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The November issue of O (Oprah Magazine) has just been released. And our own Katie Halchishick – co-founder of Healthy is the New Skinny and the Perfectly Unperfected Project – anchors an 8-page section on beauty and body image with a photo destined to be an iconic image. Shot by famed photographer Matthew Rolston, Katie stands naked (the first nude in O history), holding an equally bare Barbie doll. Dotted lines, of the sort that might be made by a cosmetic surgeon (or a photo editor preparing a retouch), cover Katie, indicating what would have to be cut away in order for her to have Barbie’s body.
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It’s a striking photo. There’s something revolutionary about a naked plus-size model. Think how often this image from French Elle of Tara Lynn has been reblogged – and remember the reaction to this famous Lizzie Miller photo in Glamour? What sets the O photo apart is the powerful reminder of how far even such a gorgeous model as Katie falls short of an unattainable ideal.
The article that follows the image includes the fascinating results of a survey of O magazine readers in their teens – and in their 60s. There’s some encouraging news: older women report having better body image, though not by as great a margin as some might expect. But when asked for one adjective that described how they felt about how they looked, “grateful” was the most popular choice for women over 60. “Self-conscious” was the clear winner for the teen girls. And we’re troubled – though not surprised – that while older women listed “staying healthy” as their number one reason to exercise, “losing weight” was the top choice for their younger counterparts.
But next to Katie’s picture, the highlight of the issue is a “Dear Every Woman” letter from novelist Amy Bloom. Here are a couple of excerpts we loved:
You cannot be a healthy person, let alone hope for healthy children, if you sigh and moan every time you encounter your own image, eat a cookie, or see an airbrushed model on a billboard. Even if it amounts to wholesale pretending, go pretend. Walk around pretending to be a woman who likes her body… Because every step toward self-love you take, and every inch of confidence you give someone’s daughter, makes the world a better place….
You are imperfect, permanently and inevitably flawed. And you are beautiful.
I showed Katie’s photo to a 15 year-old girl with whom I work. She stared at it for a long time without saying anything. Finally, she spoke: “At first this photo made me feel a little bad. I thought if a girl as pretty as that has to change so much to be perfect, it made me wonder how much more I’d have to change. Then I realized how ridiculous it would be to try and change (Katie’s) body. She’s perfect the way she is even if she’s imperfect in the eyes of a plastic surgeon or some dude who wants a Barbie doll. And if she can fall short of the ideal and still be so beautiful… maybe I can too.”
She paused and smiled at me. “Um, can I take the magazine when you’re done writing about it? I want to show it to my friends… and I want to keep the picture.”
That’s the power of an image – and the power of being Perfectly Unperfected.
This post first appeared on healthyisthenewskinny.com and has been republished with their full permission
Did you know yesterday was International Love Your Body Day? Let’s try a little experiment – tell us what you LOVE about your body.
Comments
197 Comments so far
This post is lovely and very timely for me as i have recently started having self-esteem problems, seemingly out of the blue. I love my eyes and my lips. I love my clear skin and my thick hair. Most importantly I love my body’s amazing ability to conceive and Breastfeed children!
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Well Ladies, and any gents that may have replied,
The parts I love about my body are my hair, my eyes and my shoulders. It’s taken me a long time to get to this place though. At one point I tipped the scale at 120kgs, now I;m hovering in the 92-94 region. The part of my body that I don’t like really is my level of fitness. But I’m working on that one.
I could pick on my freckles if I wanted to, and wish for even toned bronzed skin. But I kind of like them, and the fact that under my shirt, my skin is lilly white. I used to think that my feet were too wide and my toes too short and stubby. So I painted them, you’d be surprised how much nail polish makes your toes look longer and flatters the shape of your foot. Even if, like me, you buy your shoes from big foot’s!
