Let’s talk body confidence.
Body confidence is something I have personally struggled with from the age of 17.
This is when my body started to change.
I was simply developing into a woman - but all I could see was weight gain, bigger thighs and a round face.
I was my own harshest critic and quickly put rules into place to ensure I was able to maintain my 16 year old body.
Salads only, no dairy, no carbs and an increase in exercise.
I thought true happiness would come from achieving the ultimate thigh gap (I mean the models on instagram sure did look happy..)
This lifestyle quickly developed into disordered eating, binging and training for aesthetics - then absolutely hating myself when I stepped a foot out of line.
Between the ages of 17 - 23 my life was consistently this unpleasant rollercoaster of trying to achieve perfection.
Confident one week and regretful and body shaming the next.
I viewed my body so differently to how others would see it and I treated it just as bad.
Living in this sadness I decided to reach for support, ditch the scales and aimed to create an environment where women can feel supported and safe to do the same thing.
My goal now is to simply love my body for everything that it is capable of, because our bodies are truly INCREDIBLE and the fact that no two bodies are the same is something that should be celebrated.
Our bodies are there for us when we need them most; they allow us to live, breathe, walk, talk, lift weights, lift children, create life and so much more.
Try taking the thing you like least about your body and turn it into the thing you love most, or at least aim to accept it a little more (I know this might sound unachievable at the moment) but these are the things that make you YOU.
Loving yourself takes time, patience and hard work.
Don’t get me wrong.. life will still consist of good and bad days. But, if you surround yourself with the right people, make yourself a priority, and practice kindness towards yourself - it will allow the space between the bad days to get further and further apart. In turn allowing you to live life to its fullest potential.
Accepting yourself just the way you are TODAY, will enable you to enjoy every part of your journey.
Life is simply too short to live in a negative relationship with your body.
It’s time to ditch societies unrealistic expectations and make it a goal to just be happier within yourself.
Life begins at the edge of your comfort zone and when you love yourself completely.
So wear whatever the heck you want! Rock the crop, wear the shorts and embrace your beautiful unique body!
Love Luce xx
