fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
Guide To satisfying fat girls
By: Louie Bee
Tags: Humor, Satire, Erotica, Body Positive

The economy is in a very bad state and there is no indication that it will get better in the near future. People Are Looking to save Money so, I am often asked constantly, “Louie Bee, how do I satisfy a fat woman”? After so many inquiries, I finally broke down and wrote this guide for those chubby chasers. The guide consist of a checklist for before you begin, and techniques to get her off. In order to satisfy a fat girl is very hard to even for men with big equipment. However, it is not impossible if you prepare just follow these steps.

You first need to get condoms and morning-after pills. I highly recommend the Trojans “Her Pleasure” with spermicidal lubricant. Safety is always stepping one. Step two, check for cleanliness. No matter what condoms you get you to have to inspect the area and see if it looks healthy. Remember when in doubt bail out. Look at her snatch if it has some strange stuff like pimples or sores slimy stuff coming out or just smells RUN AWAY it is not worth getting sick.

In addition, she should be completely shaved do not accept any excuses. Nowadays there is no excuse for having an unkempt pussy. She should be freshly showered and smelling good. The stench will kill your dick fast. Ok, now that you have checked that, she is clean. Start kissing her get her turned on rub her breast and pinch a nipple. Lets your hands explore her body really. This will get dumpy to get wet for u.

Then take a nipple in your mouth and suck it she will squirm a little this is good. Kiss around her rolls, lift one up and lick it all while making your way down. Now that you are in front of her cunt, take your middle finger, shove it in genitally, and start massaging her inside. Take your other hand and with your thumb and forefinger rub her clit. Now if she starts to rock her hips you are doing it right. Now the decisive moment has arrived. This is what proves if you love fat women or not.

This is where I found out I did not. take both your hands and spread the lips apart start licking up and down her slit the deeper than just go for it and start eating that whale of a slut for all your worth and make her see colors. You keep doing this until she comes. Once she has, no she is not done yet you need to get her off at least two more times before for you are considered a god lol. You first have to get on top and start fucking her each girl is different.

In my case, it took me 30 minutes of constant fast pumping just to get my ex to get her nut. In fact, the missionary position is a favorite to the fat lazy bitches I come across. Doggie only works if she is lying on her stomach and the same thing applies it depends on the girl how fast for how long. In addition, gravity is your friend let her ride you cowgirl so you can play with her clit while you pump that should get her off relatively quickly.

If you follow these steps you will have no problem making a fat bitch cum, in fact, fucking a fat bitch is a great exercise. It builds stamina and is great practice for when you go out with that hot in shape chick you really want.
Oh, Honey, if I could reach through the computer and hug you, I would.
By: Undead Netherworld
Tags: Feminism, Culture, Body Positive, Equality, Television

Oh, Honey, if I could reach through the computer and hug you, I would.

I will tell you first off that I’m a fat adult. I’m also a mythological creature. I’m a fat adult who is food insecure. I only eat one or two meals a day. I am not so disabled that I can’t work at all, but I can’t work anything even close to full time. I don’t get food benefits. But I can’t possibly exist because fat people are constantly stuffing our faces, amirite? The thing that makes my situation even worse is the fact that not only does the entire world think I’m a glutton when I’m half-starved, there is this horrible personality in my brain whom we can call ED.

As you may have guessed, ED stands for Eating Disorder.

ED praises me when I starve myself.

The thing is, all of society’s revulsion and all of ED’s praise don’t mean doodly squat. I’m still fat. Not “a little bit chunky” fat. Full on fat. 300 pounds fat.

With all of my endocrine problems, it’s extremely unlikely that I’ll ever be anything but fat.

I yo-yo dieted, engaged in orthorexia, and tried to hate myself thin for 33 years.

When I was young, I would lose weight with my dieting attempts. It always came back with friends. Once I was in my late 30’s, the weight stopped coming off.

I finally discovered size acceptance and Health at Every Size.

Maybe if I’d stop receiving constant messages that I’m disgusting and worthless, I wouldn’t always be thinking that I wish I had the courage to end things. Believe me, I hate myself. I despise what I see in the mirror. I think I’m the worst kind of failure. I’m not even allowed to see myself in a neutral light, let alone a positive one.

Shows like “Insatiable” do nothing to help.

By the way, is that trash still on? I gave it a thumbs down immediately. I was utterly disgusted. When I was still able to work as a home care nurse, I would sometimes watch the Disney channel with my patient. I thought that Insatiable’s star, Debby Ryan, had created a really cute show with “Jessie,” which she both produced and played the lead role. I was utterly disgusted with her for going along with this “Insatiable” garbage.

You’re fine the way you are. I’m fine the way I am. It’s our society that’s messed up and wrong.
Getting to know your body in menopause: the cervix
Tags: Womens Health, Cervical Cancer, Menopause, Cancer, Body Positive

Let’s face it: the female reproductive system has a lot of parts. And because our society is a bit squeamish when it comes to discussing sexual organs — particularly women’s — the names may be familiar, but we don’t always know which bits are which or what they do.

In keeping with our mission of putting women in control of their health, we’d like to present: your body.

