Summer Bodies Are Made In Spring: Body Confidence

"Now every girl is expected to have Caucasian blue eyes, full Spanish lips, a classic button nose, hairless Asian skin with a California tan, a Jamaican dance hall ass, long Swedish legs, small Japanese feet, the abs of a lesbian gym owner, the hips of a nine-year-old boy, the arms of Michelle Obama, and doll tits. The person closest to actually achieving this look is Kim Kardashian, who, as we know, was made by Russian scientists to sabotage our athletes." -- Tina Fey

The above quote makes me giggle, and then I get really sad. Of course it's hilarious to think that these are the expectations of women these days, but it's also really bloody sad that most (if not all) of us have issues with confidence over our bodies and the way we look. It's not OK for anyone to dictate how a body should look - I personally think that if you're a) healthy and b) happy, then you're doing something right. 

I teamed up with LighterLife Fast to talk about body confidence (you can read my first post about 'bikini bodies' here) and in this article I want to explore why we are conscious of our bodies, and share tips on how to be happy with your body.

For years, I have been self conscious about different parts of my body. Growing up, I hated my nose and as I hit thirteen I actually wanted a nose job (crazy, right?!) - thankfully, by the time I could indulge in plastic surgery I got over that body issue. Then I hit my teens and was graced by the unavoidable acne which spread all across my face and stayed with me until I was 16 - you will not find many pictures of me from the age of 13 - 16 because acne was a real issue for me. I lost all my confidence, I tried to cake my face with as much makeup as I possibly could to hide my pimples and I spent way too many hours crying over it. I'm now in my mid twenties and inevitably lost the size 6 figure which I always had, and am now a healthy size 10. But boy did I struggle for years to understand that with my height, and build, I am never going to be a size 6 again unless I give up the pizzas, burgers, wine and sit on a diet of undressed lettuce leaves.

Who would pass this up?! Cheesy, spicy goodness...

Don't get me wrong, I am all up for healthy eating but I also love indulging in a treat or two - I save these for really bad days, and weekend celebrations. Through the week, I try and eat balanced, healthy meals and have also made it a part of my routine to include fasting months to keep my weight at my desired limit. I use LighterLife Fast 5:2 diet typically, but to shed some of the winter padding I have gained, I have been practicing the 4:3 diet which is eat normally for 4 days, and fast for 3 taking in just 600-800 calories. LighterLife Fast make it really easy to keep count of your calorie intake with labelled meals and snacks.

Even though the LighterLife Fast meals are delicious on their own, sometimes I crave a little bit of spice or herbs (which account for no calories!) so I spike my meals with a little bit of fresh herbs, or ground spices - yum.
I previously did an experiment with LighterLife Fast where I stuck to the 5:2 diet for 6 weeks and lost 5kg (read the full post here) so I'm a huge fan of the meals which have proven results for me. The benefits of a diet like this is the fact that you have cheat days where you can indulge in a treat like a juicy burger in a nice country pub, or have your wine on Fridays (just make sure it's not one of your fasting days as a bottle of wine contains near enough the same amount of calories as a greasy takeaway).

Although I take steps to obtaining my desired body, I am happy with myself because no body is perfect - natural bodies are the best because they have lumps and bumps in places that no one else has. Yes a Barbie is considered beautiful but you know what is always going to be special? A handmade doll that has stitches coming out, and who's hair is made from frizzy wool rather than shiny polyester.
I wanted to share with you a couple of my tips on how to get confident about your body and feel great this summer:

- Eat whatever you like, as long as you cook it: that way you will know exactly what's going into your meals and feel good about what you eat. Seriously, a homemade cheese and tomato pizza is unbeatable!

- Get used to your body and that means getting naked in front of the mirror. I cover up with baggy t-shirts and maxi dresses that the other day when I wore a tight top my friend was like 'Wow, you actually have a great body!'. The thing is, I didn't look at my body so I never knew. 

- Practice mindfulness. I cannot recommend meditation and yoga enough - it seriously grounds you and helps you put things in perspective. Instead of seeing myself as negatives, I count what I am grateful for every day - like the fact that I'm curvy is because I can put (more than) enough food on the table. 

- Be at peace with yourself. I will never have perfect skin - what's the point of stressing about it? My hair will always be frizzy in humidity. I am never going to be as skinny as I was in my teens. And you know what? They're really not things worth worrying about. In fact, they're the qualities that make me - me. 

- Treat yourself. Sometimes there's nothing better than a new bag, new shoes or a new dress to help you feel like a superstar. Talking of treating yourself - LighterLife Fast have been very kind to offer one of my readers the chance to win a £50 voucher for Vesper Clothing and treat yourself to a gorgeous new dress. Step out in style this Spring/Summer! All you have to do is enter via Rafflecopter below. Good luck! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway