I want perky boobs.
Boobs that I can run down the street in a white tank top, no bra, and they would stay in place. Nipples always erect like Farrah Fawcett -- before she died. I think I should be the first black Charlie's Angel.
I also want a flat stomach so I can ditch my Spanx, throw out my 10 million armor body girdles and Body Magic gear and just walk around naked with my abs of steel and perky boobs. And NO back fat please! I think back fat definitely spoils my sexy white tank top look.
And to match my sexy white tank top I want to wear white short shorts that barely cover my ass. Oh, but I forgot to mention I also want an ass, an ass that you can bounce a quarter off of. A Nicki Minaj, Kim Kardashian ass please! An ass that when I turned any street corner, it would be the last part of me your eyes would see!
The truth is I don't like my body. Not a big fan of her at all. I wouldn't willingly sign up for "this," or order this body. I would demand a refund! As a self-proclaimed feminist I struggle with this. Miss "feminist," burn your bra, loving all womyn and all of our sizes. Miss trey anthony, writer of 'da Kink... the play that preaches self- acceptance and has womyn singing "I'm just loving me!" doesn't like her body?
And I've really tried to practice what I preach to other womyn, about being okay with yourself. Loving yourself at whatever size you are, embracing all of you. And I truly believe all of that, I really do. I just wish I could believe it for myself! My non-belief has made me do some really mean and unhealthy things to myself in order to achieve the "perfect" body. I don't think that there's a diet that I haven't tried -- the grapefruit diet, the cabbage soup diet, Jenny's, Weight Watchers, Bernstein's, two-shakes-a-day or-was-it-three diet
At my heaviest of nearly 235 lbs and a size 18, I took the drastic step of having lap band surgery. I lost over 100 lbs. Before the surgery I thought, 'Once I get down to a size 14, I'll be happy'... then, it was a size 10... then a size eight...and now I'm a size seven.
On a good day (whatever that means), I'm a size six striving for a size five, yet the same issues that I had with my body at size 18 still remain. I think now I'm even more critical. So, I'm trying a new approach, I think I've had a mini breakthrough...
I'm working on getting my body stronger, not smaller. I want to be able to run at a 6.0 on the treadmill for 30 minutes and not feel like I'm going into cardiac arrest. I want to be able to do the downward dog and actually be able to get back up! I want to do 50 pushups, in less than 40 seconds! I want to effortlessly lift 15-pound weights and not cry out for my mother! I want strong toned arms. I want my body to be healthy and strong!
I'm also listening to how I speak to my body. Putting that little/BIG "voice" in my head on censorship. I've told that voice that she can no longer call me fat, or compare me to other "perfect" womyn.
In my hot yoga class, I no longer listen to that voice which yells that everyone else seems to be able to bend their body into a pretzel with very little effort. I don't hear that voice laughing that everyone is looking at my fat -- flat ass trying to curve into the cobra position. I shut the little anorexic voice down! Throw her a damn sandwich! Tell her to shut the f*&^ up!
Instead, as I do my yoga poses I affirm, "trey, your body is strong... today trey, you're doing your best". And I definitely don't focus on the size-zero girl beside me, who happens to be an actress..."Oh sorry, I mistook you for a stripper! In your sexy white tank top, white short shorts, and perky DDD boobs" with erect nipples, of course!
Okay, I focus on her a little, but eventually I shift my focus back to the fact that every day I'm doing just a little bit better than I did yesterday... and maybe I'm no Halle Berry, but this trey chick... I kinda dig her!
trey anthony is an actor/comedian and the acclaimed writer of "'da Kink" TV show and theatrical play. She is also an established motivational speaker. She is currently writing a best selling novel. For more info check out www.treyanthonystudios.com.
Body Image: Loving Yourself Inside and Out
Body Positive: Boosting body image at any weight
Ten Steps To Positive Body Image
Negative Body Image Related To Depression, Anxiety And Suicidality
Love Your Body: More Ideas for Promoting Positive Body Image
Positive Body Image Advice for Teens - Body Peace Blog - Seventeen
Love Your Body: Positive Body Image and Body Acceptance for All Sizes
Your Positive Body Image Starter Kit | Weightless
Adios, Barbie: The One Stop Body Image Shop for Identity Issues ...
Your Positive Body Image Starter Kit
Serena Williams' Top Five Body Image Quotes
Eating Disorders in Teens and Children: How Parental Support Can Help
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Bonding for their lives | Philadelphia Inquirer | 2011-06-22
Not liking our body, ourselves, and striving to get good enough --- these are not things limited to a gender. It is not looks or "success" or any other characteristic that separates us from what is good enough. They are mistaken beliefs that need to be corrected. No amount of achievements will do that. However, correction of the beliefs can pave the way for all sorts of achievements and changes.
What needs to be made fit is the belief, the thinking, the faith.
William Anderson, LMHC
Author of 'The Anderson Method - Secrets of Permanent Weight Loss'
Website: www.TheAndersonMethod.com
Blog: http://theandersonmethodblog.wordpress.com/
"I look awesome."
"I can improve here and here."
Also, as a side note - for anyone who has those DD breasts - please do where a bra while running. Ouch.
Among other things, the media and their images of women make us insecure. It's up to us to accept ourselves and love ourselves, inside and out.
Just wondering if you read the article here in the style section about how Brazil has imposed a 20% Black model quota that the designers are pretty much ignoring, even though Black people make up half of the population.
Even though your article (which I can absolutely relate to) has to do with weight, do you find that being a Black woman in North America is sometimes hard in terms of fitting in to a beauty standard that doesn't necessarily reflect your natural beauty? I find that my entire beauty story is about being good enough, but I have no idea to who? I just know that when it comes to weight, hair, skin, whatever, I never feel it's enough? I find that as a Black woman, this is magnified somewhat.
Not sure if you read the comments, but if so, thoughts?
People get together and date based almost strictly on what's on the outside of a person, and we wonder why divorce rates are nearing 50%.
It's difficult to have someone love you when you don't love yourself, so put those lady magazines, with their 10 tips on looking younger, their 10 new positions to make any man yours and countless photos of skinny, scrawny models, where they belong... in the garbage.