few beauty brands who do not allow their models blemishes to be edited out does not address the 100s of other brands who continue to remove these blemishes. Releasing a petite, tall and plus sized Barbie does not remove the many years of damage that have been caused from promoting unrealistic bodies in children. A few influential celebrities joining the conversation on body positivity does not rid the music and acting industry of the institutionalised discrimination that many plus-sized people face. When it comes to ensuring all body types are presented and celebrated the mark is still so often missed. It is not just about looking as though you're doing something, it's about taking genuine action to keep the discourse moving and addressing the real problems people with body image difficulties face.

We all have our scars, our blemishes and our rolls; we all have our dislikes about our bodies and our qualms about what we willingly put on show, some may call these flaws, but I think they're better seen as unique areas of beauty. There is nothing wrong with any of these areas so long as they pose no health risk, they are a part of you. Whilst people's body image will vary, some will be very body positive and some may have no confidence in their body at all. Popular industries are definitely somewhat to blame for this and whilst criticisms are consistently levelled at them, it does not force them to make revolutionary change. Loving yourself is the greatest revolution of all.

 

You can see more from Georgia via her website https://georgiasdiary.wixsite.com/blog  and on Instagram @georgiasdiary

SELF-LOVE ADVOCATES: THE NEW AGE OF INFLUENCERS

Written by Emily Stephens (she/her) for The Rising Womxn Zine

Social media has the power to influence the way we feel surrounding a number of different things. What we choose to fill our feeds with can have a huge impact on our mental wellbeing, but with the rise of Instagram influencers it can be easy to get caught up in the illusion of having an Instagram perfect life. For girls in particular, this can include having an Insta-ready body that mirrors that of celebrities and influencers, often leaving behind a variety of different shapes and sizes. 

 

Body image and confidence issues were around long before social media, often as a result of fashion, Hollywood and celebrity culture. The ideal body for a woman has always resembled that of the supermodels that walk fashion week every season, leaving little room for females that look even slightly different to feel included and confident. Fashion brands add to the misconception that ‘plus-size’ is a size 14, which really is an average size for females in the UK. Boohoo is most notorious for this, with their plus-size models often being size 14-16, where the standard size to be considered plus is normally 18+. By showcasing such sizes as ‘plus’ this can be so harmful to females, especially younger age groups, and has the power to cause mental health issues such as body dysmorphia and eating disorders later in life. 

 

Currently in the UK, between 1.25 and 3.4 million people are affected by an eating disorder, with 75% being women. Most eating disorders develop during adolescence, but can also develop earlier or later in life too. Sadly, eating disorders have the highest mortality rates among psychiatric disorders, with anorexia nervosa having the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder in adolescence. (Source – Priory Group). Given these statistics, clothing brands, influencers and celebrities should have some kind of social responsibility when it comes to promoting self-love and body confidence, and there should be strict regulations in place when it comes to deciding what constitutes as ‘plus-size’ and what size models will represent that. 

Challenging these pre-conceptions of size are a whole raft of body-positive bloggers and self-love advocates on Instagram, pushing out content that is sure to empower girls of all shapes and sizes. Sophie (she/her) is a self-love and body confidence advocate and blogger, who gave us the low-down on all things body positivity! 

@sophsucceeds on Instagram

 

Women of a larger size are often deemed to be unfit, lazy and unhappy, ‘it’s always, “you’d be so beautiful if you lost a few pounds” to which I say, I’m beautiful as I am now!’ Lower self-confidence can lead to more serious mental health issues like depression, but seeking help isn’t always easy. ‘A common thing I hear is that a larger person goes to the doctor to talk about depression and being prescribed anti-depressants, and instead gets prescribed diet and exercise, as if being fat is the problem, as if being a bigger person means that they never go for a run or to the gym. People just have this preconceived idea that bigger people are lazy, don’t look after themselves and sit on their backsides all day eating. That’s not the case! I’m fat and I’m beautiful – I'm hard working and I’m healthy too!’

 

Sophie gave us some advice for younger girls that are feeling self-conscious, and how to really love yourself - ‘your body is a normal body, whatever shape or size. Your body type is valid and worthy and you are enough! Every single one of you deserves to be proud of their body, and deserves to celebrate every inch of yourselves, because you’re perfect. You’re more than enough and no one can ever change that. So, hold your head high, show people that you’re confident and happy, and love the skin that you’re in. You only get one body; you have to be kind to it in all aspects. Something magical happens when you learn to love and accept your body, and it’s the best thing in the world. I always say that self-love is the best kind of love!’

