Lesson one: Love Thyself

If only people could see the beauty chocolate and I have created, that we have crafted over the years, they would compare me to ladies who grace the oil paintings of the renaissance and hold me up upon their walls as if I were a goddess of women, beauty and creativity. If only people could see the world through the beauty of Michelangelo’s vision they would find the delights of my rolling, warm flesh and compare me to a divine being and shout in celebration that the fuller figured woman ‘holds the wisdom of the entire world in her belly’ – in her big round belly!!! :D

So these times are gone by but there is good news: Plus size models are on the up and for the first time in years the choice of bigger, beautiful ranges are available on the high street. Not only that but super cool tracks like Mika’s Big Girl (You Are Beautiful) Sir mix a lot-baby got back and fergie’s My humps are helping to encourage anyone one with a bit of wobble to embrace those curves! Just check out Beth Ditto on the cover of Love magazine, ok it's not Vogue but there is a change…although there is a long way to go before women truly start to feel empowered….and we have a lot to contend with…

We are in a harsh media world where art and beauty have mostly been replaced by the obsession of youth, the preservation of youth and the bodies of youth (or rather more bluntly female figures that somewhat resemble the frames of adolescent young boys!). The media culture we live in today along with a fiercely judgmental society and increasingly analytical press all add to the pressure women feel for the quest and attainment of the perfect size 0.

Like it or not we live in a culture which encourage critical scrutiny of the appearance of any women in the spotlight whilst glorifies the super waif models of the runways which sets fear into the hearts and minds of women around the world. A media culture so powerful at influencing the majority of women, from the mainstream to high society, to feel inadequate and some how unacceptable if she does not conform to the ‘clowned’ ideals of modern beauty and success.

So how dose a woman cope with this kind of pressure. First of all I would encourage you to look for the middle ground, make health your aim, put down the gossip mags and in the wise words of venerable Gok Wan “start loving the skin your in”

A moment on the lips

I'm a somewhat happy go lucky 30 year old lass with a big round belly and fair distribution of fat I've accumulated through years of chocolate munching indulgences.

Oh yes, me and the Coco go way back, in fact we go so far back I think its fair to say ye'old Cocoa and I were bestest of friends. Loyal buddies with a bond so strong it would seam unbreakable! You see Chocky is very loyal and through out my life choclate never failed to be around. No matter where I am. No matter how I feel on the spectrum wheel that is my emotions. Looking back over my life chocolate has always been there with me, every step of the way, the whole entire time!

Weather my days were destined for bouts of delirious happiness, nervous stress, tear stained sadness, depression, ecstatic highs, deep lows or on the very verge of breakdown Chocolate never failed in it's loyalty to me and the dedication I returned was second to none. Yes, it’s fair to say Chocky was my loyalist friend. So loyal in fact it sticks around long after it needs to! Long after its delicious highs have faded and there in lies the problem.

However my Chocky pal who has seen me through the best and worst of times in fact isn’t at all what it’s cracked up to be…Despite its seemingly magical powers over me, despite its hyponastic beauty with its shiny, sparkling 'Willy Wonka' wrapped dreams, smooth sweet texture, deep sensual taste and it’s drug like, orgasmic promise of out of this world ecstasy.... It will only let you down and leave you feeling totally used! Well after Chockys addictive highs have faded from the lips and all is but a memory, a big fat reminder with a souvenir on the hips. Once your Chocky buzz has gone. Gone and left you feeling low, you’ll have its after effects to deal with for a long, long time…

It’s fair to say that I've become quite successful at storing fat! Very successful in fact! I’ve actually done so well in gobbling up Chocolate and storing it’s fat that if life’s successes were measured by my chocolate munching ways I’d be in for a noble piece peace prize type award in chocolate eating for my never failing dedication to the er..treat.

But life is just not like that and if I don’t wake up and put down the chocolate now, it will get the best of me. So I need to break the illusion, see through its false image and break the habit….

Chocolates not your friend. Repeat ‘CHOCOLATE IS NOT YOUR FRIND!’ Revelation? In reality Chocolate is actually an evil (EVIL) and highly addictive pile of fatty packed crappiness all wrapped up with a ninny, no minute artificial gleam of happy releasing endorphins to keep you going back for more. That’s 99% fatty crapy and 1% feel good buzz for a few seconds (SECONDS!!!!) How fair is that!!!! Not fair at all when you compare to 100% feel good facture in healthy eating and exercise…with the benefits of health AND beauty! Now that’s real power!

So Beware! Chocolate is the master of disguise full of false promise!
You’ll find it all wrapped up and smiling at you pretty much where ever you go. It comes in so many sophisticated and attractive disguises that it’s unreal… watch for those lovely looking home made cake’s with a cherry on top which looks so pretty and innocent….how could it possibly hurt me!!!! Well it can, it’s actually just a big pile of crap with fat you’ll have to carry around on your tummy for years!!!! Then there are the fruity ones: chocolate with raisin, chocolate orange, chocolate and nuts, chocolate mints, and all there to trick you. To fool you’re taste buds into thinking they taste healthy, how on earth could they be bad! There’s the Organics, fair-trade ‘help the world through chocolate’ stunt….the list is never ending so do beware and have your wits about you. Remember, no matter how pretty the chocolate roll is, it’s really not your friend!

No really! There aint no way you’ll be magically transported to some Bountiful Island or some James Bond type Romeo will creep through the window….and who eats in the bath anyways!!!!....

So that’s the root of my problem. But I am going to change it. Just watch me!
For those of you who are interested I’ve started a mission to revamp my life from the inside out with healthy eating, exercise and the quest to make the very best of my (reluctantly types) beauty. I’ll be documenting my progress right here…warts and all….and I’ll be learning a lot and passing whatever valuable tips onto you.

So follow the blog and be inspired…it’s going to be fun!!!!!