Obviously, the more you know about your body, the better you’re able to monitor your health and stay on top of changes. However, because virtually everything about our reproduction is hidden up inside, it can be tricky to know what’s going on in there.

With the help of our Chief Medical Officer, OB/GYN Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su, we’ll take you through the parts, where they are, what they do, how they fit into your body and wellness as a whole, and how the choices and decisions you make affect them.

Looking to understand your body better? Take Gennev’s OB/GYN-designed Menopause Assessment

Your cervix

The cervix is a short tube that connects the lower uterus to the upper vagina. There are a couple of parts to it: the ectocervix, the bit that’s exterior enough to be seen in a pelvic exam, and the endocervix, the canal that leads from the opening of the cervix (the “external os”) through to the uterus. The border between ecto and endo overlaps and is known as the “transformation zone” or “transition zone.”

The cervix is narrow and produces mucus to protect the uterus from harm like bacteria; it expands to allow blood and babies out.

The “glandular” cells that line the tube are known as the endocervical cells. They are a different type of cell than the tougher, “squamous” cells that make up the outside of the cervix. There is a line where the external cells give way to the internal ones, and this transitional zone is the most vulnerable to HPV.

In younger women, the transitional zone is larger and more exposed. As a woman ages, that zone shrinks and climbs up into the cervix, making it less vulnerable. HPV tends to live in the transitional zone and/or the endocervical cells, which is why that’s the area your OB/GYN tests in a pap smear.

HPV, cervical cancer, and pap tests

With the cervix, the biggest concern is cervical cancer.

All cervical cancer is caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV), though not all strains of HPV cause cancer. There are hundreds of types of HPV, some which cause warts on different parts of the body, and some which cause warts on the genitals. There are also versions that are higher risk for becoming cancerous.

In the past, many if not most women contracted HPV at some point in their lives, and for many, their immune system was able to…

Read the rest of this post on our website.
Much of what we feel about ourselves evolve from what we believe others think about us.
By: S.K. Nicholls
Tags: Beauty, Body Positive, Women, Body Image, Aging

Much of what we feel about ourselves evolve from what we believe others think about us. My husband tells me that it is none of my business what other people think. Self-love is is something we must learn. He has helped me with that, especially with regard to aging. I turn 60 this year and he is 66.

I was 115 pounds at 5"4' from age 12 till age 25 (even after three childbirths) and people always called me “Twiggy”. Remember her? People “thought” I was anorexic, but, to the contrary, I ate like a pig and developed poor eating habits that lasted a lifetime. I tried in vain to gain weight. I was flat-chested and extremely conscious of my appearance. Other females loathed me. I didn’t fit in with any group but the nerdy girls.

Fast-forward to age 46 when I began to stack on the pounds, not just a few, but tens of them. I was doing everything possible to stave off the inevitable. At this same time, being single, I was convinced that no man would ever find me attractive. The exact opposite happened. We found each other. We laugh every day about our flabbiness, girth issues, new skin problems, wrinkles, spots, body aches, and so on. However, we sit on the floor and wrestle with the dog, climb in and out of the boat, hike the beaches, and walk island pathways. We do those things a bit slower now, but on the inside, we feel youthful, thin, and spry. We both know we look like a couple of Weebles to others and have even been affectionately referred to that way. But none of those words matter. We carry on with our busy lives. Healthwise, we could be doing better (I still do yoga, even if I have to modify the up-dog, down-dog.), but we’re not beating ourselves up over it. Life is too short for all of that nonsense. We’re convinced that our genetic makeup is not going to allow us to ever be fit and trim again, so why worry? Compared to photos of our grandparents at this age, we’re doing great.

I adore your smart haircut. I did the same about five years ago with zero regrets. Mine has been every color of the rainbow. What fun! Short hair is the most liberating experience. No more fuss, no tangles after a boat ride, no pinning it up from a sweating neck while gardening. Absolutely love it!
Will Men Ever Stop Bullying Lizzo?
Tags: Music, Bullying, Toxic Masculinity, Body Positive, Women

For some reason, Lizzo is an artist that really gets under people’s skin. Excuse me, Lizzo is an artist that really gets under men’s skin. Lizzo has been under attack for a long time. She has yet to be shy about showing off her body. Despite being a little juicier and browner than the typical Instagram model she proudly boasts about her figure. Let’s be clear, Lizzo is gorgeous in addition to being amazingly talented. She has a Prince cosign for Pete’s sake. But the incessant cyber bullying that she endures is disgusting. One quick search of Lizzo on twitter and you will see hundreds of memes made to degrade and shame her.

Now Lizzo’s behaviors can be a tad obnoxious. We can remember when she went to a basketball game without any pants on chile. When the jumbotron came her way, she mooned everyone. But if that were Rihanna up on the screen showing everyone her goodies no one would have any complaints! Shoot, I wouldn’t even complain. After that spectacle she trended on twitter for days. Fatphobic comments were endless and it was plain to see that people were only angered by her behavior because they didn’t agree with her being so confident. The same thing happened again when she twerked on Diddy’s Instagram live danceathon. Diddy himself asked Lizzo to stop saying that it was a “family show” but moments later when Instagram baddie Draya did the same thing it was all good.

