No matter what size you are, any woman has moments when she feels inadequate to go out in public in a bikini.
Size 18 XOJane.com blogger Gabi Gregg is doing her part to help change that feeling by posting photos of herself (and a gallery of 31 readers) in their “fatkinis.”
As a size 18, my swimwear posts tend to gain way more traffic than my regular outfit posts. I attribute this to the fact that our culture is so obsessed with having a “beach ready bod,” that the mere idea of someone my size in a swimsuit, let alone a bikini, is shocking to most.
Gabi has been slammed by critics for not promoting health, but Gabi points out that she’s “all for health,” and that we have to be happy in the bodies we have right now. Like, say you’re doing everything you can to be healthy, you’re eating better, working out, losing inches, and feel more toned, but your body still doesn’t meet the guidelines in your head (read: supermodel) of how a woman should look in a bikini. Should you be ashamed of yourself and hide away until that day of unobtainable perfection, or should you just enjoy yourself because right now if all you’ve got?
Gabi told The Today Show:
“I’m all for health. I think people should be really aware of what they’re putting in their bodies and try to get more active. The truth is, we have to live in our bodies and be happy with the bodies we have right now, regardless of where we are in our journey to health.”
