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  • Keeping My Mind Right Through Weight Loss/Gain, Dating, And Everything In Between

    Keeping My Mind Right Through Weight Loss/Gain, Dating, And Everything In Between

    It’s always driven me nuts that the first thing most people judge you on in this world is your looks and appearance.

    “You look like you’ve lost weight!” Or rather, *stark silence after an up down full body stare is done on your body by a relative and you’re already feeling a little bloated.*

    It’s exhausting, right? To constantly feel like we have to keep up with a certain appearance, impress our families and peers, men, and live up to whatever the expectation is that day- whether it’s in our heads or someone else’s.

    I am someone who has gained, lost, gained back, lost more, etc. my entire life. But how it affects my mood or my thoughts is actually a day to day thing I have to think about and manage. If I’m feeling bloated one day, is my entire day ruined? If someone doesn’t say I look good after giving my body a nice scan, am I annoyed? If someone tells me I look great, does my mood skyrocket?

    If you’re not shaking your heads “yes” to any of the above, ignore me. I have had body image issues my whole life so maybe I’m just an extreme example. But I was hoping that opening up about this would resonate with *someone* out there.

    And that fact is we don’t need to rely on our bodies and our looks for our self worth, and if we catch ourselves doing it, we need to stop and remember the qualities about ourselves that have absolutely nothing to do with our weight or looks. Remember how you worked so hard for something and achieved it? Or when you did a really nice thing for someone because you’re a great person? Just a few examples, but these are things we need to be leaning on when those negative body image thoughts creep into our heads.

    I am actually writing a book as we speak (which some of you may know), and I’m so excited to share some of the experiences/realizations I’ve come to through my novel. Like, so excited. But for now, I’ll share one recent story from a date I went on that put things into perspective for me a bit (and slightly inspired this post to finally be written).

    I went on my first date in New York last week and it was super fun. Without getting into details, I could tell this guy was super into me and I was excited. I was into him too, the chemistry was there, and we just hit it off. Throughout the night he was frequently complimenting my looks. He told me I was “more beautiful in person” and called me “sexy” a few times and let me tell you, I was eating it up. But when the next step (aka setting a new date up) didn’t exactly go as I planned, I backtracked and started to think negatively. I thought, “Did I do something wrong?” And it occurred to me that he didn’t even really know me. Like at all haha. While it was upsetting to not get what I wanted out of it, it made me learn so much (even though it’s one date, I know). I was so excited about the possibilities of this guy, but in reality, he doesn’t even know the real me. I was totally leaning on the fact that he was attracted to me and hanging on to those thoughts, even though as I mentioned earlier in this post, I should be leaning on the other things about me (that he doesn’t even really know yet). I checked myself, and I learned.

    And it inspired this post because, after a quick time spent in the dumps I remembered, I am a catch and this is not going to make me think otherwise. And another thing it made me realize, hence this post, is to stop relying so much on how people think we look or appear. I am so much more than that, and so are you.

    XOXO

  • What Is Body Neutrality, & Should We All Be Practicing It?

    What Is Body Neutrality, & Should We All Be Practicing It?

    If you follow and read my blog, you know I’m always talking about being body positive. But recently, I’ve dug into a new, similar concept called ‘body neutrality.’ But what is body neutrality, and should we be practicing it?

    I did some research, and the short answer is… absolutely. Essentially, body neutrality aims to encourage us all to accept the body we are in and focus on its achievements rather than its appearance. For example, thinking about what our bodies can do for us, as opposed to the way they look.

    To be honest, this has given me a whole new outlook on what I preach. Because the thing about body neutrality is that it makes it OK to have days where you don’t love your body. Because we all have those tough days, we all have our moments. But we have to remember what our bodies DO for us – not just what they look like.

    Don’t get me wrong, I still am preaching for us all to be confident in our own skin, that is for sure. I just think it’s important to practice body neutrality as well – so that we don’t feel guilty on days where we’re not feeling body positive, but instead appreciate our bodies for all they can do and are. So, I guess I’m body-positive-neutral? I hope you’ll join me.

