The Big FAT Book of Self-Love Book Launch

I’ve been writing from a perspective I’ve been through my entire life. I was never the pretty girl, the girl with an obvious girl stache (mustache) and I was the chubby girl as well – till now honestly.

Growing up I’ve been told If I were to lose the extra pounds I would get acknowledge for a lot of things-  If I was thin I would be upfront for a special part in a production number,  bag some awards If I look the part and a boy told me I was perfect but it was my SIZE  that seems to be the problem. – ang sakit noh.

I can deal with not being the pretty girl  because I am more than that! (Sabi ng  nanay ko, pag may brain ka- yayaman ka pwede ka magpaganda tapos ang beauty can never enhance the brain)  and the mustache I had (Thanks to threading and waxing). I’ve been teased by my guy friends “Nagbibinata ka ba?” – atleast they were honest,  then summer of 2009 came when I decided to shaved the mustache plus thread my bushy eyebrows.

Since that I hated the idea, why should beauty be IDEAL? I grew up abroad where women with curves are appreciated  but in a Filipino community, sadly has a standard of beauty which I HATED SO MUCH. I lived a fair amount of time here in the Philippines, I love it but I just hate how people can be judgmental,  how dare they can body-shame other girls (not just the fat girls) and have a set of standards for  beauty- Dapat payat, maputi, flawless, may boobs, may pwet wahhhh! – Kayo na perfect!

My weight has been a YOYO,  (I gain- I lose) so here is my weight loss story,  I lost weight during Grade 5( Thanks to braces) then stated gaining again and during my  2^nd-3^rd year in college (Thanks to my gym trainers for pushing me, I am grateful to my gym trainers  – 5 years gym member here). Well I admit I really loved the praises and attention, I got boys attention too  but I seem to attract the WRONG ones (At that age, I realized the difference between a BOY and a MAN)

When I stopped working out to focus on my 4^th year and board exam that’s when I started to gain because of stress-eating. To be honest, when I was thin I couldn’t focus properly  because the need  to diet and kinda deprived myself a whole lot that time. Now I’m not that active, metabolism starts to slow down. That’s why I try to maintain my gym membership and its better to start young as much as possible basta maging ACTIVE and PRODUCTIVE. I don’t really advice students  to do super crash diets, “kasi nag-aaral pa kayo”– You need brain food and not too much sugar.  Exercise atleast when you have time and eat healthy.

I’m glad that Danah and Stacy started this advocacy and body love movement. To  be honest women are beautiful no matter what, It matters what you are the INSIDE. FINALLY ! The big FAT book of self love is here 🙂

Discalimer: To those who know me, and I know I promote fitness and health since I am a Nurse and I’ll be honest,  I am currently on a journey to lose atleast 10 pounds, I have my personal reasons  but that didn’t stop me for loving my flawsome body. If you wanna eat, EAT and If you want to lose weight, DO IT but RIGHT, Exercise and a healthy balanced meal. I know a lot of girls way back before who don’t eat and skipped meals, well HELLO ULCER!. Do what makes you HAPPY, Just love your body and give it the love it deserves. I admit even though I shed some weight off, I am still a big bone girl- and that’s okay.

Like the twins said in the book, “Our bodies are not just ornaments to prettify, but instruments to use so we can boldly live life and achieve dreams that are bigger than coveting a 24-inch waistline or weighing less than a hundred pounds”.

It doesn’t mean when you’re FAT, automatically unhealthy, there are other people with normal weight can have high cholesterol levels and others due to their genetic makeup and lifestyle. Look at Ashley Graham (Designer/Model) she works out to be healthy and to accentuate her curves.

Upon reading this book, I just can’t put it down( YES I HAD MY YELLOW SHARPIE READY FOR HIGHLIGHTING ) because how relatable it is and how inspiring for us BIG girls that at the end of the day we must love ourselves and we are definitely BEAUTIFUL.

Stacey’s Open Letter to the Plump Pinays was the first one I read -I seriously needed that boost. Plus Danah’s letter to the Moms and Dads out there was a tear jerker for me. Another fave chapter of mine is Danah’s #DiKaCheapTeh memes. I really like this reminder, “How you treat yourself sets the standards of how others will treat you….. The only validation you need in order to be happy comes from you” –Stacy.

The Big FAT Book of Self Love is the brainchild of Danah and Stacey Gutierrez of Plump.ph, I’ve seen the two before at an event of DIVA, they were explaining at the event the purpose of their advocacy and I was like “Hindi sila mataba” and till  then I find them gorgeous and inspiring women I look up to. It’s nice to have a support system that understand  girls like me. When I got an invite for the book launch at Raffles Makati, I was  so ecstatic and happy for them. Finally a book promoting “body love” here in the Philippines.

Do I recommend this book, OFCOURSE! I have friends asking me since they saw my post about the book. The book will be available at any National Bookstores and for the Provincial areas along September.Just head over Plump.ph social media pages for updates. I heard the books are selling like pancakes, Congrats twins and ABS-CBN Publishing! For a price of P245 in colored glossy pages and text-heavy love & wisdom for the Plump Pinays and women of all sorts of shapes and sizes. (There is a chapter dedicated about real life flawsome pinays)

The book offers chapters from advises on what to wear base on your body type and how to do make-up according to the shape of your face. How the twins embraced acceptance and their personal backstories that we could learn from. There is this chapter where Stacey put up a poster around her previous workplace about the FAT STIGMA and the twins shared their experiences with cyber bullies and how they dealt with the people’s usual side comments.

I hope this book would serve as a reminder and hopefully an instrument in order the Filipino community can learn to accept different body norms, BE OPEN –MINDED and having beauty standards is just superficial and shallow. Parents should be the role models of teaching their kids that they are great in their own way and not to judge others because on how they look. We are a country of mostly Catholic and Christians, God says that all of his creations are BEAUTIFUL.

GIRLS, for me I’ve surrounded myself with good people who know my worth and be better. Can’t handle anymore toxicity and negativity then when I hear something not praise worthy, LABAS SA KABILANG TENGA-Confidence lang yan beh , learn to defend yourself and be the better mature person. It’s your BODY and it’s your CHOICE. And remember we are all BEAUTIFUL and complement others too, to remind them that they are also beautiful 🙂