I don’t have skinny legs, but I know that they are strong, and they are only going to get stronger. Flexibility will come eventually as well. I have wide hips, which by default also means a healthy sized butt. Still learning to roll them over when I kick! I have a tummy, and stretch marks that come as a part of the weight that I used to carry. I could see them as embarrassing, and sometimes I do. But I could also see them as I sign that things have changed and gotten better. My boobs are shrinking in proportion with the rest of me, but I believe they are also getting a better shape to them and a firmer feel. My arms are getting stronger, and I am starting to see muscle definition. They will never be the toothpicks I see on really skinny girls, but at the same time, one of these skinny girls at work has to ask me to do the heavy lifting for her.
I am 175cms tall and 92kgs. BMI says I’m fat. I say fu@k the BMI, let’s see the girls who pass it wear a thigh kick and stay on their feet.
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I love that my knees no longer hurt and i am fit because i just lost 10 kg over 3 months (no cookies!) and am not perfect but MUCH better!
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I love my dirty bits. Seriously. My vagina rocks. Come on girls. Let’s get the vagina dentata thing going. My hubby loves mine (but then he is a bit of an S&M submissive, chuckle)
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Any woman who bases their ideal body-size on the toy doll they had when they were 8 needs to stop whining and grow up. I had a Ken Doll when I was a kid. It had a body-builder physique, ie. looked nothing like the normal males around me. Did I internalise Ken Doll’s proportions as an idealised norm and carry them into adulthood? No. Get a grip on yourselves, womanhood.
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I’m pretty sure the problem isn’t that women need to ‘grow up’. The ideal is represented in barbies from a young age, but it’s perpetuated by women and men throughout our lives, manifesting in magazines (from Vogue to Playboy – especially Playboy type mags, where the barbie silhouette is requisite), Hollywood and in advertising. I think women have the power to help change this, but it’s very entrenched. Women have been judged on their appearance throughout history to a far greater extent than men. Congrats to anyone who is willing to stand up for a real ‘ideal’ – healthy and happy. At the moment I’ve been eating a bit healthier and my main thrill is not in losing any weight, but that my skin all over my body has improved and is kind of glowing (I’m very pale and have never loved my skin until now). I also love my curves!
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As a teenager, I had awful teeth. Really awful teeth. So I wasn’t too rapt in how I looked back then. As an adult, I’m very grateful to have had surgical work done on my teeth at 15, despite the pain. I’m also thankful my mum always banged on about sunscreen, hence I’m not very freckly despite my very fair skin. But I’ve also inherited good genes – a 56kg tiny figure. I’ve got a pretty good metabolism allowing me to eat what I like, not exercise much and not put any weight on. But I’m aware this isn’t a)the most healthy way to be and b)won’t last forever. I’ll enjoy it while I can.
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I love my eyes. I have big blue eyes (I call them my bug eyes but I <3 them). I'm tall and I have a great stomach, back and shoulders. Of course there are things I'm unhappy about but I just remember that I'm an incredibly lucky person with a family, an education and a great life.
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“I I <3 them"
Try writing in English, not text speak, my dear, you're not on your mobile now.
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Wow, I apologise if my credit average, university education doesn’t come through just because I happened to type out “I <3 them" instead of "I heart them". If I were communicating in text speak, there would be a lot less full stops, capital letters and a large amount of indecipherable words in my otherwise almost perfect sentences. Besides, I did actually comment on this from my mobile phone if that makes you feel less snarky. It's not really any of your business but the only text speak on my mobile phone comes in the guise of lol, <3, haha, and bmdg.
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Sorry, I thought <3 was a reference to your cleavage.
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Why are you bringing in your prom picture into this discussion? How about you give up your trolling ways and go back to being a silent observer.
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After having glandular fever for 3 months, I lost 9kg and dropped down to 45kg. At 170cm, I was nothing but skin and bones. I remember the first time I was well enough to stand up and have a shower on my own for 5 minutes without collapsing again, looking in the mirror and being horrified at seeing my ribs, my hip bones, my collar bone, my wrists, my shoulder blades all sticking through the skin. And I thought I had a little too much weight before I got sick!…It COMPLETELY changed how I see my body.
I love everything about my body now, I’m even coming to love my little boobs haha
2 1/2 years on with regular exercise and a LOT more energy, I’m around abouts 55kg (I never weigh myself, I only know because they tell me when I donate blood every 3 months)
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I love lots of bits of my body! I know that what I feel is not necessarily what others see, but when I look in the mirror I almost always think I look pretty good!
