You are beautiful

I have a copy of the September issue of Glamour, which has this now famous photo of a radiant, smiling woman who just happens to be naked, just happens to be size 12-14, and just happens to have some stomach flab. She could have been a model from the Renaissance, had she been alive back then.

When heading over to the magazine's Web site to post a link, I noticed that there are more photos of "plus-sized models" and other body image articles that have spun off from this photo and the strong, mostly positive, response it has received, such as this story.

One of the things that caught my attention in that spin-off story was that "Not all commenters lauded the photo, however; a sizable minority objected to it on health grounds." While it's not good to be too overly strict on dieting and exercising, there is definitely something to be said about eating right and exercising regularly. Besides maintaining good physical health, exercising in particular can be a good way to relieve stress and release endorphins, which make you feel happy. Still, bodies come in all shapes and sizes, and having curves all over isn't something to be ashamed of -- it's something to embrace instead of forcing your body to be a size 0 when it's a size 6 or above, for instance.

Why I decided to write about body acceptance now is because on Saturday night at a family gathering, someone made a comment about my weight. Since I heard an English translation that may not be word-for-word for what was actually said, I don't know the full context, only that the person commented on my gaining weight. However, I still felt hurt and offended nonetheless, even to the point of tears. The fact that the person in question wasn't exactly slender just made me upset.

I do admit that I don't exercise as much as I should, and while I do try to be aware of what I eat and the portion size, there is room for improvement -- I should work on all this in a healthy (read: not obsessive) manner. I'm surprised, though, how a comment about me gaining weight had emotionally affected me in such a negative way, making me feel ugly and inferior.

However, as Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." Everyone has traits and features that make him or her wonderful, including me. Part of being beautiful is having a healthy dose of self-confidence and self-love. That is something that I definitely need to work on and keep in mind.

After all, there is only one of me, take it or leave it.

(Photo by JPhilipson)
(P.S. You Are Beautiful)