Let’s call a spade a spade. Society doesn’t believe that a woman her size should love herself. Lizzo has always been unapologetic about loving her body even if it makes other people so uncomfortable. But where does the discomfort even derive from? Lizzo has a real body. So many men complain that there are too many women that have plastic surgery, yet they are the ones that create these impossible standards that women feel as if they must meet. Men claim they don’t like the way she looks even though her body is a replica of so many other women, including the one’s men know and love in real life.

We must ask ourselves in all her controversy who has Lizzo caused harm to? What makes her so annoying? I think within the answers to these questions most people will find that they are the ones with the problem and not Lizzo.
Modeling after Amputation: Rosalina’s Story
By: Emma Butler
Tags: Model, Amputation, Body Positive, Amputee

Rosalina Oktavia from @kazzrozza tells the story of her amputation and commitment to her dream of modeling even after amputation when she didn’t think it was possible.

In 2009, I had a motorbike accident after which I suffered a minor knee injury. After the accident, I could still walk well, climb mountains and even run, although I felt there was something wrong with my leg. It was not until six years later, in 2015, when I decided to get a medical check up and the doctor found out that I had a damaged tendon on my left knee. He recommended me to undergo a minor operation to fix the tendon, which I agreed to. During the operation, he cut my left leg’s major vein by mistake and, instead of admitting his error and trying to find a solution immediately, he simply kept quiet and pretended that nothing happened. A few days later, even though I should have fully recovered from the operation, I could still not feel my left leg nor my toes. The doctor suggested I get transferred to another hospital for a further check up, where the doctors realised what happened and informed me that I was suffering from gangrene. After that, I went through 6 extremely painful operations, in which the doctors removed more and more muscle tissue from my leg. Unfortunately, all their efforts were in vain. They told me that, unless they amputated my leg, gangrene would spread throughout my body and I would not be able to live. That was how, due to medical negligence, I became an amputee at age 24.

Of course, the first few days after my amputation I felt terribly depressed. My family was devastated about the situation and I even thought of ending my life. However, I soon realised that life still went on and that I had no choice but to adapt to it. Therefore, I decided to stop thinking of what I couldn’t do and start thinking of what I could do, think positively and live a happy life, as all humans deserve.

I worked as a part-time model before the accident but, after losing my leg, I thought that would not be possible anymore. However, my ex-husband made me realise that I should not give up on my dreams due to my situation. He encouraged me to work hard, so I rebranded myself and I built a modeling portfolio with my new image. Through my Instagram account and my YouTube channels, I received lots of love and encouragement from all over the world, which made me regain confidence in myself and made me see that I could still be beautiful. As a result, I decided to devote myself not only to modeling, but also to motivate people with disabilities.

Whether you are disabled, fat, thin, tall or short, it is crucial to understand that you are beautiful and that you can always be proud of yourself, no matter what. Life is too short to worry about your body, so you must always keep smiling and think positively. Don’t care what others think about you and never give up on your dreams!
HATING YOUR BODY IS NOT SERVING YOU
By: Love Girls Magazine
Tags: Body Image, Love Girls Magazine, Body Positive, Magazine

My Lifelong Journey to Me

by Madelyn Dorta

As long as I can remember…I’ve hated my body. I started to develop before most of my friends — my classmates, friends, family and nearly everyone I knew had an opinion on my body as if they had that right. Having a bigger build and being plus size, the societal shame was everywhere I turned. Middle school was especially rough…with the popularity of Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie…a size 2 was the envy and beauty standard. Tall, skinny, white, and blonde. I was none of those things. Being a plus-size Latina, representation of anyone who looked like me was nonexistent. My insecurities continued and morph into unhealthy relationships with my body and with food. Whether you are a size 2 or 22, your body still needs food and substance…food isn’t something you should have to earn, it is a necessity. Looking back — hating myself was incredibly easy due to the fact most women in my life were the same way and still are. They nearly always have an opinion on what someone looks like or how they dress and to this day…I’ve never heard them say a single nice thing about themselves. So, naturally…I was the same way. Hating nearly everything I wore, the color of my skin, the width of hips, the circumference of my thighs. I thought I could change all of those things if I tried hard enough. I looked up ways to lose weight on the library computer at school. I would steal my aunt’s old Cosmo magazines and clip articles on How to Look Thinner, What Men Really Like, 3 Things to Drop 10 lbs. I began taping them to my mirror in my bedroom along with photos of women I wanted to look like and never would. Although I am the most comfortable in my own skin than I have ever been, there are still days that I struggle to love myself. Days where the first thing I want to say to myself is filled with hate and criticism.

I’ve learned to love myself and appreciate my beauty both inside and outside by encouraging other girls and women to do the same.

“One day I decided that I was beautiful, and so I carried out my life as if I was a beautiful girl. It doesn’t have anything to do with how the world perceives you. What matters is what you see.” — Gabourey Sidibe

Since I was a teenager, my biggest goal in life was to lose weight and be skinny. I know that I am not alone in this. Millions of dollars every year are spent on advertising to make me feel this exact way and I have fallen for it every year except this one. For the first time since 6th grade…my life’s goal isn’t to lose weight or to change how I look. Not because it doesn’t matter but because loving and caring for myself matters MORE.

