Kanako Murakami: “After I retired and was free to eat, I gained about 13 kg. I became overly sensitive to people’s comments about it, losing my confidence compared to how I used to feel.”
Translation of Kanako Murakami’s comment about her struggles with body image.
original source: nordot.app / Instagram
Japanese figure skater Kanako Murakami, who represented Japan at the Sochi Olympics, confessed her struggles with body image that she has carried from her active years to retirement. She shared her experience of feeling self-conscious about her body due to insensitive comments. In her Instagram post, she aimed to reach out to others facing similar issues.
Here’s a translation of her comment:
“During my active years, it was essential to maintain a specific weight for competitive reasons, which made my eating habits stand out from a young age. I felt the pressure to stay slender as a figure skater. Even though it’s just my imagination, I became uncomfortable when my mom would watch me eat intently.
After I retired and was free to eat, I gained about 13 kilograms (approx. 28.7 pounds)… and though it’s a blessing that many people see me on TV, more people started saying, ‘You’ve gained weight,’ which I tried to laugh off. Still, I became overly sensitive to those words, losing my confidence compared to how I used to feel.
Especially in Japan, it feels like there’s an innate sense that being slender is associated with being ‘beautiful, lovely, and cute.’ I felt like my body was something to be ashamed of.
But I have short and wide legs, my butt is a bit saggy, my belly isn’t flat, and my chest isn’t exactly attractive. My face isn’t small either, and I’m not particularly cute. But… I believe that if we embrace our unique selves and say, ‘This is who I am!!!’ with strength and pride, it will shine and sparkle like nothing else. (Even though I haven’t completely achieved this yet).
Of course, if I could just change and be born with long, slim legs and a tiny face, I’d raise my hand first to change (laughs), but that’s impossible.
But it’s not about doing nothing, not giving up, and being complacent. Instead, it’s about making gradual efforts, enjoying the process, embracing our uniqueness, and building our self-confidence.
I wanted to convey this message because I believe there are many people who are struggling with their body image. (For my own sake as well).
I want to love my chubby thighs no matter how hard I try. Look at them! My thighs!”
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