::quote:of:the:day::

Alot of women have been misled by the media for so many years as to what the ideal body is to look like. I know that I have had my trials and tribulations with regards to weight and what I think I should look like and how others think I should look like as well. I grew up obviously reading fashion magazines and watching runway shows and I always thought to myself that I should look like the models that are in the magazines. Now, don't get me wrong, I am not bashing fashion models (maybe a bit to the guy that photoshops all these images), but growing up I wished that I could have been a bit taller (I'm 5'5" and I wanted to be 5'10") and alot thinner. And of course, any girl dreams of being a model, and that's what I wanted to be. I wanted to be the next Kate Moss! Alas, that was never in the books for me. Lol.
Anyways...growing up, I think that alot of girls and women battle with their self-confidence ~ they want the confidence, but they also tell themselves that they're never good enough. And I think that you battle with those feelings all your life. Of course you are going to have bad days where you just want to wear your sweat pants instead of skinnies and hide under a huge t-shirt, but I think women need to embrace all shapes and sizes and that's why I am glad that magazines are featuring a range of beautiful and curvaceous women such as uber-beauty Crystal Renn. She's not your typical stick-thin lady.
Since beginning to go to the gym and eating more clean, I have realized that I definitely don't want to be super skinny, I'd rather be fit, I'd rather have muscle definition and be toned and of course strong. When I'm older I definitely don't want to be frail and brittle, but able-bodied and someone who can hold their own.
This is why, my role models aren't Kate Moss anymore (although her clothes are fabulous), but women like Ava Cowan, Zuzana Light or Amber Elizabeth.
There is no point in battling with myself thinking that I should be a foot taller or my butt should be a size smaller.
I should embrace the body and the curves I have and work with what I got. I gotta hit the weight room and get those biceps like Ms. Cowan and her incredible stomach (people, have you SEEN this woman?! Holy crap. She's a lean machine, I really don't think there is any fat to this women's body, she is toned beyond all beleif).
I know that there won't be an end to all this media hype of what a woman's body should look like (and boys more then likely deal with the same sort of thing), but I think it's time for women to start looking like women ~ to embrace what we have and to enhance it.
Sorry if I sound preachy here. ;)

"No matter how you feel at this moment, it will change. So if you are feeling horrible, I promise that will pass, so just hang on."
Ava Cowan
Team Gaspari IFBB Figure professional and a 5 x Overall Figure Champion

-S*

(Photo Credit: Gaspari Website)