Shareefa J for Stylist Magazine “Even after 10 years working as a plus-size model and an ambassador for self-acceptance, I can’t look at my weight on the scales. Training for a bike ride recently, I needed to weigh myself before and after each session to calculate my sweat rate, which would then tell me how many electrolytes I needed to carry with me to stay hydrated on the ride. I knew it was purely a performance thing, but I had to ask my sister to look at the scales for me, because I know seeing those numbers will make me feel like there’s some worth attached to them. The idea that it’s a measuring stick for my attractiveness could still creep into my mind. I’m a size 18. I’m 170cm tall. I’m a big person who can’t fit into conventional clothing, and I’m also very athletic. I just did a 100-mile bike ride, I ran the London Marathon, I’ve done a super sprint triathlon. I’m so much healthier than I was when I was a size 8, but in the society we live in I’m constantly having to prove and justify that to everyone, including myself.” @shareefa_j @stylistmagazine @alixkwalker1 @tomgormer @meenalexander @miss_malby @katbrownwrites @lucyparts @hollykbullock_ @helenrollerskates