Twelve Days of Christmas: Day 9

To celebrate Christmas this year I have decided to do a post on each of the twelve days of Christmas (25th Dec-5th Jan) to celebrate all of the gifts (both physical and metaphorical) that I have recieved this year and take stock of what I have achieved during 2011.

On the ninth day of Christmas 2011 gave to me...body confidence.

2011 saw a definate change in my body confidence. I was eating more healthily, dancing a lot and walking to and from work most days and soon I had lost a stone and a half. I went from being a UK size 12-14 to a size 8-10. Now I must stress that I am not the sort of person that thinks 'slimmer is better'. I very much believe that if you are healthy and happy in your skin then it doesn't matter what size or weight you are, or what other people think of you. But last year I was not that happy in my skin at all. I didn't feel fat, I just felt out of shape and unhealthy. 


I have had to tackle a lot of issues to do with my self-esteem this year, but now I feel like this is the size and shape I am supposed to be. I feel like I've finally found a good balance. Crash diets and obsessing over exercise and counting calories are just not worth it-it's much more important to be healthy and happy. I wore a bikini for the first time on holiday this year, and for once I wasn't worrying what people thought about me, I was just lost in the moment, enjoying splashing about in the sea. I've been taking better care of my skin too and can really tell the difference in my complexion. I've started to wear a lot less makeup and am trying to enhance my skin instead of covering it up now.

I am starting to see the beauty in myself again for the first time in a long time. My physical features are a tribute to the family members I love and a map of the life I have lived so far-each mark and blemish makes me unique. I will never look like the idealised concept of beauty, but my imperfect appearance is part of what my partner loves about me. I'm starting to fall in love with it too, one step at a time.