Summer 2010 Stone Harbor, NJ (I'm 2nd to last on the right) I love you all, don't kill me for this throwback...

I was definitely never ready for this jelly
(a point for you if you know where that song is from). 

Curvy, small waisted, but always a little fuller.
I am what they call "pear-shaped".
Small on top, big on the bottom.

It definitely takes time to get used to your body and I don't think any of us get to a point of fully loving every aspect of our bodies.

I was always the bigger one around my group of friends.
Big hips, dark features, and hair that would be perfect for the 80's.
Unfortunately, it's not the 80's.
My big curly hair, also reminiscent of a lion's mane, must be tamed.

Essentially, I was a total stand out.
And at the time, definitely not in a good way.

High school was interesting to say the least. 
I was surrounded by straight-hair and thin bodies that fit into fitted Hollister t-shirts and size 0 Abercrombie jeans.

Did I fit in? Nope.
And I definitely did not fit into those tight, size 0 Abercrombie jeans without ripping those seams and shattering the CEO's ideal customer, that's for sure.

To me, I was the Ugly Betty, the Mia Thermopolis, or the Gracie Lou Freebush before she won Miss Congeniality.
Knowing how to dress and boys liking me were just not my thing.

Thankfully, I lost about 15lbs with the help of Seventeen Magazine and sports, ditched the braces, discovered the power of makeup, and learned how to properly straighten my hair when I didn't feel like wearing my hair au natural or look like I had just walked out of an 80's music video.

Summer 2013

I am now a vegetarian (4 years going strong), sometimes pescatarian (Salmon is da bomb), and active on a daily basis.
I eat healthier, learned how to work out effectively, and keep myself in check (most of the time).
I love to eat and a lot at that. So pizza, cake, cookies, and anything with frosting on it are just a few of my food addictions.
I learned to eat what I want but also make sure I burn it off.
I'd love to have a flat tummy, toned biceps, and slim thighs. Sure, why not. But that's a tad too superficial.
Personally, I would rather feel good about myself and be healthy regardless of what I see on that dreaded scale.

Spring Break 2014

I've learned to embrace the Latina in me and the physical attributes that come with being one. 
Before, I wanted to be like Blake Lively or Lauren Conrad. But let's be honest, do I have that body type or hair...um no.
I'd much rather take cues from curvy women like Sofia Vergara or Jennifer Lopez.



It takes time to lose weight, change your habits, and embrace the body you have. But it's worth it.

I will continue to appreciate my body and the "cake", as they call it nowadays, that I was inherited.

Photo Credit:  My amazing best friend Sarah