5 Women on Overcoming Self-Hate and Learning to Love Their Bodies | Iris

Five women get real about body image issues.

Transcript
I am ugly.
I'm too fat.
I'm not good enough.
I'm not pretty enough.
Closed off, like wallowing in my self-pity.
I was in a mind frame of just kinda letting myself go.
I remember calling myself a lot of hurtful things.
I felt like I didn't matter.
Oh, I'm getting emotional, sorry. (laughs)
When my best friend was getting married,
she asked me to be her maid of honor.
Just a few weeks before her wedding,
I was pounds, and I hated the way I looked in a dress.
I wasn't confident enough to do it.
And that was probably one of the most selfish things
that I've ever done.
So I met this guy on a dating app,
and we made plans to go out.
And then when the day was getting closer, I canceled.
I said to him that my allergies were acting up,
but I meant I don't feel confident enough
to meet somebody new.
Living in California, I live like half a mile away
from the ocean, and friends would always invite me
to go to the beach.
And so I'd always would make an excuse,
because I didn't feel comfortable in my own skin
to wear a bathing suit at the beach.
I wore my brother's bathing suit,
which were long shorts, to hide my thighs.
At my heaviest, there were times were I couldn't fit
in the seats of a rollercoaster.
I would just say to my friends,
oh, I'm busy that weekend, I can't go,
knowing full well I would have loved to have gone
if I didn't think that the embarrassment
would destroy me in that moment.
Everybody feels insecure, and if we share those things
with each other, we realize that we're not alone,
and it's not about size,
it's about feeling good in your own skin.
I like that I have a unique shape,
'cause people are always like,
oh, but you're short and curvy.
And I used to fight it, but now I'm like,
okay, I like my curves, like, it's different.
So I started at pounds and ended at .
And I realized it's not about the number on a scale,
but it's me being committed to a healthy lifestyle.
So I was a size , but now I'm a size .
But I don't focus on those, but now, with my body,
I feel like I'm growing into being
a better version of myself.
I think what I love about my body
is its capability to transform,
because I've probably lost about pounds already.
I'm still very much in the middle of my weight loss journey,
and I feel like I'm currently setting the groundwork
to getting where I wanna go.
[Karen] When I think back to my younger self,
I would definitely tell her--
[Meg] Not to make excuses.
[Sharron] Wear whatever the heck you want.
[Gabby] To be proud of who you are.
[Esther] You are beautiful.
The next time I'm asked to be someone's maid of honor,
I will say yes.
The next time I'm asked to go to the beach,
I will say yes.
The next time that I'm asked to go on an adventure,
I'm gonna say hell yeah.
[Gabby] The next time I'm asked on a date, I will say yes.
The next time I'm asked to surf,
I'll show up in a beautiful bikini and not feel embarrassed.
[Sharron] Girl, you got this.


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5 Women on Overcoming Self-Hate and Learning to Love Their Bodies | Iris

[jacksonhayes]

So moral of the story is they were all unhappy, they lost weight and then they got happy.

[darkshadow]

I understand that women have body issues and are shamed of it. But, men have body issues as well. I haven’t seen a single damn video of men complaining how hard it was to lose weight. These women are beautiful inside and out but they had to and i mean had to get their own video about how hard it was for them to lose weight. I think men and women have it equally difficult to lose weight and are shamed for it but its just that men dont think about it as much as women. So lighten up about weight. These are our life choices and however we choose to make them. Choices have consequences and if you dont like it. Change it.

[therealdeal]

I decided years ago to no longer refer to myself as “fat” and accept myself as I am, and to be comfortable with myself. As a result I contracted diabetes resulting in chronic kidney failure, stroke, partial vision loss & a lifetime of needing medication. This is the absolute truth, but don’t listen to me or others who know the outcome, by all means go ahead and embrace your “plus sized beauty.”.. Peace.

[emikoe]

Ok... Nice this is cool... But why no other body types!? It's not only plus size that feel insecure...

[parkerhahaha]

You shouldn’t pick women with similar body types

[kenmorison]

It's not body issues, it's low self esteem. You're simply picking the most obvious outward example of what's wrong with you. Grown up mature people realize that everyone's body is different and not going to look like the models in magazines or in movies. Pick your influences and push away false ideals. Runways and movies are fantasy worlds and NOT real. Not picking on women but come on lets do some hard thinking and realize what's really important in life, love and family. What other people think of you are their issues, not yours. Accept who you are as the best possible version at this moment.

[vitalule]

Being just healthy, I repeat you have to remember to be healthy nothing matters...except salvation of your

[kilrrclown]

“I am ugly”

hEY sAmE

Yea I know this is serious but I couldn’t help it

[hxllonati]

They’re gorgeous women, no one deserves to be put down for the way they are. No matter your size or curves, your height or weight, all women (and men, all people) are beautiful in every single way. Being comfortable in your own skin is what’s most important, not the number on the scale, it shouldn’t define you. Be yourself ladies and gents, and everyone in between.

[lorette]

This situation is so true, they clearly expressed my own thoughts 😢

[jhennicide]

"we don't say fat. we say THICK!" - bretman rock

i read a few of the comments and i understand the people who talk about being thin, or being a man, or other types of insecurities etc - but i think the MAIN point of this is to just love yourself. be kind to yourself. she said "we all get insecure" and it's true. so we all definitely deserve a boost of self love!

[angelamillett]

You guys are really actually really I'm really telling the truth 💞💞💞

[truthsword]

I don't trip off that I love my self, when lose weight it will happen.

[asmith]

It’s so nice and validating to hear other women go through the same thing and learning what helps them learn to love themselves!

[alexnguyen]

Who ever thinks they are ugly or fat or have low self esteem then don't think of your self as fat, ugly, weird, or not good enough. You are awesome. You are amazing. You are you! Don't feel bad when someone calls you ugly. if people think you look ugly then it doesn't matter it only matters if you are pretty on the inside not the outside! So just ignore those mean people that are bullies you should love yourself and be you!

[dymondmitchell]

I’ve honestly given up on these comment sections🙄... anybody else?

[xXOnlineGamerXx]

I respect all women that have a problem with fatness, but just remember it is not too late to work out at the gym :)

[firenationfiles]

I have the opposite problem. Gaining weight is impossible 😅

[austinklein]

I'm a big girl. I wear a 14/16. I'm 48. I have been 115 lbs to 230 lbs. No matter the weight I'm still the same person. I Love who I Am. Some people Try to Shame me. But Honestly the haters DON'T MATTER. This is my only Life and I'm going to live it my way. I way always the only redhead in class as a kid. I actually felt unique. I never wanted to be like everyone else. That's boring to me. What kind of world would it be if we all looked and acted and liked all the same things? Pretty boring. But I do Wish people would be kinder.

[mariyahwiggins]

This is really touching because most people aren't comfortable in their own skin. And it makes people really insecure. You all sharing your stories really help people become comfortable in their own skin.