Tag: body positive

  • The Curve Confessions Is Back! (And Talking Fashion, Thoughts on the Term Plus-Size, & Brands I’m Loving)

    The Curve Confessions Is Back! (And Talking Fashion, Thoughts on the Term Plus-Size, & Brands I’m Loving)

    Wow, it has been a minute since I’ve posted to the blog! I hope everyone is staying happy and safe during this crazy time (that sometimes seems never-ending). The first topic I’m going to tackle on my big return is… fashion — every facet of it, good and bad.

    I remember the first time I had to shop through sizes bigger than a large. I was in the “normal” women’s section, clearly coming to the realization that I needed bigger clothes. I had just gained some weight and I was in need of sizes XL and above. So, I had to begrudgingly make my way over to the plus size section. I don’t even remember which store I was in, but I remember shuffling through those clothes so quickly, as not to be seen. But, why did I care about the sizes I was picking up? No one looks at the tags I have on, people just see me out in the world. 

    But to me at the time, it was discouraging and embarrassing. But that’s because of the pressure put on us from the media and social media. Because of these mediums, we are made to think that being a bigger size is a bad thing. And that’s because 2% of women shown in the media are plus-size. TWO PERCENT. When in reality, 67% of women wear sizes 16 and above (or, what they call “plus size”). So, we’re seeing people who aren’t really reality. But we are made to think they are.

    Why are these sizes carried in a separate section? Why are they given the egregious term, “plus-size”? Large and extra large have always had a negative connotation in our society. “I look large” is something constantly said by women when they’re not feeling good about themselves. And when people look thin, it’s celebrated beyond belief. 

    Lately I’ve been doing a lot of internal work on myself and my connection to my appearance. I’ve put too much emphasis on my appearance and my weight my entire life (something I blame on  a lot of factors), but I’m trying to dig deeper beyond my appearance, and no longer correlate my worth to my jeans or dress size. But it’s hard in a society that pushes this thin messaging on us, constantly. 

    If you look skinny, you’re praised. If you log into Instagram, you’re plagued with models with flat stomachs in two piece bikinis on some island in Greece. You stop to think for a second, even though you don’t want to, “Why can’t I have that?” “Am I enough?”

    You question everything. You question if you’re good enough, if you’re thin enough, if you have enough. You might even critique yourself in the process and start the negative self-talk at this point, aloud or in your head.

    What I want to do is continue to bring awareness to this through The Curve Confessions. So you and I can continue to check ourselves when we start that negative self-talk. And remind ourselves in those moments that we are enough. We are “hot” enough. We are doing enough. And we have everything we need within us. It’s not material things that make us happy, it’s our inner peace that does. And holy shit, has this year or so helped bring this to the forefront.

    I will cover this more in the blog in-depth, but just let this post be a reminder to you… you are enough just the way you are.

    While on the topic of fashion, I absolutely love fashion. I love expressing myself through my clothes and accessories. I love feeling sexy in what I’m in. So, here are a few brands that have helped me to do so that you can also jump on:

    Armoire – I discovered Armoire through my job, and am so glad that I did. Armoire is a fashion rental brand that allows you to rent, wear, and return clothes — it’s women-founded, size inclusive, and sustainable. Yes, that’s right — size inclusive! You take a quiz and it curates your feed to give you styles and sizes suitable to you. I’m loving it so far. In my last case, I got a Lily Pulitzer dress to wear to a wedding, and my new favorite piece that I wore to a rehearsal dinner (and actually bought myself for my 30th birthday celebration coming up). I have the 7 items per case subscription, but you can get less or more than that! Use my code at armoire.style/refer/kenziep to get 50% off your first month!

    Honeylove – This is a brand that I found through Instagram ads, and they have the best spanx I’ve ever encountered in my life. I love how they make me feel solid in my mid-section, which is a huge part of my confidence when I’m wearing tighter items. I don’t have a code, but man I recommend this brand. Here are the spanx I bought and wear religiously (I’m wearing them under my green bridesmaids dress for my sister’s wedding).

    There will be more where this came from, I promise! Let me know if you enjoyed this post or have any comments. So excited to be writing again! XOXO, Kenzie

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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.

  • 5 of My Favorite Ways to Love My Body More

    5 of My Favorite Ways to Love My Body More

    I’ve been thinking a lot recently about the complex relationships we have with our bodies – not everyday is going to be a slam dunk, “I feel amazing,” but a lot of our days SHOULD be. And overall it’s important to be comfortable and happy in our skin to put happiness and good vibes out there (speaking from experience!).

    I thought I’d put together my favorite ways to love my body. These are easy things to incorporate into our daily lives — and quite frankly, I need the reminder every once in a while!

    Here are my favorite ways to love my body (take them or leave them!):

    1. Not comparing myself to others. If I’m being honest, I used to be terrible at this. I have really skinny and beautiful friends and I used to find myself constantly wishing I looked like them. The day I accepted I was my own kind of beautiful was a good day, but it took a lot of self love on my part. Another woman’s beauty does not impact your own and stopping comparison is SO important in loving my body more. Yes, that includes Instagram scrolling and magazines with stick thin models. Don’t fall victim!

    2. Complimenting myself & speaking positively to/about my body. It sounds vain, but I try to give myself compliments all the time. “Damn you look good today!”… or whatever compliment that’s positive works! The positivity radiates and can really make a huge difference in how I see myself. If I’m constantly talking down to myself, that sets a horrible precedent, right? I see it as, I spent a lot of years being extremely mean to myself, so I’m making up for it 😉

    3. Creating a daily affirmation and/or gratitude list. I’ve talked a bit about this on my Instagram, but I’m obsessed with daily affirmations and gratitude. I have daily affirmations that I tell myself out loud or in my head, and I also try to write down what I’m grateful for constantly. It keeps me grounded and it definitely helps with my overall love for myself, including my body. I do want to work on doing my daily affirmation every morning though!

    4. Incorporating foods that I love but also make me feel good. Eating healthy foods that give me energy… man what a game changer in my overall feelings about my body. I’m not always the strictest (which I think is good), but overall finding foods that make me feel good helps me immensely with my body love. Veggies, eggs, avocado toast, the list goes on!

    5. Exercising regularly & doing workouts I love – but also incorporating stretching & yoga. I love exercising now, but not everyday is a situation where I’m sprinting the gym excited as all hell. Haha, some days I’m dragging myself there, honestly, but it’s all for how it makes my body feel. It’s pretty amazing to see what my body is capable of and how much confidence and strength it gives me. Yoga has changed the game for me too, because some days I just need some zen and stretching. Listening to my body is the ticket here, but I always remind myself how great it makes me feel at the end!

    That’s all folks. Do you like this list? Does it resonate? Tell me your favorite ways to love your body, I’d love to chat!

    Xoxo Kenzie

    @thecurveconfessions