 

One of the biggest misconceptions around women of a bigger size is that they are unhealthy, unfit and generally perceived as being not as attractive as smaller women. Sophie said, ‘We have to combat these stigmas! We have to stop the idea that plus size automatically means unhealthy and lazy. We have to stop this idea that a bigger person can’t be beautiful! It doesn’t matter what shape or size you are; beauty doesn’t come directly from that!’

@sophsucceeds on Instagram

 

Diet culture has also seen a rise since influencers began to take over social media, with sponsored posts for slimming meals, detox teas, weight loss supplements and gym wear. When such young audiences are exposed to content like this, it can be hard to ignore the messaging that to be beautiful, successful and famous you need to be slim. Sophie said, ‘Diet culture is certainly a massive issue that needs addressing. It’s been a huge factor in my life, and I believe it’s what caused me to end up being diagnosed with an eating disorder.’ With slimming groups and products splashed across social media and television ads, diet-culture is ingrained into society, that thinner means prettier. 

 

Scarlett Moffatt, British TV personality who rose to fame through Gogglebox came under scrutiny over a slimming DVD. The fitness regime showcased quick 30-minute HIIT workouts, and Scarlett was bragging a new, leaner body to prove it worked. That is until it was unearthed that actually Scarlett had attended a weight loss boot camp which consisted of hard dieting, intermittent fasting and hardcore workouts, and actually her new look was nothing to do with her DVD fitness plan. Not only was this scandal an issue in itself, so was the discussion around Scarlett’s weight loss. 

 

TV critics and fans were quick to point out how much better she looked after losing all her weight, and Scarlett quickly became the trophy girl for other slimming brands by using her before and after pictures. Perhaps this could’ve had an adverse effect on a few though, as Sophie said, ‘forever seeing before and after photos like the person wasn’t worthy before they lost any weight is toxic. Always seeing celebrities endorsing weight loss and shakes pills just adds to the message that thinner is prettier.’

@sophsucceeds on Instagram

 

A lot of body positive and self-love advocates stand against diet culture, sharing hints and tips online on how to create a positive relationship with food. Combatting diet culture can be as simple as ‘avoiding labelling foods as good or bad, and to stop telling ourselves that we can’t eat something because of the food group or calories.’ Sophie also said, ‘we also need to stop using the word fat in an insulting or negative way and using slim or skinny as a compliment and praise.’

 

Body confidence can affect new mums as well, something that is not often thought about. With the stress and strain of adapting to a new way of life, low self-confidence added on top can cause serious problems. ‘As a mother of three, this is something I can hugely relate to. I had all three of my children delivered via caesarean section within the space of just 2.5 years, and that changed my body a lot! Suddenly I had a huge overhanging stomach from so much abdominal surgery, breastfeeding had caused my breasts to grow and sag, three very close together pregnancies caused a lot of weight gain, and at 23 when I had my final baby that was hard to accept.’

 

More should be done to show new mums that post-baby bodies are okay. When watching adverts on TV that include baby products, the mother is always radiant, slim and immaculate. This is often far from reality and can leave ‘real life’ mothers feeling low and embarrassed about their appearance. This is a time of joy and love where new mums should be embracing every moment with their little ones, not worrying about a tummy roll or stretch marks. ‘I was constantly seeing celebrities having babies and “bouncing back”. There were always adverts about what to eat to lose my mum tum. I remember being in hospital with my first baby, a few days postpartum, a very new and very fragile mother, and having a doctor come to talk to me about exercises that I needed to do to avoid having a larger stomach. Things like that are so problematic and damaging.  It’s hard to accept your new body following becoming a mother when these are the things that you’re met with. This idea of bouncing back needs to stop.’

@sophsucceeds on Instagram

  

 Self-love isn’t a process that can just happen overnight. Sophie told us, ‘even though I spend all of my time encouraging people to be confident and happy in themselves, and have encouraged other people to scrap the scales and wear that god damn bikini, it doesn’t mean that I love myself every second of every day. Although I try my best to self-love, I still have little slips where something I see or hear triggers me and makes me question myself.’

  

By acknowledging that it is a journey rather than a quick solution, self-love can be so empowering and bring about a whole new level of confidence without so much as stepping on the scales and being defined by numbers or a dress size. ‘What’s important is that we overcome our slip ups and remind ourselves that we’re worthy, strong and deserving. You have to give yourself time to learn and grow, but once you’ve blossomed, amazing things happen!’ 

 

You can find out more about Sophie and her body-positive content on Instagram @SophSucceeds, or you can read some of her advice, personal experiences and top tips at http://sophiegilestraynor.wixsite.com/sophsucceeds