Curvy lady Sarah Sapora is all ready for bikini season. And with her new beach photos, she's encouraging other plus-size women to embrace the skin they're in. "Want to know something? Sit down for this, because this overweight, 38-year-old woman is about to drop a truth bomb on you," she wrote on her blog. "Ready? That hiding? That anxiety you feel about who you are and what you look like? That fear you have that people are looking and going to laugh at you for dreaming big, being bold, or colouring outside the lines? It’s bananas." Clad in a printed blue and white bikini, Sapora shared the photos with her 31k Instagram followers Wednesday, confessing that this was the first time she had worn a string bikini in nearly 25 years. This was an absolute first for me as an adult. Are you ready for the picture flood? Because I am so damn proud…The last time I wore a low-rise bikini, I was thirteen years old at “fat camp.” It wasn’t even mine; I borrowed it from a counselor and wore it just long enough to lay on a towel by the tennis court during rest period for 45 minutes that single summer day. Someone snapped a photo of it. I remember seeing it once, but that’s it… It’s taken me 25 years to feel that free in my body again. This is my new @lanebryant bikini. The kind of bikini I never thought I would wear. And now here I am. A size 22. And more comfortable, more balanced, and more joyful than I have ever been in my entire life. We get one turn around this dance floor, folks. There comes a time in your life when you realize it’s time to play the music YOU like, and dance like nobody's watching. Or like everyone is watching. Except if anyone is heckling, you don’t care because you’re too busy moving and shaking and living and laughing to be noticed. Brand new on the blog today! Lost more pics from this set and the FULL story of why you should PLAY BIG and show up in your own life without apology!!! If this post resonates with you, please click on the link in my bio for the FULL message and how and why its important that we truly allow joy into our life. #BeGreater #Sponsored A post shared by Sarah (@sarahsapora) on Apr 26, 2017 at 10:05am PDT "The last time I wore a low-rise bikini, I was thirteen years old at 'fat camp,'" she confessed. "It wasn’t even mine; I borrowed it from a counsellor and wore it just long enough to lay on a towel by the tennis court during rest period for 45 minutes that single summer day. Someone snapped a photo of it. I remember seeing it once, but that’s it… It’s taken me 25 years to feel that free in my body again." Her audience was left feeling inspired and empowered by the bloggers ode to self-love, and made sure to let her know. "You look so amazing!!!" a user replied. "Seriously convinced me that I need a string bikini this summer!" "Omg, what an eye opener this article is for me," another commented on the blog post. "You described how I am feeling to a T. And I never realized that is what I was doing. Thank you so much for opening my eyes." In a few of the photos, Sapora posed with a "male friend" and explained the significance of this to Yahoo! Style. Want to know something? Sit down for this, because this overweight, 38-year old woman is about to drop a truth bomb on you. Ready? That hiding? That anxiety you feel about who you are and what you look like? That fear you have that people are looking and going to laugh at you for dreaming big, being bold, or coloring outside the lines? It’s bananas. When you “play small” in your life, nobody wins. Least of all you. Have you ever heard that expression? In the world of personal growth (a place I am dipping my toes in as a plus size wellness blogger) it's a Marianne Williamson expression that explains how many of us shrug off our true desire, our true nature, to maintain security, control, and comfort. How we ignore what we really want so as not to rock our own boat, or the boats in the water near us. Rock the damn boat. Break your mold. Stop shrugging your True North off. Step in. Big and bold. Its time!! Another pic with my @lanebryant bikini. #BeGreater #Sponsored A post shared by Sarah (@sarahsapora) on Apr 26, 2017 at 12:01pm PDT “I wanted to do this shoot with a male friend because there are so few representations of plus women just enjoying life without emphasis on their weight," she said. Similarly, back in later February, actress Chrissy Metz opened up about wearing whatever she wants as a plus size woman. "A lot of designers won’t work with plus-sized people, period, and I know a lot of plus-size women feel like they have to avoid jewel tones or colour in general, but I love bold colours," the "This Is Us" star said of the emerald green dress she wore to the 25th annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards party. "I am not going to pick only black just because I am a plus-size girl," she added. "Hopefully it will encourage other women [to follow suit]." As for Sapora, while she admits on her blog that wearing the bikini "took me far out of my comfort zone," she says being able to be free with her body is the ultimate happiness. "It took me years to figure it out; I underrated myself for a long time," she said. "I didn’t do it intentionally, but it happened just the same. Now? I show up fierce. I show up free. I show up with joy from the inside out."
