My Self Love Journey
My Look: Bikini- ASOS, Swimsuit- Forever21
Like all women, self love, especially with our body, is a continuous work in progress. Mine started young with bullying in school. In grade 2 after my sister complained about headaches with reading, my parents decided to get both of our eyes checked. Turns out I was the one needing glasses. Those next school years were bad. I'm sure you all know the grade school names that came from wearing glasses. Next, in grade 6, I started puberty earlier than most girls in my grade, which meant weight gain, especially through my middle. Girls were mean and names became worse. The one which stuck to this day was Porkum (a play on me being a pig and my last name). You think that would be enough for one lifetime, but no, I then had to get braces on in grade 8. I became the chubby, four eyed, brace faced girl that was even told that I was too ugly to be seen in public with, let alone be someone's date to the dance. This is where my love for fashion grew because it gave me the confidence to keep moving through the high school years. I also found fitness. Running after school and Pilates videos were my therapy, my way to take out my anger on those horrible girls. Well, I made it, and graduated, but decided to get far away from those bullies. I moved to Toronto to follow my dream in fashion. Within 2 months of not having my moms home cooked, home grown balanced suppers, I had piled on almost 25 pounds. I felt sick and run down all the time. That's when I went and got my first gym membership. From then on, with the help of a naturopath working with me on my diet, I stayed a consistent happy weight. The gym was my home away from home and I was the happiest I was probably going to be with my body.But, then I became a mom. I always heard that getting your body back after baby was going to be difficult, but Aubrey was a good baby. he let me go to the gym 5 days a week the whole year that I was on maternity leave and I was the skinniest that I have even been. I had the time to make balance meals and we as a family felt amazing. Maternity leave has to end and when it did, I lost balance. It became even worse after my miscarriage and that initial baby weigh gain was holding on for dear life.Now, 6 months later, I have a new appreciation for my body. It has had its ups and downs in my life and has done amazing things. From growing a beautiful baby boy, to healing fast after a partial molar pregnancy, I need to be amazed and love every inch, every curve. I need to make time for myself to work on what I dont like instead of complain, and spend time planning healthy balanced meals for my health, not just my body. As women, we need to raise each other up on our hard work, not knock each other down because of our faults.So ladies, next time you look in the mirror, or walk on the beach in that cute new suit, remember that you are gorgeous, and you need to flaunt what you work for. If you believe that, so will everyone around you.Katie Rose xo