Buzzfeed recently released a video called, “I Fat, But I’m Not…” challenges the stereotypes associated with overweight people. In the video you see young individuals discuss how they don’t struggle with their weight. In fact, they talk about how they lead healthier and active lives like any other thin or fit person.

This video sheds light on the issue of fat stereotypes and shows a different side of the health and fitness industry through people who do not fit industry standards. Check it out and let us know if you agree with the message I Am Fat, But I’m Not… is trying to project.

What happens to a woman’s wardrobe when they start losing weight? Do they go back to wearing clothes that are bigger than them to hide their excess fat or do they embrace their new bodies with the latest fashion trends?

  

I ask myself this, because recently I saw a very empowering video of a Ashley Graham’s runway show for New York Fashion Week, which used models of all different shapes and sizes. For those who are unfamiliar with Ashley Graham, she is a lingerie model who got her start with Lane Bryant. Ashley Graham’s “I Am Size Sexy” campaign is aiming to do away with referring to bigger models as “plus-size” and instead use the term curvy; going one step further with her collection of lingerie for the everyday woman. 

“There are so many adjectives that you could [use to] describe my body, but the one I love is curvy,” -Ashley Graham.

                                          

Lingerie is a very risqué item for any woman struggling through weight loss to wear, because it exposes the most intimate and vulnerable part of them. A lot of women consider it a victory to be able to wear a two piece bikini in public, much less lingerie in private. Even though nobody else (with the exception of your partner) is seeing it, you are seeing it and sometimes you are your biggest judge.

As a woman who lost some weight recently herself, I realize that choosing new clothes for myself is a challenge, because I STILL  have my curves and my biggest asset is my chest. Whatever I choose needs to be fitted to the top and the bottom, which is nauseating, because every big retail store I go to like Forever 21 or H & M has all these items made in China. Whenever I see a tag that says size 12, I want to laugh, because I can barely get the pant leg over my thigh. 

Many women with curvaceous or bigger bodies are fed up, because searching for clothes that fit them has become somewhat of a treasure hunt.

 So much so that a movie like the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants really resonates, because we have all gone through the exhilaration of finding something that fits us and suddenly wearing it everywhere. 

In my case, whenever I find anything that fits me well, I become loyal to that brand, since that brand understands my body type.

But why don’t more brands understand the average woman’s body type?

Why is the fashion industry missing out on their greatest market; the curvy gals. With the average clothing size in the U.S. being between 12-16, more clothing brands would be making a fortune including bigger sizes and cuts that don’t cut off a girl’s circulation at the hips. 

Ashley Graham’s collection reminds me that my body deserves to feel sexy. The more we become comfortable in our own skin, the more we can start reaching our weight loss goals. Body positivity is a huge factor in weight loss, because it is our insecurities that impact our eating habits to begin with. Learning to love your body starts with looking in the mirror, so might as well find something sexy to put on. 

             

Check out some more pictures from NYFW I Am Sexy show below.

If you have not seen the latest video to go viral on social media about fitness motivation, then be prepared to grab your work out gear, because the people of Sport England have released a campaign that encourages women of all shapes to be active and have fun while doing it!

 This Girl Can not only looks at a variety of women struggling with weight loss, but champions women’s fitness by showing women engaging in different sports activities. 

From spinning classes to Zumba, the 1:30 minute video shows real women enjoying their workout routines with existential fitness quotes over the screen saying, “I jiggle, therefore I am.” capturing the goal of body positivity; acceptance. The video celebrates active women everywhere by showing sweat and struggle of working out with a heavier body.

                             

The campaign even takes a look at the real stories of women who have found salvation in being active. The women in the video are not your typical lean and toned spokespersons that you see from most weight loss fitness motivation campaigns, but instead women who are simply speaking from a very real place like Alice Brazier. “Getting in the pool after a long day really pays off for both body and mind.”

This Girl Can even goes as far as providing a list of activities to browse through (in case an activity like running and yoga is not your thing). The purpose of the campaign is to find fun in whatever activity you choose, because you will reach your weight loss goal faster enjoying yourself. Let us know what your favourite activity is when you want to workout.

After Canadian comedian Nicole Arbour came under fire recently for her video on YouTube insulting overweight women, the issue of “fat-shaming” became a popular subject across social media. 

Larger women everywhere took issue with Nicole’s words calling the video, “Tired, cruel, and lazy”. (The Guardian) The star of my “Big Fat Fabulous Life” Whitney Way Thore made a video rebuttal condemning the comedian for her viral attack.

Insulting another person’s physical appearance not only demeans that person, but hinders their weight loss success. Fat-shaming is a very real thing that mostly women experience whether at home, in the workplace, or online. It can lead to stress and poor eating habits. 

So why do we “fat-shame” others? Are we in such a dire need to be socially accepted by society that we forget what the struggles of weight loss is like for others? Or is it another way to socially oppress other individuals with larger physiques.

One woman thought that she was going to receive that same kind of treatment when she stripped to her bikini and held two markers in her hand while blindfolded. The point of the exercise was to promote self-love by letting strangers draw hearts all over her body. What Amy Pence-Brown did not expect was all the love and support she would receive from the passerbys who saw her sign. Take a look at the video of people’s reactions to her request.

At Model My Diet, we believe in visual motivation and support. Your model is a reflection of yourself and what you want to be in the future. When you share an image of your model, you are getting support from the community; a community that understands what it means to go through a weight loss struggle. Learning to accept yourself is the first step towards progression. Not everyone can have a perfect body, but once we learn to accept our imperfections, we can invite change into our lives.

Recently the popular creator of the television show Girls, Lena Dunham, surprised everyone by professing her love of running. If you are  familiar with the star then you would know that she not only talked about how much she hated running, but how she could never see herself really doing it. 

We have all been in that position where we refuse to participate in strenuous activities just because our friends and popular figures are doing it. Even here at Model My Diet, we have been slow to jump at the jogging phenomena. However, here is what we learned when we started running outside.

It is the best way to clear your head, focusing on one activity. A lot of times when we are busy working on new releases, trying to connect with our clients, or researching new diets or information that would be helpful for our users, we take it in all at once. We want to provide the best services, but with so many ideas flowing freely, we forget to take the time to slow down and focus on our bodies. So when we start running, whether it is 5k or over 20k, we give ourselves and our body the time to focus on our thoughts and try to find helpful solutions. 

Being outside while running is a great distraction and yet, inspiration for new ideas to come.  Our best ideas often come when we are not expecting it. Like the switch of a lightbulb, a solution comes to your mind when you are able to clear all the distracting thoughts in your head. Sometimes it is hard to think straight when you are restrained to an office with so much pent up energy. Running allows you to use that energy to strengthen your body and your mind. It forces you to explore places and destinations that you just don’t find in an office. You see the world differently when you run, giving you a new perspective on exercise and your health. 

We turn “I can’t” into “I will”. We have all made excuses,  including some of us at Model My Diet, for why we cannot run. That first 10 minutes is a killer, because you are using muscles you never normally use. You feel pain in your thighs, your heart is beating at a rapid pace, and your breathing starts to shorten. Nevertheless, it is the best feeling you can have, because you feel your body is detoxing and recharging at the same time. The further distance you run, the more accomplished you feel to the point where you don’t remember why you were making excuses for not running in the first place. 

Whether you run to the top of a mountain or along a beach, the effort to do so is a milestone in your start to a healthy lifestyle. This post is not about leaving advice or sharing tips, but writing from an experience we felt when we started running. After every run, our body was in a well rested state the next day and it allowed us to continue working hard, with even more motivation; refreshed and recharged.