Just been thinking about body size and perception. When I was in my teens my mum told me I was fat because I got to ten stone and a lady should never be in double figures. Promptly put me on a diet. I look back at photos and it makes me sad because I was a lovely shape and completely unselfconscious. Then for various reasons (not my mum's fault!) I got very good at dieting and became anorexic. Oh the irony given my current size! I would eat one granny smith apple and one shape yoghurt a day and thought I was HuGELY fat at 6.5 stone.
Then I left home and gained a LOT of weight at university very quickly, partly because I was having fun with all my friends. Got up to about where I am now for a few years... Got very into feminism, and decided I loved my curves. Then suddenly decided to get healthy and lost weight again... Loasd of gym and swimming and walking and got down to 10.5 stone - probably my perfect weight. I LOVED IT! That is probably the only time in my life, for about three years, wherr my body image and reality actually matched.
Slowly gained some weight, took a little off, maintained quite well. Then had my first baby. Very very traumatic birth with lots of horrible physical consequences for me. After she was born I went back to a size 14 without trying... But then ended up on antidepressants and started to gain it back, drinking and eating far too much and not getting any exercise. Then baby number two, repeat... Change of jobs three times in six years and I've got bigger and bigger.
The weird thing js though, because of my husband and also Gok's attitude on the tv I've been quite ok with my size - but it's perception again, because I think I look ok and then I see a photo and realize how big I really am. And anyway, this isn't just about size it's about running up the stairs or playing football in the garden or riding a bike again.
Just some thoughts.