This article was written by Madelyn Dorta for LOVE Girls Magazine and has been archived onto our Medium for easier online reading. Please consider supporting the magazine through financial or volunteer donations.
Your sunflower
By: Aloewieyah Jones
Tags: You Are Beautiful, Sierra Burgess Is A Loser, Beauty, Body Positive, Self Love

Rose girls in glass vases

Perfect bodies, perfect faces

They all belong in magazines

Those girls the boys are chasing

Winning all the games they’re playing

They’re always in a different league

Stretching toward the sky like I don’t care

Wishing you could see me standing there

But I’m a sunflower, a little funny

If I was a rose, maybe you’d want me

If I could, I’d change overnight

And turn into something you’d like

But I’m a sunflower, a little funny

If I was a rose, maybe you’d pick me

But I know you don’t have a clue

This sunflower’s waiting for you

Waiting for you

But I’m a sunflower, a little funny

And if I were her, maybe you’d pick me

But I know you don’t have a clue

This sunflower’s waiting for you

Waiting for you

Song by: Shannon Purser

This song is so touching to me. After I watched the movie Sierra Burgess on Netflix I just completely and 100% related to what Sierra (Shannon Purser) felt in the movie.

I don’t have a perfect body nor do I have a perfect face… I wish I was a rose so he would pick me…

I was really sad and depressed about how I looked but after watching this movie and listening to this song I felt so much better about myself. In my opinion I feel like Sierra shows us that it doesn’t matter what you look like because it’s your personality that counts and I do believe that Sunflowers are much better than roses.

YOU ARE STRONG, YOU ARE CAPABLE AND MOST OF ALL YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL.

Beauty isn’t filling the perfect checklist, perfect face, perfect lips or perfect body.

Beauty is you. Beauty is in the ‘flaws’ society has taught us to hate about ourselves but we should embrace them with open arms because they are what makes us beautiful. NO ONE CAN EVER BE BETTER THAN YOU.

You are beautiful, gorgeous, special, worthy and amazing, I LOVE YOU

Please leave me a comment on what you thought about my comment on this song and movie, bye for now my little chickens.
On the Topic of Hair: To Grow, or Not to Grow?
By: Pollyanna Macchiano
Tags: Feminism, Beyourself, Hair, Body Positive, Growth

When I was a child, my mom enjoyed confirming this truth over and over, until I had the script embedded in my brain: “I have thick hair like my Filipino mom, and got the straight texture from my Italian dad.” My mom has coarse, jet black hair, with strands as thick as spaghetti. My dad’s hair, in contrast, was quite fine and silky smooth. Haircuts were a complex ordeal. Mom liked to tell the stylist cutting my hair to give me “lots of layers, and make sure to thin out the hair at the back of the neck.” This usually resulted in a befuddled look from the inexperienced stylist, because she probably knew that what my mom was asking for was inappropriate. Or, maybe they just didn’t know how to deal with my hair.

I usually left those childhood salons looking like a bushwhacker had gone to town on my head, with choppy layers forming awkwardly shaped stairs up my skull.

But, I didn’t know any better then. I thought that was my only option; to get rid as much of my hair as possible to fit in with everyone else. Thick hair didn’t feel like a blessing, but more like a curse that had to be remedied by cutting voodoo.

My shy, bookwormish personality betrayed my edgy and choppy hair. I kept it up in ponytails at least half of the time, because it got in the way and I had more bad hair days than I could count.

Then, I grew. I grew to fancy high-end salons and liked to bring in photos of perfectly manicured Japanese haircuts. Their layers were beautiful and put-together (I later learned, with lots of wax) and I yearned to have nicely done layers to assuage my thick hair problem.

I experimented with different types of bangs since high school — from side swept to blunt and thick to wispy. The next major hair milestone is when I cut it to a bob in 2014, right before I decided to move to New York from California. It was the shortest it’d ever been since I was five years old. But, I never went shorter than that, and I kept the bangs, always. The bangs were non-negotiable. And, I eventually grew it all out again starting in 2015.

My long hair turned into this living, breathing thing: it was thirsty, rigid, and seductive.

My showers were an ordeal because I simply couldn’t wash it without spending at least 20 minutes trying to get it thoroughly sudsed up and then spent another 20 minutes rinsing, not to mention the 30 minutes of blowdrying to get it mostly dry. I felt bad for the stylists I’ve had over the years; they always looked so worn out after a haircut with me, as if they’ve just went to battle and barely survived. I liked to have my bangs cut at my eyebrows, rounded at the edges to create this solid, heavy frame around my heart-shaped face. I had the “manic pixie girl” look down. I often thought of my bangs as a security blanket. An assurance that no one could ridicule my giant forehead, which I’ve been insecure about for years (thanks, grandma) or my uneven eyebrows from obsessively pulling at the hairs since I was a little girl.
Racism and Body Image
By: Stefanie Michele
Tags: BlackLivesMatter, White Privilege, Racism, Body Positive, Body Image

I did not truly understand the link between racism and diet culture until I saw a weight-loss account pop up in my feed this week.

