I follow a decent amount of blogs and websites that promote self love and being healthy rather than being a certain size. I need those positive vibes in my life. I started following Healthy is the New Skinny awhile ago on their Facebook. They have an amazing message and they post consistently uplifting pictures, funny quotes, inspirational stories - overall it is a feel good atmosphere.
So what makes this site different from other websites and blogs? Well its more than a website but a movement and a company created by a model. Surprised? When we think of models we think of very thin body types that most normal women don't relate to. So what could this model possibly know about healthy vs. skinny or unattainable images?
Everything.
Her name is Kate Willcox and her story is quite interesting. Starting out as a plus size model, Kate had a great deal of success being that she was a size 14. However, that wasn't her natural weight/size. I, personally, believe everyone has a norm of what they are supposed to weigh. Not what the charts at the doctors tells you, or what your best friend says, or even the magazines. I mean where your body is at it's best, and you are happiest and healthiest. After losing weight Kate found herself stuck in the middle, she was now too thin to be a plus size model and too big to be a 'regular' model.
It was then Kate took matters into her own hands created Natural Model Management and there is no size or weight requirement. As long as you are tall enough (I'm 5'3....don't think I make the cut, do I? Guess I will stick to pursuing my writing career when I graduate.) and represent the message that health is more important size you are welcome to send in your information and pictures to try and become a model for Natural Model Management.
Now this isn't a she woman man hater type of deal. Actually it was with her husband, Bradford, a former model and fitness model and now photographer that Healthy is the new Skinny was created
For whatever reason it is incredibly hard for women (and men) to love themselves. Whether it has to do with guy comparing themselves to the likes of John Cena or women comparing their bodies to a victoria's secret angel. Maybe it has to do with your upbringing and constant criticism from school mates or family. We all come in different shapes and sizes and one size over the other doesn't equal health or happiness. We aren't supposed to look alike and thin = health.
When I worked retail my manager was literally half my size but a heavy smoker. When it came to unloading on the docks and moving up and down the stairs guess who could get up and down the stairs in one piece? Just because she was thinner than me didn't mean healthier. I was thin during my eating disorder and I lose my menstrual cycle and my hair was falling out, does that sound healthy to you?
Skinny also doesn't mean happier. My cousin, and best friend Val - we're a year apart and roughly the same height, wear the same size shoes and for the longest time wore the same size clothes. I gained weight and she didn't. I was jealous and wanted her body and she wanted my eyes, lips and hair. Neither one of us were happy and we each wanted what the other had.
I told whoever views this blog before that Saturdays would be random postings so that's what today was. Sharing a bit of positive vibes and someone I look up to and admire in some sense for trying to pass along the message of self-acceptance, self-love and self-respect. Not only someone that talks the talk but walks the walk. Throughout this post are links to the healthy is the new skinny facebook, the actually modeling website, official website and they also have an instagram.
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