‘Did it ever occur to you ‘fat’ is not a feeling?’: Woman urges ‘you deserve to love your body’

“’I feel fat.’ Have you ever said those words? I’ve definitely heard it come out of the mouths of women of all shapes and sizes countless times in my life (including my own, of course).

Did it ever occur to you ‘fat’ is not a feeling? Having fat inside your body is something everyone has, and it’s definitely not an emotion.

So when you say those words, what REALLY is the feeling? Unworthy? Unloved? Inferior? Excluded? Not good enough? Out of control? A failure?

When you think about it that way, how silly is it that enjoying a certain food or having a roll in your bathing suit when you sit down can make you feel those things? And how silly that the way our body looks prevents us from living wholly in so many ways?

Mom of two smiles big in a blue one-piece bathing suit for a picture with her son while at the beach — Courtesy of Jessi Wagner

I’m not saying it’s easy to snap your fingers and unlearn everything you’ve been taught about hating yourself and your body, but I am saying, if you’ve ever said those words in any context – maybe it’s time to explore it.

You deserve to feel good. You deserve to love your body and yourself, unconditionally. You deserve to live fully and not let anything stand in the way of your happiness.”

Family of four take fall-themed photos together while standing in brown leaves outside — Courtesy of Jessi Wagner

This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Jessi Wagner of Pittsburgh, PA. You can follow her journey on Instagram and Facebook. Be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories.