Who wore it best???

Hi, I’m Dina and I love allllllll things fashion! I love looking thru clothing mags, PeopleStyle is like my fave all-time mag, I LOVE when they do “Who Wore it Best” comparisons, AND I LOOOOOOOOOVE watching shows like What Not to Wear and Fashion Runway! Oh, AND, I love to find looks on Pinterest and re-create them for myself inexpensively (I totally have not had enuf time lately to do this last one but it’s soooooo fun! Here’s a look I recreated a while back with a pair of Levi’s, striped tank top on sale at JCPenney and a cheapo necklace from Old Navy!)

You’ll find out if you keep reading what inspired this blog post but one of the things I’m gonna poke a little fun at myself about is “Who Wore it Best.”But first, check these out!!!

So, seriously?!?! Who else LOVES these like I do???? Obvi some of these are just for fun but I LOVE the “real” ones where it’s like red carpet events and two or more celebrities have the same dress or outfit on lol! I could look at them for hours….but I digress. I promise I’m going somewhere with this lol.

(Have I mentioned I wanna write a book? Well, I wanna write a book. But, part of the thing that holds me back is that I’m kinda all over the place in my thoughts and my writing style….and I probably put too much together in one blog post…so I often ask myself how could I possibly put a book together and make it flow lol?!? So, just a warning that that’s totally about to happen again today! ha.)

In the past few months, I realized that I was maybe hiding behind this blog. I’ve been very vulnerable and transparent since I started this thing. But, I started to realize (after someone else suggested it was maybe happening lol) that while I was opening myself up on here, I wasn’t always doing the same on my other social media outlets….Facebook & Instagram (@fitstrongpink) specifically. I was defensive in the moment. I thought, dagnabbit, if anything, I almost think I’m TOO transparent and honest on my social media!! But, after taking a step back, I realized they were TOTALLY right.

It’s one thing for me to write whatever I want here. And, to share whatever pics I want to. It’s my blog. My personal space. A lot of people couldn’t and will never even find this “safe” little place of mine lol! And, when I share the link to it on FB, I have no doubt most people just scroll right on by and never click to actually even see what I’m sharing.

So, yes, it’s another thing for me to write and share AND include a pic just like I would in a blog post RIGHT onto social media where everyone (think ex-boyfriends!!!!!!!!!! lol) AND their DOG can easily see it.

But, to keep inline with not playing it safe anymore…..with sharing the REAL me…..in the hopes of continuing to heal through it and in the hopes of inspiring someone else out there to find their fight like I did, lately I started sharing more REAL and RAW things RIGHT on social media.

Like me in a new bikini….earlier tonight.

If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I’ve had a goal of competing in a fitness (aka a BIKINI) competition. I’ve set the goal a few times and the next competition date is in June. I have more to share on that but I’m working on a separate blog post for the rest of the story.

But, it’s scary shit!

It’s never been a goal I set just to HAVE a goal!

I truly like to set goals that scare the shit out of me!

Because I don’t think we grow when we play small.

But, it’s been a rocky competition prep road to say the least lol.

In the past year, I’ve been recovering from a crazy IUD experience (if you’re new here, you can read about it HERE). I’ve been “diagnosed” with a PCOS-like metabolism. I have a new but official diagnosis of IBS-D. And, both PCOS & IBS cause a lot of bloating and potential weight loss resistance. I’ve been prescribed about 10 different medications to help combat both conditions…..all of which have had varying degrees of side effects. AND, I’m a recovering binge-eater and battle emotional eating (EVERY FREAKING EMOTION btw ~ not just when I’m sad or stressed ~ i also celebrate and reward myself with…..you guessed it food) who honestly still fights this EVERY DAMN DAY. And, even though I’m not binging like I have in the past, I still haven’t fully overcome emotional eating. Some days I win. Some days I learn.

And, if you’ve followed me for a while, you likely know I’m a Beachbody Coach! A, currently and for most of my coaching journey, plus-size Beachbody Coach. In these past 4-1/2 years as a coach, I haven’t always been able to embrace that I’m a plus-size coach. But, in the past year of this, I’ve actually found peace with it and realized I have an awesome opportunity JUST as I am and RIGHT where I’m at.

I freaking love being a coach! For so many reasons….at the top is connecting with and helping people achieve their health & fitness goals. And, somewhere in the middle, being rewarded with ah-mazing trips. ‘cuz this girl LOVES to travel….and LOVES the water and the sun even more lol!

Soooooooo, every year, BB offers an incentive of a trip if we help enough people get started on their health & fitness journeys! So far, I was able to take my sister as my free guest to Cancun, Daryn, B & I got to go on a Caribbean cruise (B absolutely LOVED that cruise and can’t wait to go again! It really was the trip of a lifetime for us!) and in April, I get to take my bestie, Lisa, to Riviera Maya!! (My hubby is not really the lay around on a beach or by a pool type and just do nothing…..and that’s EXACTLY my plan….and the timing of this year’s trip isn’t good for him, so he opted out and told me to bring whoever I wanted! I’m just lucky Lisa pretty much loves what I love.)

THIS is where you can find us April 19th thru the 24th lol!!!
I’ve kinda already picked out my lounge chair and I will fight someone for it if I have to..