I’d read about it, sort of, but it was periphery knowledge for me.

Because I’m white, I never tried terribly hard to understand it. I didn’t think it had much to do with me.

This week has changed a lot for me.

I have been participating in the social media movement to #elevatemelanatedvoices — an initiative created by @jessicawilson.msrd and @blackandembodied to “pass the mic” to marginalized voices and “mute” white voices that saturate the market.

Over the past few days, I have spent hours upon hours scrolling through hundreds of posts written by Black advocates in the anti-diet and body-positive spheres.

Yesterday, when I opened the search feed, it brought me to another run-of-the-mill weight loss account of a very thin white woman.

Immediately, something clicked. I understood the link.

I saw this very thin white woman trying to be smaller. Her ribs were visible and her body extremely slight. She was a fitness influencer, showing her body with a caption that read something like “No excuses, hard work pays off” kind of thing.

I see this in my feed every single day but this time it jarred me.

I saw that she was actively trying to force her body into an unnatural shape, and that millions of women admire that. It was surreal, to see something for what it is and understand that we are all brainwashed into thinking that this is the right thing to do.

First of all, her body looked strange juxtaposed with all of the curvier Black accounts I had been scrolling through.

Second, and more importantly, I recognized the inherent discrimination at play here. The active denial of our human body shape is another way of saying that there is an unacceptable way to be; and if there is a good, there must be a bad. A Black and a White. Me vs other.

(It doesn’t help to realize that the thin ideal was established to move AWAY from the thicker Black body types which were seen as less-than, but that’s another post. Refer to “Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia” by Sabrina Strings for more on that rabbit-hole.)

I understood that by valuing one body type (the thin white ideal), we are shunning all others.

This runs deeper than thinness and fatness. This is the personification of discrimination. It boils down to non-acceptance of the Other.

When we divide our human-ness into opposing sections (White or Black, thin or fat), we deny human-ness. If you are afraid to exist in a certain body, it follows that you believe that body is less worthy. Despite the fact that all bodies are human.

I understood this in a flash. It sunk in. I saw the pursuit of thinness for what it was, and felt sad.

But I also felt more human for seeing it, and for having the opportunity to step away.

I understood that I want to be more than my conditioning. I want to know and embrace Otherness. I want to be a whole human.

Turns out I just had to get quiet and listen.
Friday Evening Musings
By: Mouli Khulbe
Tags: Poetry, Satire, Body Positivity, Body Positive, Body Image

artwork by Pearl Dsouza

They talk about body positivity,

Then subtly call you a fatty,

Oh come on don’t such a senti,

You know it’s all in fun,

I am just joking son.

Oh look at those moobs,

No ya not insulting they are actually cute,

Would 38B fit you?

Come on it’s chill,

Don’t be such a buzzkill,

After all it’s all in fun,

I am just joking son.

Omg look at her,

She’s got that deadly beard,

Her mustache is thicker than the hair on my scalp,

Tell me do you get discount,

At that restaurant,

Who celebrate hairy men?

Oh come on don’t be so tense,

Don’t you know it’s all in fun,

I am just joking son.

Hey do you know that guy?

Yeah that one who is skinnier than a snake,

PSA for you it’s windy outside just carry some paper weights,

And stop with that depressive state,

You better understand it’s all in fun,

I am just joking son.

Check out that bald chick,

Thank God at least your booty is thick,

Who would date you with that shiny head?

On a sunny day I am sure I can toast a bread.

Can you please not give that sad look?

Haven’t you seen my stand-up book?

It’s really all in fun,

I am just joking son.

What’s wrong with the world you ask me?

Not one I can give you reason umpteen,

So many hypocrites fluttering everywhere,

Something on social media, in real life nothing but despair.

Would talk about inclusivity while demanding exclusivity,

Raising slogans and preaching about caring for your mental health,

While hitting about the same, of course below the belt.

Hiding behind the facade of ludicrity,

Asking you to not take a joke seriously.

Not knowing where to draw the line,

Being the very reason for you not feeling fine.

Oh but you know,

You ought to know,

That it’s all in fun,

After all they were only joking son.
Body Shaming.
Tags: Love Yourself, Society, Body Positive, Body, Body Image

Body shaming? I have dealt with it since childhood. Its been tough, it’s still tough, I still have moments when I look at my reflection and cry out tears, I still rip off all my clothes and cry naked in a corner, I still yell out loud and curse myself. I’m not blaming the magazines and posters on the billboards but I’m definitely blaming the people around me who think its “stupid” or “dumb” to feel a certain way, who think “body image issues” is simply a term produced by individuals who worry about their body because they have nothing better to do.

To all the people out there who have always told me “stop cribbing/crying all the time”, worse of all to people who have told me “don’t worry, you’ll find a boy who’ll love you in this body too.” EXCUSE ME? Do you think I hate my body because some of wannabe skater boy in town? Or because my favourite dress fits you better?