My favourite part of my body is probably my hair. Not because it is long and glossy or anything shampoo-ad-like, but just because I actually have it! There is nothing like having lost all your hair in the past to make you appreciate what it feels like to have hair. And I like it only about 50% for how it looks – what I really love is being outside on a windy day (like today actually!) and feeling it blow around. It’s a fantastic sensation. Some days I just close my eyes and feel it from the ends of the hair, right down to my scalp, moving on its own. Bliss! It’s the little moments like this that make me smile a lot longer than the quick grin I might give myself when I look in the mirror.
I think I might turn the computer off actually and go back outside…!
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It’s great to read so many comments that are positive.
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I could be much more ‘perfect’ if I’d spent my life cocooned in cotton wool, never going into the sun, only ever eating ‘correct’ foods and drinking ‘healthy’ water.
So I suppose I’m not ‘perfect’ to some eyes but I have lived a pretty exciting life, done many, many wonderful things and had great adventures, I have four wonderful kids, a partner who loves all that goes into making me the person I am (good and bad) and if I dropped dead tomorrow I know there’d be those who would genuinely miss me.
That’s good enough for me. I wouldn’t want to be plastic anyway.
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That’s a beautiful post Janes. I love reading things like this, makes me feel totally happy! Thanks for putting a smile on my face.
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Something that has become obvious to me, after 2 babies and almost 40 years is that the only difference between feeling like I am having a fat day and feeling happy with my body is how I feel. So rather than feel negative about my body I try to dismiss the feelings and remind myself of what my body has done for over the years.
Also I remind myself that if I really do have a problem with the extra padding I should go for a walk rather than make myself feel bad.
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I’d love to see the same woman turned into a Bratz doll! I hate those dolls.
Things I love: I’m a good height; my hair is super thick and shiny; I’ve got good legs.
I have a beautiful, gorgeous friend who constantly bangs on about her weight in front of her three young girls and it makes me cringe every time. Her 9 year old told her she wanted to lose a few kilos.
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I don’t have terribly much to worry about when it comes to my body (natural tall and skinny here, have only recently started doing any serious exercise) I have a little bit of flab around the belly which should be easily fixable with regular exercise particularly on the abs. I also have a strange relationship with my nose – almost all Asian girls have cute button noses, but mine is kind of angular. I feel insecure about it, but I would never ever get a nose job – I like how it sets me apart. It also could be some inheritance from a non-Asian ancestor no one in my family knows about.
But I do undoubtedly love my long skinny legs.
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I hate that when i am at MY ideal weight, which is a lot lighter than i am now, people treat me differently. Friends and strangers alike. The attention is different, i guess because i look better? And this is the problem! Im over the need for that sort of attention now, but its what drove me to diet most of my life. Now i only surround myself with people who like the way i am on the inside first..
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I love my body. I deliberately chose to love it because hating it wasn’t getting me anywhere and was, well, pointless. I used to pick out tiny flaws and nitpick at imperfections, fixating on them until they literally made me feel like the ugliest person in the world. Now, at 28, I have given birth to twins and my body has bounced back quickly (8 weeks) and continues to get stronger and leaner. A stranger told me yesterday she was fascinated by me because my twins are 4 months old and she thought I looked like a supermodel. What struck me about this comment was that it was so odd to me. I have never even thought of myself as attractive. I sort of feel like once I started loving my body, one I stopped fighting it and let it be what it was, it became more beautiful, more healthy and more like I’d want it to look…and this is not a case of me being one of those annoyingly perfect people thinking they aren’t. My body changed shape when I loved it. It improved and became stronger and fitter when I simply stopped mentally beating it up…without any out-of-the-ordinary exercise. It sounds airy fairy but a lot can be said for mindset…and perhaps a little less stress! I found this article and this initiative inspiring. Love your body girls.
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“I used to pick out tiny flaws and nitpick at imperfections, fixating on them until they literally made me feel like the ugliest person in the world.”
