The fitness and beauty industry alters, edits, and fakes before-and-after pictures all the time. And just to prove a point, here is a clip from the documentary, Bigger, Stronger, Faster, in which photographers confess to all kinds of dishonest shenanigans, such as taking before-and-after photos on the same day, and blatant photoshopping
My whole experiment was originally intended to be a raging rant against the fitness industry, and how it has maliciously perpetuated unrealistic body image standards for all of humanity.
But what started off as a politically-charged expedition, turned into a surprisingly poignant lesson in self-love.
Before I posted my picture publicly, I unveiled the picture and confided privately with a few girlfriends, and one of them wrote:
Love it!!!!! AND YOU HAVE AMAZING ABS, MINA!!! I can’t believe this…. Unreal how this can be the same body.
And that’s when it hit me.
It is the same body.
‘Cuz even though I’m the girl on the right, I usually feel like the girl on the left most of the time.
What I learned from this whole experience is that given the right sprinkling of self-respect and confidence, I can choose to be the girl on the right everyday. All it takes are three really simple strategies that don’t require starvation, deprivation, diet pills, or a lifetime of ab crunches:
- Smile. You’ll be amazed how a bright smile can make you look happier, younger, and healthier.
- Be proud and stand tall. Posture makes a world of difference in how you look. It can portray confidence, self-assuredness, and … um… ahem … smooth out your muffin top.
- Wear clothes that flatter your body. Listen, honey, I don’t care if you’re a size 2. If you try to squeeze into a double zero, you bet you’ll create bulges that didn’t exist otherwise. Your body shape is yours to love and appreciate. Fit it well, and you’ll look and feel your best.
The big picture is this: Love yourself. Love your body. There’s no point in trying to fit into someone else’s ideal, ‘cuz it was all photoshopped and faked anyways.
Speaking of loving yourself… See those jeans I’m wearing in the first pic? Those are my own jeans. Like, yep, from my own closet.
Why I’ve kept them for so long (and why I even bought them in the first place) is a mystery to me. Those jeans have got to be the greatest example of self-loathing I’ve ever seen. Seriously, though. I need to throw them out, pronto. They ain’t doing nobody a favour.
So smile, stand tall, and wear clothes that love your body. In my opinion, it’s the fastest 5 pounds you’ll ever lose.
In health & high heels,
Mina.
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Did you like this article? Like me, link me, tweet me, and share the love! Or reply in the comments below: Are you holding on to a piece of clothing that is doing your body injustice? What changes are you going to make to help flatter your body today?
