However, now I realise exercise and fitness are about making me feel good and strong I find I actually look forward to it. Particularly now I’m working from home. My afternoon walks have become a bookend to my day and a chance to treat myself to another coffee – okay and sometimes a chocolate bar!
3. I don’t exercise to lose weight.
I used to be really anti-exercise because I thought people only did it to lose weight and I was just exhausted from constantly feeling like I had to change my body as a plus-size woman.
However, I’ve come to realise that while diet culture makes you believe you should only exercise with the intent to shred, exercise can actually just be a way to make yourself feel good and get some endorphins.
I’m not looking to transform my body or change my body. I like how I look. I like my hips and boobs and non-flat tummy. I don’t exercise to change myself; I exercise to enjoy the body I currently have.
I exercise now because of how it makes me feel and I’ve found a routine that works for me. I don’t like gyms. The smell of sweat and lycra is too much for my snout. Instead, I prefer to go for walks around my inner-city neighbourhood, do weekly yoga classes and go for a swim when it’s hot.
All of these forms of exercises are accessible, easy and most importantly make me feel good! You’ve got to chase the feeling of good and not overthink exercise too much.
I think being plus-size has meant it took me a little while longer to find my groove with exercise and fitness. To realise it doesn’t have to be something I do just to punish myself or shrink myself.
That exercise has its place as just something you do to make yourself feel good and can be entirely removed from diet culture.
For me, I’ve found exercise and being fit has really helped with my mental health. It’s also meant you can justify buying lots of animal print leggings, so what more does a girl want?
But I also I think it’s important to realise that exercise and fitness are not only reserved for thin and small people. That going for a walk or doing some yoga stretches or feeling some fresh saltwater on your skin feels bloody great and most importantly that your fitness level doesn’t equate to your thinness level.
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Feature image: Supplied/Mamamia.