Singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor is a mother of four children. According to the Telegraph, this summer she garnered media buzz after a woman asked if she was pregnant again on a night out during which she decided to skip the Spanx. Ellis-Bextor maintains that there is nothing wrong with having a “tummy” after having children.
According to the Telegraph, she credits her mother with teaching her the body loved mentality. Sophie explains, “My mum banned the word diet in our house. She was such a good role model, and I’ve never believed in fads or weighing myself either. We like our food, but also like feeling good about ourselves. I genuinely enjoy the gym, and that feeling of being strong enough to run and jump on stage while I’m singing.”
She says that, while she does have a desire to feel like her healthiest self, she sees no reason to try to rush the process of changing her post-baby body or getting more fit. Sophie’s mentality surrounding food, fitness, and baby weight is refreshing and is a far cry from the Hollywood obsession with “getting your body back” after baby.
We love that her mother instilled in her the idea of health and balance rather than diet and weight loss. And Sophie’s Jennifer Garner-esque attitude of being at peace with a permanent post-baby tummy bump is a breath of fresh air. We should never feel obligated to “get back” the thinnest, or fittest, or youngest versions of our own bodies. Being healthy and strong is a wonderful feeling, but there is no one size of shape that defines health. Whether you have had children or not, your body will most likely change shape and size over time. Don’t consider it a bad thing. Just do your best to be healthy, whatever that means for you. Don’t compare your body to others’ bodies, or even to past versions of your own body.
