Shortly after getting engaged last November, I ditched diet culture and started focusing on healing my relationship with food exercise. It was, and still is, a huge undertaking. One of the things that I had to accept is that when I’m not restricting and/or over-exercising, I exist in a slightly larger body. Accepting this right before heading down the aisle was not easy for me. I continued exercising and eating in a way that made me feel good…and I put on weight, which is perfectly ok…but difficult. It was difficult because we live in a society that tells us to take up less space.
After walking down the aisle and marrying the love of my life, we headed to the beach for our honeymoon! I was putting on a swimsuit and going to the beach for the first time in YEARS! YEARS PEOPLE!!! I pushed through my discomfort and enjoyed the hell out of my honeymoon, shame free (mostly). This book was the perfect start to my summer and so much about the things Jes talks about helped me let go of some of the shame I’ve felt about my body for years. I sat on that beach, in a swimsuit, not covered up by a towel or blanket or tshirt, and felt the wind and sand and sun. It was amazing.
I recommend this book for:
- Anyone struggling with body image issues
- Anyone struggling with unpacking their privilege (this is hard work that needs to be done!)
- Anyone who loves Jes Baker (because she’s the freaking bee’s knees and she’s hilarious!)
Favorite Quote:
“Liberation is freedom from all outside expectations, even our own. Liberation is not having to love your body all the time. Liberation is not asking permission to be included in society’s ideal of beauty. Liberation is bucking the concept of beauty as currency altogether. Liberation is recognizing the systemic issues that surround us and acknowledging that perhaps we’re not able to fix them all on our own. Liberation is personally giving ourselves permission to live life.”
-Jes Baker, Landwhale
If you’ve read this book, leave me a comment and let me know what you thought of it!
jessdoyou2.com 