Real talk. If I could tell my 15 yr old self one thing it would be this:
Your value is not determined by a thigh gap.
Preeeeaaaacchhhhhh #amiright? Rewind fifteen years back and all I wanted was skinnier thighs. I wanted long, model-like legs. Instead, I had thick thunder thighs. At this point in my life up until about three years ago, I dreaded every single thing about them. I hated shopping for jeans and wearing shorts. I hated the way I felt compared to my friends with slimmer stems and size 2 cut offs.
Don’t even get me started on the way I criticized and tried to hide my hips and booty when I turned twenty-five. It’s like they appeared overnight and I felt nothing but ashamed…and fat.
I get so angry when I think about the “type” that was portrayed for decades as being the only type worth attaining and celebrating. And then, I get excited when I see all of the different “types” being celebrated today. Different shapes and colors and sizes. It’s amazing and also NORMAL. Something we should have been doing all along.
Fast forward to today and I wouldn’t trade my shape for anyone else’s. It has taken me thirty years to embrace my curves. My strong thighs. My round butt. My wide hips. Throughout my fitness journey over the past year my goals haven’t been to make them skinnier or smaller. My goals haven’t been about changing the way they look at all. Instead, I’ve learned to love the shape I was born with and use fitness as a way to accentuate the different parts of me and make them stronger.
I’m here to tell you – if you have a small butt or a big butt or a medium sized butt – you’re beautiful. If you have thick legs or slender legs, wide hips or no hips at all – you’re beautiful. Our beauty is not based on looking a certain way. I know it’s a little cheesy but seriously you guys, I feel like I am the most beautiful when I feel the best about myself and love the fu$k out of myself.
Consider this your first reminder of the week to embrace your curves or your lack of curves. Whether it’s trending in magazines or not trending. Your body is one hell of a body and if you don’t love it and the person that comes in it (yes, body love starts with self-love), no change in your shape will change that.
Can you relate? Drop a comment below. Don’t forget to share your own journey to body love or the part of your body you’re falling back in love with #laurenelycebody!
