Bullying At School
Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, 32-year-old John Savoia was overweight ever since he was little child. It was precisely because of this that he was constantly teased throughout school.
"When I was a child, I was bullied for my weight or inability to do physical things. That was when I realized I was different in this way", Savoia recalls. This made him feel nothing but shame.
Ashamed Of His Body
Not only did he feel ashamed of his overall size, but also of the "fat lump" on his neck that he would always try to cover with his school uniform.
"I remember being very self-conscious. I would always tug my t-shirts forward because I always had this fat lump on my neck and I obsessed over it from a very young age", Savoia remembers. But how long did the bullying last?
Emotional Wounds
Savoia suffered from bullying basically at every school he went to. This painful experience left deep emotional wounds that greatly undermined his self-esteem.
By the time he graduated from school, he weighed over 250 pounds and wore an XXL. "My size was always a source of low self worth and low self confidence", he admitted. This being said, can you guess what his greatest fear was?
Self-Loathing
Trapped in a vicious cycle of self-hatred, Savoia was convinced he was doomed to a lonely, loveless existence. "I always felt I was never meant to be in love or no one would find me attractive". he painfully admitted.
"The longer it went the more cemented in my heart it seemed that this was my future - to be a lonely, fat, ugly loser", Savoia confessed. But soon, a silly accident ended turning his life around.
Newfound Hobby
In 2006, Savoia completed a few months of bed rest after breaking his leg. I know what you're thinking: how on earth is this relevant?
While recovering from his injury, he developed a new hobby: photography. From the comfort of his bed, he started experimenting with a point-and-shoot camera and realized he was actually good at taking snaps. This new hobby of his was about to change his life for good.
Passion For Portraiture
After his long recovery, Savoia started taking pictures of the outside world and he eventually began experimenting with portraiture as well.
Worried that his images were too shabby, he practiced by taking selfies on timer. Never would have he imagined that talking pictures of himself would constitute such a mind-blowing experience.
Facing His Own Body
As Savoia shared in a recent interview, his first series of self-portraits was actually the first time he ever faced his own body. As he took a liking for self-portraiture, he learned to love his own body along the way.
In his own words, "That was really the first time I confronted my own image in a way that was deeper than just seeing my reflection". But this was only the beginning of a long journey!
A New Self
Savoia acknowledges that photography helped him turn his life around. "It gave me something I felt I was good at", he commented. But not only did it boost his self-esteem; it also changed the way he related to others.
"Not just the portraiture or exposure therapy of seeing myself but a way I could connect to people. From behind the lens it didn't seem so intense", he added. What's Savoia up to now?
Plus-Sized Model
After having specialized in the art of self-portraiture for a few years, Savoia has become one of the very few famous plus-sized models out there.
As he has recently stated, his goal is to promote body positivity by making people understand that there's nothing wrong with being fat. Here's what he said in one of his latest interviews.
Radical Change
Savoia recently admitted that binge-eating has always been his weakness. "For years, rather than restrict or diet or exercise to excess, I would eat my feelings in sadness".
But while his eating habits used to trigger a feeling of self-loathing, he's now learned to be cool with it. "Now I'm in a place where I can see it's totally fine to eat whatever I want because being fat is not bad", he said.
Promoting Happiness
At the same time, Savoia has received some backlash since many people claim he promotes unhealthy eating habits. Here's what he commented on the issue.
Savoia doesn't feel he promotes any specific type of diet; all that he advocates for is happiness and self-love. "My body does what I want it to do and I treat it well. I am so much happier in myself", he claimed. His aim is for other people to embrace their bodies no matter their size.
Ups And Downs
Let's not be fooled: even though Savoia has grown into a confident, self-assured man, he does experience his ups and downs just like any one of us.
"There are shades of grey and moments when I feel shame and self loathing, but I know on the whole I am so much more comfortable in my skin", the photographer said. Slide next if you wanna hear about another equally inspiring story!
The Fat One
Leah Stanley is the youngest of four siblings, yet she's the only plus-size in the family. Back in her early teenage years, all of her school mates started labeling her as "the fat one".
"I was always different. Children never ever referred to me as plus-size back then, it was always "fat", Leah recalls. Just like in Savaia's case, the bullying she experienced undermined her self-confidence.
She Felt Unnatractive
Leah will never forget the fact that nobody wanted to be her friend at school because of her size. Partly as a consequence of that, she grew up thinking that men would never feel attracted to an "over-sized" body like hers.
"During school, I never really had a high school boyfriend and boys never looked at me growing up", she recalls. However, you won't believe how much her life changed ever since then!
The Tables Are Turned
A few years ago, Leah launched her own fashion blog and also decided to give modeling a try. Taking up modeling was was a truly groundbreaking experience for her, and here's why.
According to Leah, modeling gave her the confidence that she very much needed and for the first time she began feeling attractive. "A lot of guys want a plus-size babe - and if they say they don't, they probably secretly do,' said Leah
Newfound Confidence
Leah still has her ups and downs like everyone else. "It's totally normal to have days that come with a little battle. I've woken up and changed my outfit four times because it didn't look right. The next day I'll wake up and put on one of the outfits I tossed aside the day before", she said.
But in spite of this, she truly feels proud of her body. "I always struggled with my arms and thighs, so it wasn't until recent years that I started to ditch cardigans and wear shorts at the beach", she said. Guess what she said in once of her most recent interviews!
Conscious Eating
Leah confessed that she no longer worries about her weight all the time. "I'm not even sure what my current weight is. People often compromise their mental health to obsess over a number and I'm not doing that", she pointed out..
In her view, instead of growing obsessed about your weight, what's important is to .follow a healthy diet "I know when I'm eating poorly and when I'm not exercising. I don't need a scale to tell me that. I know when to make changes without constantly knowing my weight", she explained.
New Lifestyle
Leah has introduced some changes in her lifestyle, starting with the fact that she started working out. "My regime changes daily but most mornings I start with a walk with my Bernese mountain dog, and I almost always do my make-up on a daily basis", she shared.
While doing exercise used to be a burden for her, she now genuinely enjoys it. "I do it completely for myself. It's another outlet for me", she admitted. But what is she up to now? Slide on and find out!
Model Instagrammer
Not only is Leah a famous plus-size model, but she's also become a popular Instagrammer. In just a few years, she's amassed nearly 100,000 followers. Beat that!
In her words, her main goal as a model is to encourage other women to feel proud of their bodies, no matter their size. "I want to break standards and be a role model. Growing up, I didn't have a positive plus-size role model to look up to. It's really important to be that person", she said.
Spreading Love
At the end of the day, Leah feels that her mission in life is to spread love and positivity. "I want to inspire and encourage people to discover who they are, to be their best and true self. Live life because we only get one", she shared.
"What I'm promoting is love and respect - there is no weight limit on that, regardless of a person's size. Bodies like mine need to be seen and accepted", she concluded. Loud and clear!