Jordyn Woodsis sharing her experiences with body image and body shaming in herfirst-ever YouTube video.
“I always grew up the bigger girl,” the 22-year-old model said, adding that even at a young age, it would be “the little things” that got to her, like shopping at the mall and not being able to fit into the same clothes as her classmates or “going to a pool party.”
“All the girls are in cute bikinis and I would just wear the big t-shirts because sis wasn’t feeling herself,” she said. “I wouldn’t even want to go to the pool party — that’s how much it would discourage me.”
“I was like, ‘Am I not pretty now?’ ” Woods recalled.
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Woods started relating to her body differently at 19. After her father died, she said the loss “ignited something within my body.”
“Even though it was probably the worst thing I’ve had to go through, I learned that the bad things that happen to you don’t have to define you,” she said. “That moment got me to the gym.”
“Gym became my therapy, gym became the thing I looked forward to and not only was it helping me emotionally, it was physically changing my body andmaking me feel better.”
Jordyn Woods.Jordyn Woods/ Youtube
Woods began “working out all the time,” and lost about 30 lbs. over the course of 5 months. However, as she began losing weight, she also received criticism online from people who accused her of no longerbeing body positive— which wasn’t the case.
“I think that body positivity is really loving the skin you’re in and wanting to be the best version of yourself, so yes, I’m body positive,” she said. “I’m kicking ass because I want to feel good and look good, and after something like that, you realize you can’t take your life for granted.”
Woods, who will be launching a health and fitness program in November, went on to share some helpful tips for others looking to kick start their own journeys.
“Don’t compare yourself to anyone else, you have to be consistent. Weight loss does not happen overnight, let me tell you,” she said.
“Working out it’s not only about looking good, it’s about feeling good,doing good for your bodyand when you do good for yourself you don’t want to do bad for other people,” she said.
source: people.com