Hope you found a good psychiatrist.
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I was recently in a serious car accident, and ended up minus a section of my bowel due to injuries sustained. For days on end in hospital I struggled to walk, to lie down, sit up, to move at all. My bowels remained silent and inactive. I couldn’t eat. Finally, after complications and 10 long days, I did ‘number twos’ and began to eat soft food again. I looked at my scrawny (5kg lighter), bruised, broken, bloodied body, with my deflated post-2 kids boobs in the mirror that day, and cried with gratitude and relief. My body worked again, and I will never, ever whinge about my cellulite, when there are people out there who have no stomachs, or can’t move their limbs. I love my décolletage and my hair.
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can’t imagine what that must have been like… thank you for perspective. xx
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“I love my decolletage”
Polite way of saying “you can park your bike in ‘em.” Photo, please.
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Well no. That would be cleavage. Decolletage is the bit above the boobs and cleavage.
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Wikipedia: “Décolletage (or décolleté, its adjectival form, in current French) is the upper part of a woman’s torso, between her waist and neck, comprising her neck, shoulders, back and chest, that is exposed by the style of her clothing. However, the term is most commonly applied to a neckline which reveals or emphasizes cleavage.”
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LOVE this article. What struck me straight away was the 15 year old who was simply awestruck at the image, because it seems to be imprinted into young minds that there is only one way to look beautiful. What a relief it must be for her to come to the realisation that who she is and what she looks like RIGHT NOW is perfectly fine!
I used to want to lose weight and tone up because of the pre conceived notion that skinny = beautiful. But what people need to do is listen to their body more, and realise what body type they have. Not everyone can be skinny, and not everyone will be fat. But we should all make the choice to be healthy, irrespective of the shape it makes us.
A person in my life very close to me has a condition that inhibits her in basic everyday functions. She needs aid for basically everything. Her body is failing her, and if she could get up and look after herself, she would (heck, she still tries now, her spirit is amazing…)… and then it dawned on me. What’s my excuse? She has got no choice in her health anymore, as her condition is degenerative, but can i really get away with saying i can’t be bothered? Or I’m too tired? Or just not caring? I’m blessed with the ability to control my body, and i choose to look at myself in amazement for all the fantastic things it CAN do – instead of trying to turn it into the airbrushed doll in the magazine. Most of the photos aren’t even real anyway!! How can we actually strive to be a digitally altered image?!
My body is effing amazing. My saggy post-breastfeeding funbags, my man-hands from way too much dishwashing, my knobbly knees, my beautiful blue/grey eyes, my olive skin, my inquisitive mind… what i have RIGHT NOW is good enough – i LOVE it. And i will reward my body by endeavouring to look after it even better by achieving the goals i set for myself to be healthy. We’re all on a different journey, and we should all celebrate the individual choices of all people. Skinny is beautiful. Not-so-skinny is beautiful. A-bit-bigger is beautiful. Fat is beautiful. Human beings are beautiful.
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This is the best post ever
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Is the model shown in that photo the same woman speaking in the video? If so, she has had a ridiculous amount of ‘work’ done to her face, whatever she has or hasn’t had done to her body. This sends out a pretty skewed message to me… I personally think the Barbie doll looks more natural…
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blerk. rethink your post
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I like my eyes, my cheek bones, my smile and my legs.
I also LOVE my brain.
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I havent read the other posts yet, thought I would add my thoughts instantly. I love that my body can grow, nurture and birth healthy children, body you are amazing. I love you!