    XOXO

    Photo credit: beyondbeautifulbook

  • Nike’s Plus Size Mannequin Makes a Bold Statement, But Why Is It Bold?

    Nike’s Plus Size Mannequin Makes a Bold Statement, But Why Is It Bold?

    If you haven’t seen it flooded in your social media feeds, this week news broke of Nike adding “plus size” mannequins to its flagship London store display.  Mostly, I’ve seen positive reactions on social media, with people commending them for putting these (very common) body types on display.

    I’m happy about it too. But I’m also still upset that it’s something that’s so bold – and at that, it’s also something receiving backlash. A Telegraph article called out the mannequin for being “obese” – which did receive backlash – but is insane to me that someone could say or think that.

    It’s also still kind of crazy to me that this body type is considered some ‘revolution’ by Nike – does the world realize 67% of women in the world are considered “plus size”? Don’t get me wrong, it’s amazing that a huge retailer like Nike is taking the liberty to do this- but I don’t think it should be some bold statement. It should be our world’s reality – because a lot of women relate to the looks of that mannequin.

    Oh, and the term plus size… I was always over it but I am definitely over it. ‘Plus size’ women shouldn’t have to be categorized in a different category than others shopping.

    Do you agree? Hoped you enjoyed this short, sweet, and to the point blog post this week! Xoxo

  • How Self Care Extends Into Loving Our Bodies; Plus My Favorite Ways To Practice It

    How Self Care Extends Into Loving Our Bodies; Plus My Favorite Ways To Practice It

    Self care is a loaded term and means different things to different people. I’m going to be honest, I used to kind of abuse the term self care, and use it as an excuse to “treat myself.” I’ve found there’s a healthier way to treat myself, in addition to my self care’s strong connection to loving my body. It doesn’t mean if I practice self care, I’m loving my body and everything’s perfect. It means when I practice self care, I’m doing positive things for myself and my body and ultimately continuing to build a strong relationship with myself and my body.

    Here’s how I see it; we take care of our bodies by practicing self care, which ultimately helps us work toward loving our bodies. So, self care should be a practice of doing positive things that make our bodies feel good, right? Here are my favorite ways to practice it (aside from the easy ones; working out and hanging out with friends/family!):

    • Bubble baths. Okay, if you follow me on Instagram, you know I love my bubble baths. They are so soothing and relaxing, and I love taking 30 minutes to an hour to myself to just decompress. If you don’t take them, you should think about it! We’re all always in a rush to take a shower or move on to the next thing, but baths allow me to slow down and really unwind. They are one of my FAVORITE self care practices.
    • Doing cleansing face masks. I love grabbing face masks whenever I’m at a convenient store, because every once in a while they are nice to unwind at the end of a long day with. They truly deep clean my face and skin, and leave me feeling super refreshed and relaxed.
    • Nights in to myself. Taking a night in to myself to relax is a huge way I can really connect to myself and my body. Sometimes it’s with a glass of wine, my favorite meal, or even no alcohol at all. It’s whatever my body needs at the time, but it’s important time that I cherish as part of my self care routine.
    • Getting massages. If you know me, you know I love getting back or full body massages. I just love them! And with all the exercise and movement I’m getting in, I find them so important to working out the kinks (literally). Massages can be expensive I know, but I’m always looking for deals – either at local massage places, on Groupon, etc. And these don’t have to be super regular, but getting one every once in a while is a nice way to treat yourself and your body!
    • Taking my makeup off and washing my face. At the end of every day, it’s so important to me to take my makeup off and wash my face. Not going to lie, there are days where it gets skipped, but it is such a priority in my self care regimen. Cleansing my skin and keeping it clean is a huge part of keeping myself feeling good, so it’s a small, yet important thing to me.

    Did you like this list, and are you more mindful of how self care impacts your body love? Tell me how you like to practice self care in the comments!

  • Inspirational Interview with Guest, Chicago Fitness Instructor Haley Gunst

    Inspirational Interview with Guest, Chicago Fitness Instructor Haley Gunst

    “The Curve Confessions by Kenzie is a movement inspiring women to find happiness in ourselves, no matter our size or shape; rock the skin we’re in with confidence; openly discuss body image issues we see in the world; and create a safe space where we all feel accepted.”

