Body Image and other Random Thoughts

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Here's my thoughts. When I hit my teens, I started getting curves. Around my late teens, I went on the occasional diet regieme. I did this by being strict with my diet & powerwalking. Yes, I did lose weight, but I soon gained it back.
So now I'm 27years old, size 14(australian) bottoms & size 12 on top. I've got "child bearing hips" with a curvy butt & thighs. I'll never be a model, but who cares.
I ride my bike most days of the week. I ride 150-200Km a week. I get up at 7am on Sunday mornings to spend the morning on my bike. Last year I cycled my first supported week-long bike ride (560Km) & had a awesome time.
And just last week I was a full-time catering volunteer on the NSW Big Ride (supported bike ride). It's a nine day cycling holiday with a "tent city" at the end of each of day. Being a full-time volunteer means that my bike stayed at home all week. But, I managed to borrow a flat-bar road bike for a 65Km section of the ride.
Having just finished breakfast duty, I jumped on the bike & 3 hours later I was at the next campsite (at a 23km average). People whom I had been serving food all week were surprised to see me. I was passing other riders & hitting 30km on the flats. Maybe it was because my legs were fresh, or maybe it was the tail-wind, or maybe the lighter bike, but I've never felt so good on a bike. Oh, and other people were surprised to find out that yes, I can ride & I'm not that bad at it either.
Cycling is the one sport in which I have some abililty. And I have a greater appreciation for my body (somewhere in those curves, there's muscle).
I can put on lycra, over those curves, and not feel too self-consious. How cool is that!