<img src="https://miro.medium.com/max/2400/1*KOWAy5kacNjdHBeoHB3Vgg@2x.jpeg"> 
“The biggest thing I do is just listen and pursue what makes me happy and feel my best. For me, that’s dancing a couple times a week because it makes me laugh and feel sexy. Or I do weight lifting because it makes me feel strong and badass. I know I feel better when I have more organic and fresh ingredients in my meals, so I make grocery shopping a fun adventure to try new fruits and veggies, or seek out interesting restaurants with locally-sourced ingredients to try on date nights. I make sure I’m spending a lot of me-time pursuing my goals and taking breaks when I need them.” 
 
 
— Alexandria Sundstrom 
 
<b>People in larger bodies don’t let their weight hold them back</b> 
“I grew up hearing, ‘you have such a pretty face,’ which only left me feeling ashamed of the rest of my body. It made me question my value as a person in this world. To stay healthy I don’t do anything differently than anyone else. I exercise when I can and I try to make better decisions about my health every day. I don’t let my weight hold me back from anything, or torture me into thinking I have to do something to be a better human.” 
<img src="https://tinyredshoes.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/screen-shot-2017-04-30-at-6-48-21-pm.png"> 
 
— Jessica Torres, fashion blogger and Instagram model 
 
<b>Health is just as much about how you can perform </b> 
“Showing is proving. When you are stronger and have more endurance than your thinner counterparts, that’s all the proof that is needed. For active people, their performance and ability are much more important than what they look like to others. Feeling good, having great skin, having energy from getting enough sleep, and eating well are their own rewards, rather than trying to compare a dress size.” 
<img src="https://dnevniq.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/odezhda-v-stile-stimpank-foto_39.jpg"> 
 
 
— Marianna Leung, curvy blogger and designer 
 
<b> Health is choosing quality of life over chronic dieting </b> 
“Back in college in 2001, I finally quit a lifetime of crash dieting, prescription diet pills, and disordered eating, mainly because I couldn’t take the heart palpitations anymore. All of that risky behavior was endorsed by family and doctors because at 5’1”, a size 12 is obese on the BMI scale. No matter how hard I tried I still never could get skinny enough to reach these arbitrary ‘beauty and health’ goals. 
 
At that time, I experienced chronic pain, blood pressure issues, and more legitimate health problem indicators than I do now. When I quit it all, I gained weight and made a decision to find a way to embrace my appearance for the first time rather than succumb to feelings of hatred and failure. My life has been much better ever since.” 
 
— Renee Cafaro 
 
<img src="http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Renee+Cafaro+yIoWPYn2Yk0m.jpg"> 
 
source: http://fas.st/M49mQ Plus Size magazin: Rose Gal.