Queen Simply Be

Why we should all love Beth Ditto.

Because she just-doesn't-care. So she's a fifteen stone short arse but hell, she's going to get it all out there, flaunt it, and annoy the hell out of the Daily Mail readers. Shall I let you in on a secret? There's a regular contributor to the Daily Mail comments pages (I know, it's a guilty pleasure, reading the comments...) and his name is Ricky T. He always contributes to any discussion on older women or fat women. He hates both, and thinks anyone who isn't a size ten or under 35 is just past it and no man will ever find them attractive - apparently it's biologically impossible for a normal man to be attracted to a woman over 35-40 because she can't have kids any more and looks old. Charming.

I've met him. He told me that (no offence) he could never find a woman over a size ten attractive. To my face. And there I was, all size 20 and 36 years of me! Anyway, I don't know if he thought that his little revelation was going to hurt me, but I was utterly relieved, being as he was short, fifty something, and appeared slightly bumbling and ineffectual to me.

Real men are attracted to women who are beautiful - whether they are size eight and beautiful or size 32 and gorgeous. But I digress. Just thought I would mention that because he's commented on this story:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1145131/15-stone-Beth-Ditto-launches-Love-magazine-nude-shoot.html

Beth rocks!

Another chunk of wisdom from Nacy Hayssen....

"I'm so tired of seeing "weight loss" this and "flat ab" that. It's out of control!

The message that the media implies through TV,
magazines and the internet is:

"No Matter How Much You Weigh, You're Still Too FAT!"

Let's stop the insanity ... your scale cannot determine your happiness!

According to a recent Prevention Magazine/NBC Survey, 60% of American women have dieted or are on a diet and 44% of women refuse to be photographed in a swimsuit.

How is it that women have learned to hate their own bodies so much in our country?

There is no "right" or "wrong" size to be.

Just be happy with the size you are, just they way you are- right now. The unattainable illusion of one perfect weight has been chased after long enough - now is the time to break the pattern of self-hate that Hollywood has encouraged.

Today is the day for you to make the change in your own mind and accept yourself in spite of what the scale says, or maybe even because of it.

The truth is you are uniquely you, no matter what size you are."

Amen to that!

I pass this on to you with love - it came to me in the Beyond Chocolate newsletter and I thought it was too good to keep to myself...Happy Valentine's Day to you all :-)

Love is all around you...

February 14th is nearly upon us so reflect for a moment on Cupid, the mischievous mythological child closely associated with the feast of St Valentine. Imagine, if you will, that rather than shooting his love-filled arrows at our external admirers (and I'm sure we all have many!), he takes aim and fires straight at you...

How hard do you find it to love and appreciate yourself? For many women, complimenting and nurturing those around us comes easily but accepting praise or recognising our own value can raise an almost impenetrable mental shield. Far easier to accept the voices of the 'body demons' who tell us our waists are too thick, our legs too stocky and our chins too many in number!

So this Valentine's Day, send some love in your own direction with two little experiments:

* Start by just noticing the judgements you throw at yourself each day. Build up to quashing the gremlins of self-criticism in whatever way works for you.
* Send a card to yourself. Pick four complimentary words that describe your face and body. Are you voluptuous, dynamic, healthy or strong? Smooth, elegant, athletic or rounded? Add them to the box below then print it out, read it and believe it at every opportunity!

Enjoy!