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I like my body… it just seems no one else does… i got a round tummy curved spine. Firm legs, mooshy arms, strong shoulders and I reckon a pretty face. I get asked if i am pregnant all the time… it is awful. yet when i leave in my work suit or outfit with great make up in the morning i feel awesome. I am 165cm tall weigh 72.5kg today… yep i check it. my tummy put on 3cm last week… lost 1cm this week. why do i measure everything.. i am stressed by people asking me… when you due? are you expecting a delivery? (seriously dude at emirates airport said this last week) i go to buy perfume and i get asked “has your sense of smell changed”? WTF? oh you think i am pregnant? I had a breast reduction because of stupid comments about my large boobs all my life now my belly sticks out more than my boobs. I like how I am but I still have to put up with comments. It is peoples expectations of how one should look that pisses me off. keep your comments to yourself. Never ask a women if she pregnant. maybe she just had her baby, maybe she lost it. maybe she just fat in the guts like me. I am 41 get told I look like am 25 yet i look preggers. I got a sticky out gut if i don’t hold in my posture. I wear a size 10-12. I think if more people especially guys saw more real women in the media we could stop sucking our guts in just to go to the damn shops. I wish i did not have a gut… but even as a model from the age of 16 i was told… suck it in… it is just the way i am. why should i be ashamed of that. yet i know some creep is gonna mention the preggo thing at least once a week. Shame that we have to feel this way……. just been reading other comments… seems that most issues are from within .. no one saying hey you got spider veins… or chunky legs actually to you – you think that… the issues are perceived within. geez i am happy with how i look yet some dickhead will say to me shit about how my belly is fat… how many of you get told… hey laaaydee …. your bum is big, your toes are kinda wide … or your nail beds are small!! seriously i am a little weirded out… most posts are personal perceptions… my personal perception is confident… unfortunately i am at the mercy of the baby belly watchers… i bet no one has ever been told their toes are too long or nail beds too short when shopping for groceries. Perception of our body flaws is one thing and our own demon. People saying shit to your face is another… no i am not pregnant it is a friggin food baby luv.
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People should be taught to never query whether a woman is pregnant UNLESS THE BABY IS CROWNING AT THE TIME!
And you look gorgeous in that photo!
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thx jane your reply has been awesome and spot on I love it…. crowning should be the benchmark!!. i cannot imagine how it must feel for real pregnant women to all of a sudden be open slather for people to say stuff to. thx for the pic comment too xx
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I have the same problem with my stomach and curved spine. You should do pilates to make sure you have a strong core because i get a lot of back pain and pilates is the only thing that has helped – not sure if you have the same problem. I wish every day my stomach was more flat, and it’s improved with doing pilates but i’ve been hoping it’d go flat for about 12 years and no dice so I guess i’m stuck with it! I told my partner the other day that i’m going to make peace with it. your photo is gorgeous, i love your hair!
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Rhonnie, your eyes and your smile back up everything you say you feel about yourself. I admire that you don’t (it seems) retaliate when comments are made about your ‘look’ – “No, I’m not pregnant but you’re certainly stupid” or “No, I’m fat, your stupid but I can lose weight…”
That said, it doesn’t matter what we do about our own bodies, there will always be some moron (or ‘expert) who tells us we don’t look right.
And Janedj’s comment about your photo is most correct; you are, indeed, gorgeous. Stuff the rest of ‘em.
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hey thanks janes.
yea i do wanna say some horrid stuff back when i cop it. i am teaching myself my reaction is the only thing i really can control.(and of course a little less carbs on the belly) my anger and how i manage that is my reward. thx for the ups on my comments & pic. wish there were more chicks around me like you guys. we could take on the world. xxx
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Hot.
Will you go out with me?
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Ah this is going to be hard. Can think of more negative than positive.
A lot of people tell me that I have nice eyes , green .
My cheekbones
My hands
Shoulders
That is all:(
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Isn’t that enough? Seems like it to me.
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I’m totally missing the “unhappy with my body” gene.
I’ve been everything from 45kg (for about five minutes) to 75kg in the last 10 years and have always thought I’ve looked pretty darn hot even though at my heaviest, I had well-meaning male friends tell me that maybe I should lose a few kilos if I wanted to attract a bloke. I just thought they were deluded
If I had to pick one thing I like the most, I’d say boobs.
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Hi. I tried on last summer’s shorts the other day and they confirmed that i have put on a wee bit of padding in the button region! (I’m a 10 moving to 12 he he) I was genuinely confused because i actually feel just as sexy…. i like my belly curves and soft skin. revelation! extra kilos really aren’t the be all and end all.
