You’ve probably done this more times than you’d like to admit. You’re half inspired and half spiraling as you scroll through your vacation photos. Amalfi, Bali, Tulum, maybe a cute little beach town 2 hours away. You imagine yourself there, the sun on your skin, a drink in hand, laughing freely. Then it happens. That familiar pause. That silent deal you make with yourself. I’ll go when I lose weight. Once you feel confident. If only your body would be more acceptable in photography.
Here is a truth that we must say out loud. Waiting to travel until your body has changed is one of the biggest lies diet culture has ever had us believe. And it robs you of joy with frightening efficiency. Travel of any size is not a radical concept. That’s a reasonable thing. Life is happening now. Not after the next diet, not after the next fitness phase, and definitely not after you finally feel good enough.
lies that hold you back
The idea that life begins after weight loss is a marketing ploy, not a moral truth. Diet culture thrives on keeping you in preparation mode, forever striving toward a version of yourself that is deemed worthy of pleasure. Travel becomes a reward, not a right. Rest will be conditional. Pleasure comes from shrinking.
But your body is not the same as before. It’s not a project. It’s not a problem that can be solved. Your body has supported you through every moment of your life. Sunsets, salty air, room service breakfasts, and memories that have nothing to do with flat stomachs in bathing suits are worth it.
Traveling at any size means letting go of the idea that you have to be small to experience more. It means recognizing that confidence doesn’t come from fitting rooms or gym mirrors, but from lived experience.
Time is ruthless and won’t wait
Let’s get a little uncomfortable. How many trips have you postponed already? How many summers have come and gone promising that next year will be different? Time doesn’t care about your weight goals. It doesn’t pause while working on body image.
Your kids won’t remember what size you wore during that vacation. They’ll remember you were there. That you laughed. That you played. That you showed up fully instead of sitting on the sidelines to feel accepted.
Travel memories are complex. The longer you wait, the more you’ll miss. And missing out on my life by waiting to lose weight is a much deeper regret than any anxiety I’ve ever had.
A perfect body is a moving target
You already know this part, even if you don’t want to admit it. The goalposts are always moving. When you lose weight, suddenly it’s not enough anymore. There’s another area to fix, another number to pursue, another version of yourself that seems closer to the self you deserve.
A perfect body doesn’t exist. What exists is a system that benefits you by never arriving. And while you are busy chasing it, the experience passes you by silently. Have someone else take you on your trip. The invitation will expire. Opportunities do not wait politely.
Choosing to travel on any scale is choosing to stop negotiating with fantasies and start living in reality.
No one sees you the way you think you do
If you leave this alone, you will be free. The stranger in the pool isn’t cataloging your body. They worry about their own insecurities, their children, their sunburns. The toughest judge in the room is almost always the voice inside your own head.
Even if someone was watching. Even if someone else decides, their opinion doesn’t matter. It will not fund your pleasure. It doesn’t define your worth. You don’t have a vote on how you live your life.
No matter the size of your trip, you need to forget about the idea that your body has to be approved by strangers before it can be present in public. Your existence is not up for debate.
Confidence comes from taking action, not from shrinking.
There’s something deeply rooted in navigating the world on your own terms. Find your way in a new city. Order food in a language you barely know. Understand things while doing them. That’s true confidence.
People often report feeling better about their bodies after traveling, not because they’ve lost weight, but because their bodies have become instruments of experience rather than objects of criticism. Feet walking through the ancient cityscape. An arm floating in the sea. A body that climbs, rests, explores, and adapts.
Traveling, no matter your size, reminds you that your body is capable, resilient, and worthy of adventure.
Destination has an expiry date
Some trips cannot be postponed indefinitely. The festival is over. The landscape changes. The age of your loved one. Climate change is real and access to travel is changing too. Waiting for a body after death can mean losing something you will never have again.
The vineyard you want to visit may not be around forever. The family you want to meet overseas won’t be here forever. Your life has a timeline that doesn’t align with your fitness goals.
The choice to go now is not reckless. It’s realistic.
Photos are holders of memories, not proof of value.
At some point, we began to believe that photographs exist not to be remembered, but to be appreciated. If it doesn’t look perfect, the moment will be ruined. That’s nonsense.
A few years from now, you won’t be checking those photos for defects. You will remember how you felt when you were there. How much did you laugh? How alive did you feel? How brave did I have to go anyway?
The obsession with looking photogenic robs us of our sense of being. Regardless of the size of the trip, the focus returns to the experience: where it belongs.
Yes, there are real challenges, but you can still move on
Be honest without being cruel. Traveling in a large body can pose obstacles. Airplane seats are uncomfortable. Some tours have weight restrictions. Accessibility is inconsistent. These are systemic failures, not individual failures.
Waiting for weight loss will not repair a broken system. Advocating for yourself does. Research accommodations. Ask for a seat belt extension without apologizing. Choose an all-inclusive travel agency. Learn from other plus-size travelers who are already blazing a trail.
No matter the size of your trip, traveling isn’t about pretending challenges don’t exist. It means refusing to let them dictate whether or not you live.
There’s no need to start big
If a big international trip feels overwhelming, start with smaller trips. weekend getaway. Staycation. A night alone in a hotel with room service and no responsibilities. Momentum is built by action, not perfection.
Every time we choose experience over waiting, fear loses its power. Increases confidence. The rules you thought you had to follow start to break down.
Regret is heavier than fear
Fear sounds loud, but it’s temporary. Regret is quiet, heavy, and lasts a long time. If you later ask people, “What do you wish you had done differently?” they would say, “I should have worried less and lived more.”
Courage as a character trait is not important, no matter the size of the trip. It’s about choosing not to let fear control your life.
Your future self is asking you to
Your future self doesn’t want an explanation as to why you waited. She wants a story. She wants memories. She wants proof that you trust yourself enough to live fully in your body.
Traveling now is not a luxury. It’s self-respect. It exists. Your life is already set to happen.
So book your trip. Please wear a swimsuit. Please take a photo. Please eat the food. Let’s live in the moment. Afterbody is not a prize. That’s the life you live.
Source: The Curvy Fashionista – thecurvyfashionista.com