Ha, probably one of those things that a lot of women dread…..trying on swimsuits….especially in the middle of winter if you live somewhere cold…like ND….where you’re all white and pasty unless you spray or fake tan or tan in tanning beds lol.

Anyhoo, I saw a SUPER cute bikini on a FB pop-up ad and it was only $30, so I ordered it and got it yesterday.

I tried it on right away and absolutely LOVE it!!

And, THEN, I shared the pic on my IG & FB stories (if you’re not following us there, you should totally come watch us do life 🙂 ) and my FB fitness page before I talked myself out of it AND to be sure that I stay in the game (‘cuz in all honesty, I was about to throw in the towel with my current fitness program last week ‘cuz it and life were getting really hard lol. I didn’t QUIT. I did change some things up, tho. #staytuned).

So, yes, I can tell you, it wasn’t an easy thing to do.

I mean, I’m not naive…..I’m 5’7″ and almost 200 lbs. and without something like a DEXA scan to tell me for sure, the last time I checked with suggested methods, I was at like 40% body fat.

So, no, I don’t have the “typical” bikini body.

But, here’s the deal…..

I need to share pics like that for me…..for accountability….’cuz I can tell you that sharing that and then thinking about me going in the opposite direction again isn’t fun and it’s serious motivation to stay in the game.

And, I also think I need to share pics like that for other women!

I want to show other women who maybe struggle that they can learn to love the skin they’re in!

I want to show other women who maybe struggle that their weight does not define them!

I want to show other women who maybe struggle that if they don’t find #selflove at EVERY size, they won’t find it at their smallest size!

I want to show other women who maybe struggle that if they wanna wear a bikini to WEAR A FUCKING BIKINI! And, ROCK THE SHIT OUT OF IT! (Yes, I’m a Jesus girl but I do swear a little.)

So, yes, I shared that pic of me….ALL OF ME….on social media for the whole world to see.

And, ya know what?

I got a lot of support and encouragement and it really made me feel like I got this thing! I really do think there is strength in numbers and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE and am so BLESSED and GRATEFUL for my followers who support me and my journey for the right reasons.

But, I also had a hater stop by on my fitness page.

And comment on my post……”Not very attractive.”

Did I mention I’m not naive and I haven’t lost my mind posting that pic??

I totally get that putting myself out there like this is opening the door to negative comments. And, I totally get that I will lose some of my followers for my openness, for my vulnerability and honestly just because of who I am. I’ve actually lost a lot followers and friends on all platforms since I started being even more real, raw and transparent. And, I’m certainly not going to call-out every hater I ever have lol….

But, you know what? While part of me can’t help but question maybe this is just too much….maybe I better dial it back in….maybe I better NOT wear a bikini anywhere except maybe my whirlpool tub….I went back to one of my fave quotes by Wayne D. Dyer….

I would rather be hated for who I am than loved for who I’m not.

The truth is you will be too much for some people…..but those are not YOUR PEOPLE!

So, maybe I don’t fit society’s view of “attractive” in a bikini. I certainly didn’t meet my hater-lady’s view of it lol. And, maybe no one will vote me “who wore it best” lol (see below!)….AND, maybe linkshe.com isn’t gonna be knocking down my door to model for them…..(I did hesitate to do this ‘cuz I didn’t wanna degrade myself BUT if you don’t know me, I should tell you that I have a seriously DRY sense of humor….I could watch movies like Airplane and Naked Gun over and over….AND I love to make a little fun of myself from time to time…. ‘cuz seriously guys, if we can’t laugh at ourselves, what are we even doing here?) 

But, for the first time in my life, I’m FUCKING proud of my body. I’m loving myself from the inside out. I’m stronger than I’ve ever been. And, I’m gonna FUCKING ROCK that bikini in Mexico because…..I CAN! So, you know who wore it best?!?! WE BOTH DID!!!!!!!!!! I mean, she’s hoTT…….obvi. I’m giving her SERIOUS PROPS for wearing it best!!!…..and THEN I’m gonna go right ahead and give the same props for myself.

The days are long but the years are short my friends!!!!!!!!!

WEAR THE FUCKING BIKINI ALREADY!
EAT THE FUCKING CUPCAKE!
QUIT THE JOB YOU DESPISE!
LEAVE THE TOXIC RELATIONSHIP YOU’RE IN!
STOP SETTLING FOR LESS THAN!
AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, START LOVING YOURSELF FOR WHO YOU ARE INSTEAD OF BEING PARALYZED BY WHO YOU’RE NOT.

(p.s. If you love the suit like I do, click HERE or on the image above! They have a TON of cute suits if you don’t like this one!! I’m 195 lbs., 5’8″, a 38DD cup and I have a size large on. I’m guessing an XL would fit right now but I’m determined to make this fit better in the next 57 days before Mexico! I’ve ordered several things from LINKSHE.COM and had good luck so far and their prices are very reasonable! Shipping isn’t super fast so make sure you order long enuf in advance if you really need something by a certain date and to give yourself time to return if it doesn’t fit right! OR do what I often do and order a size up and/or down and send what doesn’t fit back!)

Cheers!

Dina