Hell no, its so much deeper than that, I feel uncomfortable in my body, I feel vulnerable in my body, it brings me heart ache from within, I feel discomfort to look at my reflection, I hide away from mirrors, I hide away from social gatherings, I hide away from introductions, I hide away from getting captured.
Hiya,
By: Ruth Stewart
Tags: Feminism, Self, Body Positive, Growth, Body

Hiya,

I’m fat. Not “ooooh my goodness I need to lose 5lbs” fat. I am morbidly obese at 5'7" and 360 ish pounds. I keep my scales on top of my wardrobe, I find they do less damage there.

I live in the UK and people are a good deal more polite about fat people. I went to the gym for ages and only got one person who sort of laugh/smirked at me. But I don’t back down, I look right back at people and I would totally give them a mouthful of abuse if they started. I am not saying that would be the answer in all situations, but it works for me. We don’t have guns though, so it’s probably less risky.

To me, you are showing us the very thin silver lining to being fat. Yes, we can see what people think. Yes, we can answer people back when they make comments. Yes, we can see the prejudice that people have against fat people, mostly fat women because fat men don’t seem to have it so bad.

It’s not good enough though, is it? We have government sponsored healthcare in the UK, but for fat folk in the US, well, they aren’t asking anyone to pay their healthcare bill, are they? So where do people get off telling fat folk they are unhealthy? It’s nothing to do with them. People are so entitled, it’s infuriating.

I just wish thin people (or just less fat people) would shut up and let us get on with it.

I’m glad you wrote this piece, I truly am, but it still makes me sad. It’s still a terrible deal for fat folk.

I’m working out my own fat issues a bit at a time. I don’t claim to have got to the end of it yet, far from it.

I wish you every good wish,

Ruth
Turns Out You Only Need To Work This Muscle Group to Get the Body of Your Dreams | Once Upon A Crunch
By: Melinda Gale
Tags: Strength, Workout, Fitness, Body Positive, Bodybuilding

Turns Out You Only Need To Work This Muscle Group to Get the Body of Your Dreams | Once Upon A Crunch Melinda Gale Jul 10, 2019·2 min read

Gone are the days separating out muscle groups into different training days. Arms on Monday, legs on Tuesday, abs on Wednesday — you know what I mean. That takes a lot of planning and coordination which our busy schedules just don’t have time for. If only there was a shortcut to all of this fitness. An easier way to workout that targets one muscle group but gives you the head to toe benefits. Ladies, there is, and it’s called booty building.

Does only working one muscle group sound silly? How could you possibly build a booty and lean out elsewhere? Sounds crazy, but it’s possible! Let me explain.

When you start booty building you will be performing compound exercises with heavy weights. Most compound exercises that work the glutes also work the muscles in the rest of your body. Deadlifts, squats, hip thrusts, and lunges, for example, will also challenge your quads, abs, back, and arms & shoulders (if you are using dumbbells). When performed correctly, these exercises also boost your heart rate and muscle development increases your metabolism. All of this helps you develop lean muscle mass and shed excess body fat.

Make sure to keep the primary muscle engagement in your glutes. Read more about how squats can bulk your quads and not your butt if not performed properly.

An example of a booty building workout would be:

Wednesday — rest

Saturday — rest

Sunday — cardio (30 min in fat burning heart rate zone)

Make Super Sets

If you want to add more upper body work into your routine, you can pair a compound booty exercise with an upper body one in the form of a superset (2 exercises performed back to back). This gives your lower body a chance to recover while targeting upper body strength.

An example of a booty building superset workout would be:

Superset 1 (8–12 Hip thrusts/8–12 overhead press)

Superset 2 (8–12 Sumo squats/20 triceps push-ups)

Superset 3 (8–12 deadlifts/8–12 chest fly)

Just don’t Forget Your Abs

One muscle group that you should train in addition to your glutes is your transverse abdominals. This part of your abs acts like a corset and pulls in on your waist. A smaller waist will enhance your curves and make your booty look more pronounced from the front and back. The smaller your waist the bigger your booty will look. I’m not talking about day long crunches that will bulk up your abs and actually make you look wider. Exercises that work the transverse abdominals are very specific and often under-utilized. This workout includes a few that are really effective.
Episode 12 — Body Positivity. Caroline MacGilllvray is the founder of…
By: Debbie Roche
Tags: Self Care, Self Esteem, Body Positive, Body Image, Podcast

Photo by rawpixel.com from Pexels

Caroline MacGilllvray is the founder of Beauty Night Society, a Vancouver based organization that helps build self esteem & change the lives of impoverished women. In this episode, she discusses body positivity & self care and shares her journey through bulimia as a young dancer then how she started Beauty Night Society as a way to help women and youth living in poverty build self esteem.

At the tender age of 3, Caroline began to explore a relationship with movement. Ballet, writing, musical theatre, voice overs and acting classes fleshed out her world. In 2000 while researching an acting role, Caroline founded Beauty Night Society based on an interaction she had with a women who needed help. After 18 years, Beauty Night Society, is an award-winning registered Canadian charity. Beauty Night has given more than 50,000 life-makeovers to women who live in poverty. Her efforts have not gone unnoticed: she is honoured to be a 2002 Flare Volunteer Award (national) recipient, Shakti Public Service 2012 recipient, 2010 Spirit of the Crane Gold Community Award recipient, MetoWe Finalist (National), 2 time Woman of Worth finalist and a five-time YWCA Woman of Distinction Nominee.

