Body love. It really is a journey right? One that changes direction daily.
It’s something that I don’t talk about as much on the blog as I’d like to. So I’m going to change that.
I’ve been mulling this series around in my head for quite a while so now it’s time.
This series is about amazing, everyday women sharing their body journey with us, their highs and lows and how they feel about their bodies now.
I want to start a discussion around this on the blog, and I want every single one of you to know that your body is just perfectly imperfect the way it is.
There’s a quote that floats around Instagram every now and then, and I think it sums up what I’m trying to get at perfectly….
And I guess if I’m going to talk the talk, I have to walk the walk – so I’m starting off this series by answering my OWN questions that I’ve put to the other women. Here is my body love journey for you all…
THE USUAL DETAILS:
Name: Caitlin Taylor
Age: 36
Clothing size: 12
How you know Cait: haha, I AM Cait! (I told you I was answering the exact same questions)
What you do: I’m a style coach and everyday fashion blogger
LETS TALK ABOUT YOUR (MY) BODY….
This one time. I took photos of my body in underwear. And posted it on the internet.
Tell me a little about how you feel about your body now?
If you’d asked me 4 months ago, I would have said super-proud! I’d just grown a human and survived the first year. And sure things have shifted (mostly south) but I still have a lot of love, pride and respect for my body just for doing what it does everyday.
Now, I’m 4 months pregnant, and to be honest I’m struggling a little more that usual with my body. I’m still at that “is she? or has she just had too many burgers?” stage of pregnancy, and I’m getting a little frustrated because things are fitting well, but I don’t have an obvious bump again yet.
Did you always feel like that?
I’m usually really positive and accepting of my body. It’s the only one I’ve got and I learnt at a young age to appreciate that I have 4 working limbs that can get me through my day.
I may have never had any life-changing, dramatic “ah ha” moments, I’ve never lost (or gained) huge amounts of weight, I don’t think I ever needed that to have a good relationship with my body. So on the whole, my relationship with my body is pretty positive.
What are the three favourite parts of your body?
Haha I ask every single personal styling client this question, so it’s funny when it’s back at me! My legs, my hair and my waist are my three faves.
I love my hair. It makes me feel feminine and girly.
What is beauty to you?
Beauty is so many things. It’s a glow that comes from within. It’s gorgeous skin. It’s having the confidence to just be you. There is not set formula for beauty, it’s such a personal thing. I think it’s important to still talk about beauty, but not to pigeonhole it into something so mainstream as we tend to do now days (although we, as a society, are definitely getting better.)
What is one way you celebrate your body everyday?
I try and take a picture of my outfit everyday, which is as much about inspiring you guys with just getting out there and loving my body, as it is about showing you what clothes I’m wearing every day.
I also only just recently stopped breastfeeding my little girl and every time I would sit down to feed her, I would think about how amazing that whole experience is.
Where do you feel the most pressure comes from to look a certain way?
Ourselves. We put SO MUCH pressure on ourselves to look a certain way. And sure, maybe it’s driven by “the media’s” portrayal of beauty, but I think, on the whole, we can see and admire the beauty in others, but struggle to do it in ourselves, spending waaaay too much time comparing.
What do you do to combat that?
Oh gosh, it’s still a struggle! But I think it comes back to focusing inward, on yourself, and not looking outward and comparing yourself to others! I focus on making the most of my “best bits”, changing the focus of where I am looking in the mirror.
What does a positive body image mean to you?
I means being at peace with the body you have. Accepting, and learning to love (its a journey remember) your body for what it is, and embracing it and showing it off in ways that make you feel good!
Setting a good example for my little girl is crucial for me
What is the best piece of advice you’ve heard about how you think about your body?
It was actually something I NEVER heard. I think about when I was growing up, and I never heard my (amazing, gorgeous) mother speak badly about her own body. In fact, she never really talked about how it looked. We focused on what our bodies could do, we played sport, we went to the beach, and we had fun.
Now when I think back, so much of my own body image feels related to that. I never learnt to criticise my body from my mother, therefore I never saw anything wrong with it.
