With summer in full swing now, you’re either working to get the summer body society says you must have, or you’ve joined the “Summer is going to get whatever body I give it” club. I am personally a member of the latter. While I work to maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating well and exercising, gone are the days of obsessing over my physical flaws and imperfections, as the time for embracing them has most definitely arrived!
To encourage you and millions of women around the world that being authentically you is more important than any number your jean size reflects or any number the scale presents, BABG brings you a list of badass body positive influencers who love you just the way you are and who want YOU to love you, too. Whether you’ve got a dumbbell in your hand, a slice of pizza—or BOTH—all sizes are welcome here. Come bravely. Come confidently. Come lovingly. Just come.
1. Olakemi Obi
Founder of the Plus Is Diverse Campaign and plus-size curve model for J’adore Models,
Olakemi Obi is a champion of the plus-size community who works to change the negative
plus-size narrative and transform how plus-size individuals are perceived in society and the
media. Her message to all women is, “…every woman needs to know that her body is
beautiful [and her] body is a beach body because we are all individually and uniquely
made. All our imperfections are perfect to us.”
2. Tamara Pridgett
Tamara Pridgett is both genuine and authentic. She’s a multi-talented and multi-faceted
athlete, trainer, fitness model, wellness advocate, writer, and editor. She’s self-described as,
“Direct. Smart. Opinionated. Goofy. Slightly awkward. Determined. Ambitious. And most
importantly, someone who’s confident with who they are,” and her encouraging instruction for
anyone and everyone is a reminder to “never live a should’ve-could’ve-would’ve life.”
3. Stephanie Yeboah
Stephanie Yeboah doesn’t hold back as she offers an inside look at navigating her life
experiences, including racism and fat-phobia at the intersection of being a Black, plus-sized
woman. Stephanie’s belief is, “Body types shouldn’t have to come in and out of fashion, and
just because my body or yours isn’t what is currently seen as the accepted trend, it doesn’t
mean we should wait around until it is. It’s not your job to be beautiful, and when you stop
equating the ideal body with happiness, it makes it a little easier to love yourself completely.”
4. Lita Lewis
Beautiful both inside and out, Lita Lewis is a wife, bonus mom, fitness and wellness coach
and retreat host, as well as a trainer and the designer of Thick Athletics Apparel. When
she’s not executing a killer workout, she’s encouraging and uplifting women everywhere. Lita
is “an active participant in changing the narrative around what it is to be a strong woman,”
and that makes her worth the follow!
5. CeCe Olisa
Founder of The CurvyCon, CeCe Olisa's mantra is, “Don’t wait on your weight to live the
life you want.” CeCe is a blogger-turned-entrepreneur with a passion for body positivity as it
encourages curvy individuals to live life at whatever size they are currently alive and able to
live it. She is full of tips and advice on fashion, dating, and fitness—all through a plus-size
lens.
6. Shana Minei Spence
Shana Minei Spence is a registered dietician and nutritionist with a non-diet approach
who always has a message with a smile. Instead of promoting diet culture and calorie-
deficient eating styles, Shana promotes her body-positive, “healthy-at-every-size” (HAES)
outlook accompanied with an abundance of motivational self-love content that is both
uplifting and empowering. She’s on a mission to dispel as many toxic and unhelpful myths
and rumors associated with health, body weight, and eating as possible, and warns
individuals to “be careful of wellness companies that say they’re promoting health yet are still
trying to get your body smaller.”
Whether you’re a size 0 or a size 22, the goal is to love the body you have at every size and in every condition you’re alive to love it. Our bodies are with us through our greatest triumphs and our deepest sorrows, simply showing up to help us be the best we can be. So, while mainstream society and media may be raving about “summer bodies” and the latest diet fad, know you don’t have to subscribe to any of that. You are you, and that’s your superpower!
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Meloni Capria is a Wisconsin native who currently resides in Texas with her wife, 10-year-old son, and their three pet Yorkies. Her professional background is in Secondary Education and English Language Arts and Reading. She currently serves in the role of Editorial Assistant at Mango Publishing Group and is a collaborative partner at DOPE Publishing. She enjoys writing, watching movies, and all things related to marriage, parenting, and family.