    I started this new interview series featuring stories from incredibly inspiring women; in hopes of inspiring others in their own journey of fitness, motivation, and life in general. Today’s guest is Haley Gunst, who recently came back to Chicago after finding her love for fitness and the outdoors in Seattle. Let me tell you, we are lucky to have her in Chicago, and I loved interviewing her! Check out the interview and check her out on Instagram @haleygunst.

    CC: Thanks so much for doing this interview, I’m so excited! Let’s cut to the chase. When did you become a yoga teacher and why? 

    Haley: I started my yoga training out in Seattle in October of 2017 and was officially on the teaching schedule in January of 2018. I had been nudged a couple of times by instructors to become a teacher and honestly brushed them off. Yoga was the one place I could go and feel like I could let my mind relax and wander, and I was scared to have that taken from me if I started knowing the ins and outs of teaching. However, I was living in Seattle, in a new stage of life and really needed a positive extra hobby. That same week of feeling a little lost, a teacher nudged me again and I decided maybe it was time to get out of my comfort zone and try it. CorePower was also one of the main places I went when I first moved to Seattle and knew no one. They gave me a sense of community when I felt really alone and I wanted to give that back to my community. I am in the midst of expanding my horizons and really wanting to invest more time into my fitness career. I also just tried out and earned a spot as an instructor at the Equinox Fitness Club. My good friend Lauren currently teaches there and knew they were opening up a new location and needed teachers, so she put me in touch with Julie Bellis, my new trainer and manager at Equinox. To say I’m excited would be an understatement. 

    CC: That’s amazing, I can’t wait to take your classes at Equinox soon – and of course love your yoga classes already. If someone wants to try you out, what are your class times?

    Haley: Right now I teach at CorePower Yoga at the Gold Coast, Chicago location at 6:45 pm Friday nights and 9:30 am Saturday mornings. I am currently getting on-boarded with Equinox and will have to go through a training before I am officially put on their schedule, but be on the lookout! They have a very wide range of classes, but I will be focusing on the strength and toning classes as well as the HIIT – High Interval Intensity Training classes.

    CC: Amazing, I hope people reading can check you out! So what would you say motivates you, and what is your biggest piece of advice to others looking for motivation?
    Haley: Oh wow, that’s a loaded question and sometimes it just depends on the day, haha. However, I have always been a very competitive person, and I think my biggest competition is myself. I am constantly trying to break my own personal PRs or see how much further I can push my body; mentally, physically, based on strength, endurance, anything really. Honestly the feeling of accomplishment after a tough workout, a race, or a new certification is reflecting back and realizing “wow, my body just did that, how much more can it do?” I can’t tell people what should motivate them, it should come from within and whatever their story is, however, your motivation should NOT be for anyone else. Yes a “revenge” body is great, but at some point that motivation will fade. It shouldn’t be to make your parents proud or to get attention from a guy, or even worse, for social media or the pressures that come from social media. These days it is REALLY hard to decipher what is real and what isn’t – don’t even get me started with the topic of FaceTune – but focus on yourself and what makes YOU want to be better, and that motivation will not fade.

    CC: That is amazing advice and I couldn’t agree more – doing things for others won’t get us anywhere. Why is fitness so important to you, and when/why did it become that way?
    Haley: I would say moving to Seattle really changed my life and my health. I got really active and really into the outdoors and my yoga practice and started feeling what it was like to make my body and health a priority. I felt amazing inside and out. However, I have faced some of my hardest personal life challenges this past year and taking care of my health mentally and physically has been extremely important. I cannot stress enough how important it is to take care of your mental health. What that looks like for each individual is different. For me, professional therapy, yoga, long talks with friends and family, journaling and fitness helped clear my mind and regain my self-confidence and mental strength. Physically I try to do some sort of activity whether it be CorePower Yoga, Orange Theory Fitness, Barry’s Bootcamp, Equinox Classes, long runs/walks along the lakeshore path, or trying a brand new class (shout out to that one boxing class I tried when I was holding in a TON of anxiety) at least 5 times a week. When I was going through the thick of some of my tougher days the hour or so of physical activity was honestly the only hour of the day that I could see and think clearly, so I really leaned on it to help me push through each day and slowly I got stronger and stronger, both mentally and physically. It may sound corny, but I am beyond thankful for all of the instructors and trainers I have come across in the last few years because they have truly changed my life and in a lot of ways; they saved my life as well. I hope to have that impact on my students as I grow as an instructor.