So there you go team! This is where I’m at on my body journey (and before you start saying, “oh but you’re tall, you have long legs, you have this, you have that” remember that thing about NOT comparing?
I want you to starting thinking about your journey and your relationship with your body, and then I want you to tell me ONE thing that you love about it – go on! Tell me in the comments below, I’d love to know, and let’s start having more of a conversation about body love!
Until Next Time, In Love & Style Always,
I worked in a ladies fashion store and you soon learn no one likes their body no matter what size they are. That’s where I met you Caitlin. When I look back at photos of myself as a kid I was skinny but I was always told I had a big bum and thunder thighs by my parents. I was put on a diet at 16 because I weighed 57kgs and my mum said I should be 50kgs. That set me up for the rest of my life. I was always on a diet. I constantly complained about how much I hated myself in front of my 3 girls. I never said anything negative about their bodies but unfortunately my view of my body has had an impact on them. I always sat between 56kgs and 65kgs until I had a difficult time in my life and medication resulted in a massive weight gain. I hit 120kgs! I hated myself. I tried everything to loose weight for health reasons and self esteem. In the end I had a gastric bypass 7 years ago. I lost 60kgs but ended up with extreme complications and had it reversed 2 years ago. I’ve had a lot of health issues over the past 10 years including 30 plus operations. But during that time I did some serious soul searching. I am way more accepting of myself. I have scars all over my tummy and it’s a bit saggy and podgy. My legs have wrinkly thighs. My boobs hang down around my waist but I don’t care!! This body I have is amazing. It’s birthed 4 beautiful children and endured so much. I wear a bikini at the beach and I don’t care what anyone thinks. Ive stayed the same weight for the past 6 years without much effort other than good healthy food and a walk most days. Health is the most important thing to me now and I’m trying to instill into my girls. I feel so bad that they are not happy with their bodies and they are a size 8. This movement of body positivity is so important. I have waisted so much time hating my body and being miserable about it. It took me until I was 45 to finally accept my body for the way it is. It’s still a massive challenge but it’s possible! Thanks Caitlin for doing this. My eldest daughter is well on her way to body acceptance and making sure she doesn’t pass this terrible thing onto her daughter
You are such an inspiration Tania!! What an amazing body journey you have been on (and are still on!). I’m so happy you realised how amazing your body is, and it really is after everything its been through.
Keep up the great work xx
I’ve never really liked my body shape – pretty much my whole life I’ve thought I could be slimmer and just ‘better’. Now I too am in my 50s and have consciously dropped some weight and made a commitment to exercise. This has made a big difference to my health and to how I feel about myself; I’ll never be super slim but I now have nice legs ( lots of walking!) and am fighting off that menopausal shape, for the moment. I am just a small person ( I’m 5ft 2) so have always looked younger than my age. Now, I don’t, and I find THAT really tough. But good grooming and being prepared to give current fashion a good go ( with an age-appropriate spin, if needs be) work for me.
I’m so glad that you’ve finally come to a good place with your body Fiona! It makes me sad that so many women spend their whole life wanting to look “better” when actually, they look fab as they are!!
I love what you said about focusing on what your body can do as opposed what it looks like! Brilliant thanks! I have 12 and 13 year old girls who are very sporty and this will very apt for them – I’ll remember to use it if there’s ever an issue x
I have always had a good positive body image. I too grew up respecting my body for what it could do. I was always fit, healthy and well groomed. I have always loved making the most of the positives and I always had a slender waist (which I loved) and rounded hips (not so much). I was the typical pear shape. Now I have hit my fifties my body shape is changing. I am carrying more weight around my middle which completely changes the areas I would want to highlight. I have found I have had to rethink what suits me and the style of my clothing. I miss my slender waistline but I am not prepared to thrash myself at a gym to get it. I am still fit and healthy but a slightly cuddlier shape.
Well said Charmaine! our bodies do change throughout our life and sometimes its those changes that throw us, but it sounds like you’re working through it really well xx