Picture is from Plus Size Model Magazine

“50% of women wear a size 14 or larger, but most standard clothing outlets cater to sizes 14 or smaller.”

(Plus Size Model Magazine, “Plus Size Bodies, What Is Wrong With Them Anyway?“)

I really think there is a big misconception about plus size women–and men, for that matter–and that we are not healthy.  I, for one, exercise regularly and try to eat healthy (most of the time), but I never have and never will be tiny. The smallest I have been is still what would be considered “plus size.”

When I was living in New York pursuing my undergrad degree, I started having dietary issues. I ended up cutting out all kinds of foods from my die, I was eating 1200-1500 calories a day, and walking everywhere. At the time I initially didn’t exercise, but I ended up losing  35+ pounds and got down to about a size 12/14 on top and 14/16 on the bottom.

Since then, and until I went to grad school and broke my ankle, I stayed about that size. My calorie intake and strict diet eventually changed, but I was able to stay that size with exercise (4-6 days per week) and being somewhat healthy. I have never been able to get below the 12/14 on top and 14/16 on the bottom, and don’t think I ever will.

This revelation about my body has, through the years, made me really look at and appreciate my body for what it is. I like how I feel when I exercise regularly and eat better, so that is what it is mainly about. Being happy on the higher side of the size range and loving that I am a curvy girl.

I didn’t really see my curves as a positive until an old coworker (who was a size 00) told that she was jealous of my curves and my body. It really gave me a different perspective on my self image.

My current exercise regime is–I workout from 30 minutes to1 hour 4-5 times a week. During the work week, I even wake up at 5:30am to get to the gym before my work day starts. I walk to work and home a few times a week on top of these gym workouts. On weekends I spend most of my time walking around exploring New York. I try to eat healthier, but could be better about it. I don’t drink alcohol, except for once in a great while.

When I talk to other girls my age,  I realize that I am a lot more stringent in my life style when it comes exercise–yet most of them are a substantial amount of sizes smaller than me and weigh a portion of what I weigh. This completely disproves the fact that being small=being healthy.

I am sure I am not the only plus size girl out there that has a healthy body but in a large package. Granted this is not true for all plus size people, but I think this is probably a whole lot more common than most people realize.