In addition to wellness and health promotion work, Caroline began teaching classes. Workshops, speaking engagements, dance, qigong, yoga & aerial yoga are some of the offerings she shares. In addition to her work with Beauty Night Society, Caroline is a Masters in Medical Qi Gong, Yoga Teacher & radio show host.

In this episode, Caroline discusses body positivity and self-care and why it’s so important to look after number 1 (that’s YOU!)

You can listen to the episode via RadioPublic (player below) or you can head over to Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify(as well as most of the other podcast players) and subscribe!

If you enjoyed our intimate conversation then feel free to leave a comment at the bottom of this page or rate us highly over on iTunes!

Check out our website at www.uncomfortable.blog and don’t forget to connect with us over on social media. We are on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook.
My Personal Fitness Journey
By: Charlotte Hill
Tags: Graphic Design, Fitness, Body Positive, Body Image, Weight Loss Program

Hello, My name is Charlotte and I am going to be keeping a record of my journey in the hope it will help others (eventually)

So let me explain why.

I am a graphic design student living in Devon in the UK and i am currently studying all things surrounding fitness and body confidence and learning as i go, it has come to my attention that so many women struggle with low self-confidence many of whom struggle to lose weight. There are so many fad diets out there so i want to get this straight first and foremost, i will not be documenting any fad diets nor will i be promoting detoxes or diet pills. My journey starts by INCREASING my calorie consumption and working alongside a PT once a week, i am currently on week 2 eating 1500 calories a day which to many people may seem like quite a lot of calories for a weight loss diet, I know it did for me. So two weeks in.. what have i noticed?

• I am never hungry

• I have more energy and therefore I am moving more

• My body has started to become regular — I feel like my body is starting to trust me again after years of underfeeding.

• I am happier and trusting in the process

• I am finding out more and more about body confidence

• Calorie counting can be difficult and some days i want to eat more other days less than my target, but up or down 100 calories makes little difference as long as I am consistent with my intake in a roundabout way.

• I have made a commitment to myself — for myself and nobody else and i am accountable for my actions.

• I have not set an end date — having a regimented idea about when this journey will end is not conducive to changing my lifestyle. My weight loss journey will end when i am comfortable with the way i see myself. My fitness journey will not end as there will be a point where i feel i would like to maintain my appearance rather than change.

In the last two weeks, I have lost 2 pounds. It is not quick, it is not always easy but I know If I can change my habits long term, my weight loss and my fitness level will be consistent.

I am hoping this insight into the fitness world and documenting my own journey will help me with my final major project for university where i aim to create a solution/support for women in my local area to access so they can gain accurate information about becoming a healthier version of themselves without the need to starve or supplement their diets with fad products that have no scientific proof to support the claims these brands make. I do not know what exactly my project will entail as yet but there are some key components which are important for me to include — Every BODY is welcome, there will be no body shaming, I would like to normalise rolls, blemishes, scars, stretch marks, etc, It will be a safe space and hopefully a community spirit of support for each other.
Why You Should Love Your Body
By: Karmen Jurela
Tags: Love For Life, Self Acceptance, Body Positive, A Little Detour, Selflove

I hear people complaing about their body all the time.

I am too fat.

I am too short.

I am too tall.

I am too big.

My boobs are too small, too saggy, too big.

I am too thin.

I am too wobbly.

My skin is too wrinkly.

My hair is too grey, bold, curly, flat.

My nose is too big.

My muscles are wrong.

All these sentences tell “I hate my body”.

Listening to those sentences subconsciously all your life makes me want to heal all the pain coming from it.

Of course, you can say “I love my body” while not believing and feeling what you say.

There is a little detour I can offer, with that formulation:

Why SHOULD I love my body?

If you ask yourself, why you should love your body, your answers become more true and more empathic. Your answers might sound like:

I should love my body, because

I can walk with it

I can draw with it

I can sing with it

I can play with it

I can eat with it

I can drink with it

I can think with it

I can talk with it

I can hug with it

I can make art with it

I can learn with it

I can feel with it

I can see with it

I can listen with it

I can taste with it

I can move with it

I can dance with it

I can smell with it

I can make love with it

And can do everything I can do with it…

I shall love my body, because my body gives me my life!

