Glamour Magazine’s Plus-Sized Nudes.

Plus-sized beauties go au naturel for Glamour’s November issue.

Photo: Matthias Vriens-McGrath for Glamour

I absolutely *love* the photo above, and applaud Glamour magazine for taking a proactive part in promoting healthier body images for women.

When I was underweight and actively eating disordered, I’m sure I would’ve seen the above photo much differently than I do now. What I see now elicits words like “healthy”, “normal” and “womanly”. I see life, power, and reality in this photo, and there’s nothing more real or beautiful than a genuine woman embracing herself and her uniquenesses both inside and out.

Now, if we could only get the fashion industry to change the phrase “plus-sized” to “normal woman” …     

Glamour’s Naked ‘Plus-Sized’ Models by Katie Hintz-Zambrano 

 Glamour’s Naked Plus-sized Models

A month ago, we reported on Glamour’s efforts to push the boundaries of accepted beauty norms with a photo shoot for its November issue featuring all plus-sized models — in the buff. And now, the picture we’ve all been waiting for: seven plus-size knockouts — Crystal Renn, Lizzie Miller, Amy Lemons, Ashley Graham, Kate Dillon, Anansa Sims and Jennie Runk — all showing off what their mamas gave them.

In the article accompanying the photograph (and yes, all the models actually ate the catered food at the shoot!), Glamour writer Genevieve Field discusses the fashion industry’s obsession with weight, explaining that any model over a size 6 is often considered plus-size because she’s too big for the designer samples that typically run from a size 0-4. Field also talks about the stigma associated with high-end designers producing garments over size 12, giving kudos to Michael by Michael Kors, Baby Phat and Isaac Mizrahi for Liz Clairborne — all brands that embrace size 14 and above.

As Glamour editor-in-chief Cindi Leive writes on her blog, the staff is completely behind the push for a “body image revolution,” which will include a commitment “to featuring a greater range of body types in our pages,” she writes, “including in fashion and beauty stories (traditionally the toughest areas for even the top ‘plus-size’ models to crack).” 

Glamour’s readers were torn between this new agenda to see more women like themselves in magazines versus the more idealized skinny versions … Where do you stand? … Plus, read about Glamour model Crystal Renn’s struggle with an eating disorder before becoming a plus-size model  in our Stylelist exclusive.

Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Tick Tock.

Looking at the photos of myself from when I was sick, I’ve come to expect the accompanying ache that results from the largest sense of loss in my lifetime – LOSS in capital letters. Lost time, lost years, lost youth, lost chances, lost moments just to be. Losses that have nothing to do with weight because these losses are real and therefore can’t be measured in pounds or inches.  

There are no available therapies that will recreate that lost time. There is no effective currency that can “buy” it back. We have what we have, when we have it. When we’re younger, we convince ourselves we’re immortal. When we’re young with eating disorders, we actually believe it.

As we spend each day steeped in denial about whatever it is that is so unacceptable we’re forced to take our bodies hostage, instead, the cards are further stacked against us. We lose more precious time. It doesn’t mean we’re doing it on purpose, or that we’re to “blame”, somehow. Even so, time is lost. Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock.

Thank goodness we have a magnificent, sparkling future-in-waiting, to make up for all the muck so far. However, no ones going to wrangle it up for us. That’s our job.     

Our lives pass in the blink of an eye. We never know how long we have. Wasting even one drop is very, very sad. That’s why, as soon as you can catch yourself and do something differently, something life-affirming and life sustaining, like planting a seed to grow this better life that awaits you, do it. Do it now. Do what you can. This is all about you, and you are so worth it.

Your twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty, seventy, eighty and hopefully ninety-year old Self will thank you profusely. You’re their hero, after all.

Dear <insert your age right now, here> Self,

I know things are tougher than tough for you right now, but I just wanted to thank you for sticking with it and battling through it. You know all those hopes and dreams you have for yourself? They really do come true.

None of it would’ve been possible without all you’re doing right now. I just wanted to write and thank you for toughing the tough stuff and never losing hope.

x0×0 from your older, wiser self that loves you more than you can fathom. We’ve come so far, and it’s all because of you. You rock!

I Wanted My Face Back.

I wanted my face back, my life back, my mind and my body back.

Everyone is generally born with these things. Why couldn’t I have them, too? Why not me?

Every photo from when I was ill shows a distorted face due to repeated purging, along with the sunken eyes and prominent cheekbones of active anorexia.

That look, instead of my own, became the norm.

Right before recovery, when I came full circle, the moment hinged upon the above realizations. I wanted to be myself, again, even if imperfect, no matter who that was or what she looked like. She’d been given to me like a gift. Life itself is a gift. I wanted to live in ways that honored that gift. 

My eight-year recovery anniversary fell on Christmas Day, 2008. The weekend before, I’d been searching for my misplaced driver’s license, which I finally found in my old purse. I stopped to look at the photo in the light, and there she was again, Miss Anorexia, her face thin and its outline distorted by swollen parotid glands.   

It was time for a new driver’s license photo. 

If you have to go to the MVD, Christmas Eve is one of the best times to go. Most people are merry and anticipating the holidays, and it’s so empty you’ll be thrilled at how fast you get in and out. I felt as excited as the day I’d received my license for the first time.

The photo looks just like me, now, the way nature intended me to look, and I’m so proud of it I can’t even tell you.

Back then, I didn’t believe I had what it took to fight my way out of an active eating disorder. I had so many things going against me. I loved the bones, loved the “no”, loved the power. 

But none of it was real, including the power. Eventually, I wanted real, beautiful reality, even as ugly or tough or imperfect as it may be. So I laid my burden down, and chose life.

It’s interesting how life waits for that very moment, no matter how long it takes to get there.