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I love my legs. No matter how much weight I have gained, they have always remained lean and toned. I love my skin, even though I am really pale and am told a tan is more attractive. I love my belly, even though it is a bit floppy and covered in stretchmarks and scars from pregnancy and operations. I love that my body grew my son, and continues to nurture him by making milk for him.
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You know what i love? I love that you love you. you go girl. YOU are so far the most inspirational chick i have read about on here. Kudos. xx You sound absolutely beautiful to me too. xx
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Forgot to write what I like about myself. I used to have pretty good body image but I’ve recently gained weight. It’s only about 5kg but it’s still enough to make me feel a little bit insecure and a little bit less happy with how I look. I’m so tempted to write what parts I don’t like but that’s not what this is all about so here goes:
- I love my hair. It’s thick, and lies somewhere between wavy and curly. I always get comments about it and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
- I think I have nice blue eyes.
- I also often get told I have a nice smile.
- I really like my legs. They are long and slim even when I gain weight and I can get away with wearing a short skirt or shorts!!
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hey anna after reading this and your later post i think we must be same body type! i am just a little older… if you 1984 i am 1970!
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I have spent alot of my life wishing I was on the boob train and feeling like I wasn’t quite a woman because somewhow I got left at flat chest station.
But I will never ever get surgery (I will happily wear padded bras) so I have had to get used to it and just love other parts. Despite being an A cup, they do have a beautiful shape.
I never understood the issue with women being “bigger” I was always jealous because they seemed more feminine to me and more desired by men.
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El Belle – If it makes you feel any better I’m an E cup (used to be DD but gained weight recently) and it’s not all roses and butterflies. It’s very difficult to get sexy lingerie (hello grandma bras), many tops/dresses/shirts/bikinis do not fit me, I have to strap myself down when I run or else suffer from pain, and I also get back pain. There are days when i see my A-cup friends buy bras straight off the rack, go braless for a night out, go for a jog wearing only a crop top with NO pain and wear the same top as me and make it look super elegant whereas i would make it look pornographic, and I feel jealous!! Life is lighter and easier when you have small breasts, make the most of what you have!!
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get the breast reduction…. i did. yep there are scars. boobs are round lifted and so much easier to live with.summer is so much easier to deal with (no sweaty creases) i was dd b4 but so much volume i am still a d sometimes dd.. but they are round and perky – ok no chance of going braless without knocking someones eye out. but i can wear normal clothes could not b4. and now know one takes the piss out of me coz of my giant boobs.. (now i just got a rounded belly) blerk. big boobs overrated and usually wanted by girl with small boobs who want more attention. go the reduction girl
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Rhonnie – I get heaps of comments about my boobs too it’s really annoying! Often they are from women though, not always from men. They can be quite jealous comments which I think is strange, I have no idea why so many girls want huge boobs, they are a bit of a pain in the ass!
Yes, I’ve thought quite seriously about a reduction. I’ve done a bit of research on it but I don’t have the money right now. The other thing is I’m not sure if I want kids or not…I don’t want to get a reduction and then get pregnant and go back to being huge again! whenever women talk about how happy they were when their boobs got bigger with pregnancy/breast feeding I thought ‘OH PLEASE DON’T LET THAT BE ME!!’ I am TERRIFIED of them getting bigger. If I end up having children and they get even bigger, I will definitely get a reduction. If I don’t end up having children once it becomes clear that I won’t be having them, I will probably go ahead and get the reduction anyway. I’m not gonna go down to an A-cup, probably just to a full D cup. I’m now an E which is just too damn big.
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it is funny that women think it ok to make a comment on your boobs…. men just snigger and look. women think it ok to touch… eew. definitely do not go to an a cup unless you are really little person with big boobs. your boob reduction will not make you skinnier… just less in front. Get a good surgeon – i have scars but have a great lift. the traditional anchor technique will have less scars but possibly more droop. I went with no scar underneath but cuts on top. they are round firm and lifted. I did have infection so there is a bump.. at 41 yo i don’t care really. Definitely if your thinking of kids wait. then go the lift and reduction. so glad i did it … however i do think tho they are growing back! .. i look at pics and think they still huge. but at least they comfortable – i can wear clothes and no stupid comments from dudes.
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“women think it ok to touch… eew.”
You do realise that what you are descrtibing is sexual assault? Hope you reported them to the police.
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i wish i could say i loved my body – but i dont…
I think about it everyday, how i wish my body was different – slimmer tummy, slimmer arms etc etc
Sick of it, sick of being consumed with my weight determining my mood….
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I’m sorry you feel that way,i hope one day you’ll find a way to make peace with who you are…
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“Anouk”. Are you that hot bird on The Slap? No need to worry about your body then…
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can you fuck off and stop trolling?
is there a way mm team to see the ip addresses that these comments are coming from and block them?
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well that sucks….look up on the Rational Emotional Behaviour Therapy on the internet. i was ANGRY tonight about some stuff (not related to weight) it helped me and gave me perspective ( and seems so damn obvious) … … YOU are in control of your thoughts… you are also in control of you. Dont let weight issues consume you… time is short. take control. who give a shit your size…. there are skinny girls out there that are horrid people… your size does not dictate your personality and what you can offer as a friend or lover or peer. just remember the girl you look at that has the body u wish for probably got problems that she can’t get past… skinny is not happy. just b awesome. everyone LOVES awesome… not everyone loves skinny. xx
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thanks for taking the time to reply will look it up now
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Um, is the model really being classified as plus-size?? My god!! I would NOT have classified her as a big girl…
And I like my feet lol
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I agree! and you are so lucky to have nice feet. I hate my feet! haha
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I love my eyes and my smile. Also love my boobs, perfect size. I also like my long fingers. My Mum has short, pudgy fingers but I take after my Dad’s side there.
I like that I don’t have weird feet, haha.
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I love my body for having looked after me for 28 years. I suffer from a lot of tension due to depression and anxiety which I’m working on. When I look after myself I can feel my body start to repair. I know that I need to look after myself more, get more rest. I eat well and exercise but I don’t rest enough.
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Mostly I accept what I’ve got, although I wish I was a little bit more toned/5kgs lighter/whatever other glaring real or imagined flaw I think I can see. I also know that if I went to the gym every day any real or imagined flaws would possibly melt away…..But as I won’t make that committment, I have to make the best of it.
Bits I look at to remind myself that all is not going to pot;
no more mini skirts for me).
My legs from the knees down (thighs have spider veins
My hands and fingernails, often asked if my nails are fake (they’re not and they get no special treatment, just luck that they are long & strong).
My hourglass figure (even if I would like it to be 5kg lighter).
My hair, which one of my dear friends pointed out the other day “people get their hair dyed that colour”. Although when I go grey, which at 45 I imagine is not too far off, I would love to be a silver fox, but I fear I will end up with the salt & pepper look.
My talent for dressing to highlight the best bits, learnt after MUCH trial and error!
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you sound like a well balanced chick. we ALL wish to be 5kg slimmer… but would that make the difference we looking for? inner confidence is the key… no diet seems to nurture that. after dieting most of our life i think in your 40′s you find your weight that suits your lifestyle…. we may not be supermodels but we can eat a nice dinner, drink red wine fluctuate a kilo and then reinstate to EXACTLY what your body says is your balance. no 20 year old can have that! Enjoy! and not many 20 year olds with great bodies can say they own a house and can still walk out of looking HOTT. in your 40′s you can girl. ps spider veins.. just a doctors visit away… find out now and invest in you
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I love the fact that my body can carry me across the line in a 15km run.
I remember only a year ago doing my first 5km and being so incredibly excited, happy, elated and feeling like I was the hottest thing ever because I could run (RUN!) 5KM! It’s funny though, as I started running further I didn’t have that same feeling, maybe my time wasn’t great for that run or I didn’t feel as strong. But the fact remains – I can happily run for 15km without falling over in a heap which is amazing.
So over the past few weeks I have been trying to combat that voice that says I am fat by reminding myself that my body is freaking awesome and never lets me down.
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I have crooked fingers- but without them I wouldn’t have a ten key reach on the piano.