    CC: I love it, that’s great you got that new perspective out there (and we’re thankful you brought it to Chi). And I couldn’t agree more about that hour being so sacred and needed. So, random, but what would your ideal way to spend a day look like?

    Haley: Human connection, the outdoors, and exercise. If I get these three things each day, it is usually a pretty damn good day. Human connection is something I would like to transform my daily routine and career towards a little more. A lot of my day is spent sitting at my desk cranking out numbers (shout-out to my fellow nerdy math brains out there), and while that is great, I do crave more human interaction. That is kind of where teaching fitness classes comes into play, and obviously getting together with friends – new and old – always makes the work week a little less stressful. If I could build some mountains out here in the Midwest, I would. I think that’s the thing I miss the most about Seattle… seeing and exploring the outdoors and how much it has to offer, however, I often walk 35 minutes to and from work each day and will jam out to music, listen to my podcasts, or call my parents/friends. These 35 minutes at the beginning and end of my day have almost become necessary, I take that time to decompress the craziness going on in my life because the craziness never ends…

    CC: I love it, and agree on the human interaction part girl. How do you recommend others get into fitness or a side hustle, based on your own experience?

    Haley: I would say first evaluate what you want to do and why. Don’t get into fitness because you read this interview and felt like you had to. However, once you have a desire to change your routine or start something new, OWN IT. Start telling people what you’re doing so that you hold yourself accountable, start prioritizing your schedule to fit in whatever you need in order to make that change, and plan ahead. Goals are much easier to accomplish when there is a very clear game plan – it doesn’t have to be perfect, but for example, if you want to start incorporating more fitness into your life, maybe that means an early wake up call to get it done – start small – plan which day (yes, start with one day) of the week that will be and make it happen, no excuses, and then grow from there. Habits, positive and negative, are created by ACTIONS. You and only you hold the control to those actions.

    CC: Great advice. Another thing I love asking; who inspires you? 

    Haley: My grandma, who isn’t here anymore, but I always think about her, and I think that living your life hoping to impact people so that they continue to remember you after you’re gone is a great way to live. A lot of decisions I make, or the way I choose to treat people is based off of that motto. Give love and positivity, receive love and positivity back. Also currently obsessed with @MarenMorris and @iamCardiB (yes, I said it) and their bad-ass woman power vibe, both of their albums got me through some tough stuff, @averagefashionblogger who literally cracks me up every single day and is un-apologetically herself, @JasonLoebig who was able to take a leap of faith from his 9-5 desk job to follow a passion and is absolutely crushing it and motivating others along the way, and my dad, because my dad just simply rocks. If you know him, you know. 

    CC: Love all those people. So as you know The CC talks a lot about body image, would you say you encourage all shapes and sizes to take your classes? Why? 

    Haley: YES. When I invite people to my classes the first thing majority of people say is “I’m not good at yoga” or “I haven’t worked out in so long, I wouldn’t make it”, or something of the sort. NO MORE. The person next to you in class at one point in their life had never taken the class before either. Everyone starts somewhere. Also, I promise you that everyone in your class is focused on themselves and themselves only. We are all in this together and just need to continue supporting each other.

    CC: Great for all my readers to know! Well, that’s a wrap. Any other notable things to say about your journey to fitness, side hustles, motivation, etc.?             
    Haley: No one is promised tomorrow, so what are you going to do with today?

    Love that quote & thanks again for taking the time, so inspiring! If you’re interested in checking out Haley in action, look her up on Instagram @haleygunst and DM her for a spot in class! 

    Keep inspiring, Hales! Xoxo.