My Superhero Power is Running

My 9 year old's handy work

Why do I run?

This is a question I get asked frequently.  I had someone ask me and, before I could answer, they went into a list of reasons why they felt running was unhealthy for the body. I let them talk. Then it was my turn. 

     I run because I can. I run because I was always picked last in P.E. I run because I never made the mile time in high school and the coaches were asses about it. I run because every time I tried in the past it just seemed too hard. I run because I smoked for 10 years.  I didn't wake up one day with the ability to do what I can do now.  I have been conditioning and strengthening for almost a year now.  Every week I do a little more and push a bit harder. 

     I run because the little fat girl in me always wanted to be a bad ass. I am a bad ass now. I will push out of my comfort zone because I can. I am determined to be the best me I can be and for me being a runner means I have changed the health of my body inside and out.  Running is my middle finger to those who thought I would never transform myself, my body, and my life (that includes my past self!).  

People are going to have their opinions what they think someone should do as far as diet and exercise.  When something has worked for us personally we want to pass along the wisdom. We must try, however, to leave out the judgement of what someone else is doing. I wholeheartedly believe that a person needs to choose what works best for them.  Their body, their choice.  There are so many different options; we're not all going to following the same way of thinking.  I can live my life with the diet and exercise routine I have chosen. It may not be for everyone, I'm not doing on behalf of everyone, I am doing what I do for me. For me. The only person I have to answer too. 

Vintage Fashion with Curves

Style is not a reward for just the skinny. 

Style is a tool to showcase our beautiful bodies. 

There is no size requirement to rock style and class. 

    

     As a lover of fashion and all things vintage I was stoked 

when I discovered The Curvy Elle Shop & Blog. 

     This addictive store targets "curvy" or plus sized (starts at size 12) women that have a love for vintage fashions. Meet Laurel, the woman behind the store and the blog. She is a twenty something gal living in the San Fransico Bay area who lives and breaths fashion. She spent time living in New York working as a fashion designer. Laurel loves fashion, vintage, and bringing style to women everywhere.

  
  I ask Laurel what inspired her to create "The Curvy Elle": 

     "What inspired me to start a plus size vintage store is that it was an idea I had for a very long time in my head, but I never knew if it would actually work. I kept seeing "regular size" vintage shops and blogs out there and loved the idea, but there really wasn't anything out there for plus size. Add to that, the fact that I wanted to work in fashion, but I wasn't happy working in the New York fashion industry for someone else. I also wanted a way to inspire other plus size women to empower their fashion and self worth. Ultimately, it was a multitude of reasons."
   
  Laurel is a young lady with a dream that she is determined to accomplish. She stood out to me when I read the following from her bio on her blog; "Working in an industry that is so focused on appearance, it has definitely made it extra hard for me being plus sized. It takes guts of steal and strong self worth to make it. It may sound cliche, but I really want to make a difference in such a superficial industry. I want to show that there is substance out there and a large market for the “Curvy” woman." A strong, empowered woman with a mission to help women rock their bodies with style...I like her!

     I look forward to her posts in my newsfeed. She regularly posts new finds. She specializes in sizes 12+.  She is a treasure hunter on behalf of curves everywhere! 

Find her on Facebook  for fashion finds, style ideas, and a boost of figure confidence.