I have red hair- that after years of hating and having dyed it black I now miss- because it’s me.
I like my eyes. they are perfect.
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my husband loves my bumpy belly – it produced our 2 amazing babies now 15 and 13. I.m now trying to work the extra kilos off and I’m loving it thanks to Vision PT – I.ve list 22 kilos and 2 years later I still love the gym. xx d
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I’ve struggled forever with my body image, so this is a real tough one. It’s even difficult to say the words ‘love’ ‘my’ and ‘body’ in the same sentence.
I love my eyes. They’re the sort of blue that always has people asking if I’m wearing coloured contacts.
I love my smile. My teeth are in good condition and my smile makes me quite photogenic.
I love all the changes that my body is going through being pregnant (except the heartburn that’s just kicked in. I could do without that!).
I love that I’m as healthy as a horse.
That was tough!
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I don’t love my body at the moment it’s making me sooooo ill with a stomach virus!
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I love my heart. It is healthy and strong and does its job well.
I love my lungs. They are healthy and strong and do their job well.
I love the fact that all my essential organs are healthy and strong and do their job well.
Some people are not so lucky.
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I love my nose. I think it is perfect and have gotten comments on it all my life.
I like my blue eyes (although wish they were a little bigger)
I love my clear, healthy skin
I love having a curvy ‘hour glass’ body. While it is certainly undergoing renovations (I do need to lose about 7kg) I wouldnt trade it in for a stick figure body that is for certain!
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you sound awesome.
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my waist. it’s TINY.
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Love being petite and thin but still with curves. Love my boobs… PERFECT size, shape, nipples etc.
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I love being petite and toned. Hate it when people call me a stick and clothes don’t fit. Love my naturally long black lashes, no need for mascara.
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Dear me. I missed out on the October edition of Oprah magazine.
Sometimes life just passes you by, doesn’t it ?
My favourite body part….my lily-white buttocks. Just like looking at two freshly baked bread rolls, my wife tells me.
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Yes, I love my ‘buns’ too. And my pinkie finger. So handy for the odd nose pick.
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That’s something my husband would write lol!!……
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Great post – why does it have to be the new “skinny” though…isn’t it implying skinny is still a good thing/the ideal???
My fav bits: shoulders, chest, neck, hair, legs below the knee & I’m quite happy with my face. The hard bit is remembering this & not focussing on the bits which I really dislike!
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I love my uterus – it has grown, nurtured and protected two perfect boys.
I love my breasts – they have grown, nurtured and protected two perfect boys.
On a more superficial note:
I love my hair – thick, dark and shiny.
I love my collarbones – they frame my face nicely, as odd as that sounds.
I love my lips – full and pink.
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I love:
- my full lips (lip plumpers make me look like I’ve been hit in the mouth!)
- My boobies
- my fingernails
- my eyes
- My hair is thick and grows quickly, easy to change styles
- When I do exercise it only takes 2-3 sessions for muscle to form.
I had low self esteem as a teen and then I thought ‘Well, at least I dont have big ears’ from that point on I noticed other things I liked about myself.
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When I was younger it used to be my arms, face, flat belly. Now it is the fact that it has carried my 3 beautiful children – my greatest achivement. The belly is no longer flat, the arms a little wobbly and the face still has pigmentation from the pregnacies, but I wouldnt have it any other way.
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I have always had HUGE body issues but am trying soooooo bloody hard to let them go, so here is a list of things that are good about my body-
I have great eye lashes
I have nice plump lips
I have a small waist
I have nice blue eyes
I have learned to love my curly hair
My body is healthy, I have no disease, my mind functions as it should & I am able to moove freely
My body gave me my boys & will hopefully give me more babies in the future
Its so easy to focus on all the lumps, bumps, lines & sagging but I just dont want to any more, Im sick of it! Loved this post & all the comments.I feel super positive now!!!
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I’m a teen dancer, so my favorite thing about my body is my flat tummy
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dear teen dancer… we all were there once. enjoy and hold onto it as long as u can… and if it fades dance like no one watching.
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Show off.
(PS, what’s your mobile number?)
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