Body Image: “Social media made me feel worse about my body.”

 

I have felt insecure about my body at many different points in my life, but I mainly experienced problems after I bought my first home with my partner. I gained weight and my body began to change. The negative feelings towards my body grew to the point I couldn’t even get dressed in front of the mirror as I could barely look at myself. After some time, I realised I needed to change how I was treating my body to feel better inside and out. I started to do things I enjoyed to feel fitter mentally and physically. I never gave up having a few beers at the weekend or having a little bit of chocolate every day if I wanted it, though!  I started to feel much better mentally and physically, and it also helped that I have the most incredibly supportive fiancé.

"I couldn’t even get dressed in front of the mirror as I could barely look at myself."

– Daryl

When I was feeling my worst, Instagram definitely made me feel worse about my body than anything else did. I had to learn how to shift my mindset into knowing that most of those bodies don’t look like that, as they’re almost always photoshopped! I’m also 5”3, so learning about how my petite body is different to others really helped. Whatever size or shape someone is, they are just as worthy! I began to also discover a more healthy side of Instagram, from body positive creators who would showcase how weight sits differently on different sizes and frames. We’re never going to all look the same way, and that’s ok!

I’d love to see more of a focus on health and diversity online rather than what society says is traditionally ‘beautiful’. I’m a natural, 5”3 redhead with a unisex name and have been bullied for most of my life because of that. We’re all different and there needs to be more online that shows that. I’d love to see more representation for my fellow petites out there. Our bodies are so different and equally as worthy as those who are 5”10!