How to Stop Hating Your Body

I remember the first moment I thought I was fat. I was nine years old and noticed how large my calves were. Now, at 30, I laugh — it’s muscle. I did gymnastics — for 20 hours a week ya minimum. But back then, it was the worst feeling in the world.That self loathing never stopped until I made it stop. Sometime at about 25, after many more years of seriously hating myself, I realized something: nothing is perfect. EVER. Something snapped, and I did a few key things that helped me tremendously:I threw away my scale. To this day, I do not weigh myself. Yes — muscle DOES weigh more than fat. The number on the scale, for me, does not matter. I pay attention to how my clothes fit, how I feel, how I am eating — everything except a number on a piece of plastic. (I realize this does not work for everyone due to health reasons. For me, it was essential for my own mental and emotional health.)I started focusing on the incredible things my body can DO. I started to give myself some credit. I can still toss a side aerial like none other. I can take dance classes on the floor in some of the best studios in NYC and still keep up. When I started shifting my focus, loving my body became so much easier.I stopped seeking validation from others. Truth is, no one except my family and a few close friends cares enough to talk through any body image issues. I did this for myself.I realized that flaws are sexy. Crooked smile, wicked style. I got called a vampire, and god knows what else in school. Eventually, I embraced it. Ironically, around the same time I found out that runway models were actually getting veneers to make their teeth crooked. I got called a bald eagle for my high forehead. I learned just recently that women in China have surgery to lengthen their foreheads.Bottom line: it’s a journey. It took me 31 years to truly love my body and myself.“I keep my crooked smile just to show the girls it’s real, may not be picture perfect but so worth the picture still.”​http://bit.ly/2LgIvwt in a million years would I have ever though that one day. I’d post a photo with no makeup, wet hair, dark circles and crooked teeth.I hope every young woman can find her own journey to truly loving themselves. Loving yourself is hard — hating yourself is harder.____________________________________________________________Originally Posted on Quora.com: http://bit.ly/2VFvHDD