When I used to teach yoga in Bangalore and Mumbai, I noticed many clients struggling to cope with their weight. During some days, they would come in with plans to work out harder than usual because of events they'd have to attend later that week. The insecurity of appearance is something everyone goes through... even I.
Shame is something you'll find a lot of - particularly Catholic - girls feel about their bodies, about their sexuality, about their diet, about anything you like. Shame is the way you keep them down. That's the way to crush a girl.
I've always been battling against my sense of dignity and refinement. I was embarrassed by any bodily functions when I was younger. I could never even blow my nose.
I used to have this thing about my legs. If you look at all of the Destiny's Child albums from when I was a part of the group, you never saw me in a skirt. I was always the one who wore the pants, because I felt like my legs were too skinny.
I'm very self conscious in a bikini, and I would never get my tummy out onstage.
How I view my body hasn't been uncomplicated, but that was because my body was discussed and dissected at great length in a very public forum, when I was at a formative age.
I don't stop eating when I'm full. The meal isn't over when I'm full. It's over when I hate myself.
Standards of beauty are arbitrary. Body shame exists only to the extent that our physiques don't match our own beliefs about how we should look.
Is there any more Room for me in those Jeans.
When you're overweight like I've been my whole life, you've been made fun of. And, uh, it's not good growing up.
It's important for women to embrace their beauty and sexuality. Females are victimized and made to feel ashamed of their bodies, or they can't be smart and beautiful, and I try to work against that.
Growing up, I was always really shy about my body.
I am not too keen on my nose, I don't like my knees, I hate my ankles, I am unsure about my behind, I don't like my legs at all. I am not too sure about my chin, my forehead is a bit dodgy. But, overall, I can live with it.
I'm kind of fat.
I had body insecurities when I was younger. I still do.
Yes, and I had pimples so badly it used to make me so shy. I used not to look at myself. I'd hide my face in the dark, I wouldn't want to look in the mirror and my father teased me and I just hated it and I cried everyday.
I hate my stomach. It's impossible to get it flat, and the area around my belly button drives me crazy.
I don't think nudity is a bad thing, I don't think people should be embarrassed about their bodies, and I don't mind whipping it out.
It's difficult to be at events with a room full of women who weigh half as much as you do.
I don't like it when I outweigh my men.
I know people will think it's funny because I've done glamour modelling in the past, but I felt embarrassed about my body and just wanted to cover it up.
I've been fat my whole life and pretended I don't mind. But I do mind. It's really stupid that I've gone on being greedy and fat.
I don't want to feel I'm responsible for anorexia across the country.
I haven't always been the best advocate for my own body. I was a too-tall, pudgy child who felt completely out of control of the genetic lottery ticket she'd been given, so in retaliation, I shut down. I ignored my body and hated it for not being tiny and cute like my friends' bodies.
People shouldn’t be ashamed of their bodies...especially women.