*****

This article originally was published on 22. August 2019 on my blog ichkreierealsobinich.com

Feel free to snoop in and to subscribe.
YOU MIGHT NEVER LOVE YOUR BODY AND THAT’S OK
By: Sierra Ann
Tags: Body Positive, Life Lessons, Mental Health, Body Image, Mental Illness

I feel like a lot of “body positive influencers” out there constantly try to portray themselves to be comfortable in their own skin every single minute of every single day. I find it rather unrealistic because we’re human. It’s no fun if you don’t criticize yourself once in a while or don’t have little moments of insecurity AM I RIGHT??? I never found it necessary for humans to strive for a 100% in anything. WE’RE NOT EVEN GOING TO LIVE UNTIL 100, don’t spend all the decades you have left striving for perfection. Learn to be okay with not liking every single thing about yourself but instead focus on working towards improvement and acceptance. Isn’t it cool that all of us have different flaws from each other? Why would you want to fix EVERYTHING? YES my skin is darker than many of you reading this, and no I AM NOT in love with it every single day, it DOES make me insecure when I realize that sometimes I can’t wear all black without looking too dull. It DOES make me sometimes wish I was fairer, so when my friends and I are putting out our hands to take a photo of our drinks, my hands blend in rather than stand out. BUT I think that’s completely okay. I means what’s wrong with having a little something you aren’t always happy about right (I save a lot of money because I can’t easily find lipsticks that suit me btw). But, I do work every single day to appreciate parts of myself I may be at war with, and I definitely work towards giving myself and my body the love and care it deserves.

You really don’t have to be in love with every single inch of your outer appearance to take care of yourself. Work a little harder everyday to reach healthy levels of acceptance and confidence. But in the midst of that, please just also remember how much your body is trying to keep you alive. Don’t throw hate comments and don’t deprive it of physical and mental needs. You may not like how it looks but at least try to do it a favor by taking good care of it. AT LEAST TRY :)
Menstruation, Shamans, and Context
By: Leighann Amanda
Tags: Sexual Health, Body Positive, Women, Mindset, Self Love

For the past few years, we’ve seen more and more movements, campaigns, and both loud & discrete shifts in how women (and society) are talking about menstruation. And during this time, I’ve been trying on different contexts — like trying on different jackets — to feel into how I want to view my time of the month.

I was brought up in an environment where it was gross, to be kept secret, and a source of pain. I never quite bought into this framework; I found it to be a sort of resilience training for labor, given the extremity of my cramps. In my best moments, I laughed about how tough it made me.



And then, one of Kim Anami’s most recent podcasts illustrated how, historically, menstruation used to be looked at as a power portal, when women could access other dimensions of existence. Their periods were a time to retreat, reflect, be more spiritually connected. During this time, they were seen as shamans that would bring back knowledge from other worlds.

It just so happened that at the very time of my run on that crisp Texas morning, being thrust into this ‘other world’ with my son, it was the first day of my period.

Now, I’m not saying that menstruation gives women mystical powers. However, I’m also not saying that it doesn’t; and I don’t believe that’s the point.

Hearing about this particular history of menstruation, I tried it on for myself as the new lens through which I see Aunt Flow. Quickly, it became my own new empowering context for menstruation. Suddenly, it became a life-changing context for me where my period gets to be a realm of possibility, not an inconvenience. My period can be an invitation to be a shaman, instead of a sore, cranky sloth.

I’m calling it my “positive period story.” The story I tell myself, the empowering context, the chosen interpretation, I choose to have about my period.

The reason I share this story is because, like anything, you get to choose the lens through which you see your circumstances. And despite history being Truth or not, I choose to see my period as a powerful, spiritual experience. By my mere choosing of this context, my period gets to be bearable — nay, enjoyable — and I’ll use it as a time for reflection and exploration going forward. And, I’ll be able to make sense of the moments I receive visions of my future, as that’s all I can understand them to be.

To all you lovelies who menstruate, I wish you a positive period story.
A psychological study, “Does Barbie make girls want to be thin” looked at girls 5 to 8 years of…
By: Hallie Heeg-Kotrla
Tags: Life Coaching, Self Esteem, Body Positive, Body Image, Eating Disorders

Is A Barbie Body Possible?

A psychological study, “Does Barbie make girls want to be thin” looked at girls 5 to 8 years of age where they were shown images of either Barbie dolls, Emme dolls (U.S. size 16), or no dolls. After the girls saw the images’ they then completed body image assessments. The study concluded that girls exposed to Barbie dolls reported lower body image and a higher desire for a thinner body frame than the girls in the other exposure groups. The study also found that early exposure to dolls with unrealistic thin body shapes could damage girls’ body image, and increase their risk for an eating disorder or weight cycling.

When I worked at Rehabs.com, the team created an infographic called, “Is A Barbie Body Possible?” They had a realistic photo rendering done based on a Barbie dolls measurements. They discovered that it is impossible to have her physical proportions. For example; with Barbie’s waist being smaller than her head, she only has room for half a liver and only a few inches of intestine. The Yale Center for Eating and Weight Disorders calculated a healthy woman’s body and how much it would have to change in order for her to have the measurements of a Barbie doll. They found that, “women would have to grow two feet taller, extend their neck length by 3.2 inches, gain 5 inches in chest size, and lose 6 inches in waist circumference.” This is an impossible dimension to achieve, and although media shows that this is a body to emulate, I believe that the ideal female body image is changing.

Thanks to movements like #bodypositive, Dove #realbeauty, #nofilter, and #healthyisthenewskinny we are now seeing bodies of all different sizes in ad campaigns. The emphasis is less about striving for the perfect body and more about loving our body just the way it is. We are also seeing Mattel change as well. Three years ago they offered three new body types to Barbie, and one was “curvy.” Let’s hope that she loves her new body, and encourages women young and old to do the same.