We live in a society that highly encourages weight loss and thinness. So much so, that it's hard not to beat ourselves up when we think we've gone up a few pounds. But body positive activist and fitness influencer Chira (aka @ioana_fit) is changing the way we look at size. She recently shared how she's actually happier now at a size 14 than she was at a size 10 and her story is nothing less than inspiring!
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"This is for everyone who got confused with my post the previous day. I went from Big –> Slim –> Thick –>," she captioned a photo collage of her at three different weights. "That's why you should believe me when I tell you happiness is not a size. You can say the middle is (she inserts thumbs up emoji here), however I wasn't as happy and confident as I am now. I feel mentally healthy and strong, at that point I was obsessed with what I ate (wouldn't touch carbs) and afraid of getting fat again."
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As women especially, we are socially conditioned to believe that the thinner we get, the more beautiful, desirable, and happier we will be. But Chira proves that's not always the case. Being a size 10 triggered her to obsess over her diet choices and put her in a bad head space. Imagine consuming absolutely no carbs out of fear of gaining weight? That's not a healthy way to live.
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But like everything in life, it took Chira time to get to a place where size mattered less and how she actually felt mattered more. "I always believed that being slim would make me happy, however, when I got there it was not the case," she said. "I've realized that happiness is something beyond size and as long as I keep my body healthy and strong–I'm a winner," she said.
Her journey is a true inspiration. It's proof that beauty and happiness comes at any size. You don't need to meet society's ridiculous beauty standards to look and feel your best.
