May 18th, 2013 
Skye 
I love this “Beauty comes in EVERY Size” body acceptance slogan across the beautiful photo of sexy and curvy plus size model Lexi Placourakis! You do not need to be a size zero to look hot in a bikini, thanks Lexi, we love your curvy girl confidence!
May 17th, 2013 Skye 
We love curvy girls! Curvspiration comes in the form of gorgeous plus size and curvy models that we think are amazing; Lexi Placourakis, May Kalber, Carolina Worsley, and Kellie Coleman!
May 2nd, 2013 Skye 
Welcome Lucy! Please tell CurveInspire readers a little about your curvy self!
Hi Guys! My name is Lucy Tran, I’m from Monterey, California and I work in Human Resources…I’ve also Modeled for the Red Light Shoppe 
How did having curves affect you growing up?
Growing up, I had three brothers and I’m also Vietnamese. Vietnamese girls are suppose to be petite, but that was never my case. My mom and brothers bullied me growing up about being overweight. It was always extremely hard for me to lose weight during that period of time, I just wasn’t motivated. After high school I finally grew into my body…it wasn’t til I met my boyfriend in 2009, when I finally started accepting the way I looked.
How did you accept your curves?
I grew up with a gay best friend, Colzie Tucker. He always encouraged me to be different, and that I didn’t have to look a certain way. When I met my boyfriend in 2009 is when I realized that even though I started to accept the way I looked…I knew I had to change. I started eating healthier (I still had a burger here and there) and I started to be more active. I was probably almost 250 pounds when I met him in 2009…this was the heaviest I have EVER been. For our second anniversary, I thought it would be nice to do some modeling pictures. I kept telling myself I would try to lose some weight before taking pictures…but speaking to the owner of The Red Light Shoppe, she encouraged me that all bodies come in different shapes and sizes…So I did it…I booked a shoot. The owner and photographer (Brandalyn and David Burton) made me feel so comfortable…and when I saw the final pictures I was AMAZED! I felt so good about myself! Its been about 2 years since I took those pictures and I have dropped about 80 pounds, but I am still glad I booked that photo shoot.
How have your curves helped/hindered you?
Even though my body has significantly changed going from 250 pounds to 170 pounds, I still get embarrassed when people mention how great I look and how “skinny” ai am now…I never use to get these many compliments. I recently got casted into a musical at the Paper Wing Theatre in Monterey California. The person in charge of costumes told me that I would have to wear a leotard and tights, since I had a short role of an Aerobics instructor. Just thinking of how tight the costume would be, and how it would cling to the wrong places, and wearing this in front of an audience?! I cringed. I went to the director and told her I wasn’t comfortable wearing it…but she told me to try it on…its just a costume. I tried it on, and I wasn’t happy. I couldn’t stop thinking about it all day.
I drove one of my cast mates, Taylor Landess, home that night and I told him how uncomfortable it made me feel to wear something so tight, I was almost to the point of tears. He told me he saw a play called “Real women have Curves” where the women of different shapes, stripped down to their underwear and bra in front of the audience for a scene. He said at the end of the play, he actually thanked the actresses, because that was a brave thing for them to do. Taylor is super thin and he told me that sometimes he feels uncomfortable with the way he looked too…so he understood how I felt. It was that moment when I realized, if those women can be on stage in their bra and underwear, I can rock a leotard! The next day, I threw on the leotard and I felt more confident than the night before…I came to conclusion that no one cared if it was too tight or if it clinged to the wrong places. Since then I have worn the leotard multiple times since the show opened…and I have to thank my friend Taylor for giving me such a great pep talk. I know this may sound like a small issue…but overcoming the leotard was a big step for me! I can now say, I am comfortable with my body…and it all started with a tiny leotard. =P
May 1st, 2013 Skye 
So yeah, if you have time, just kind of like… LOVE YOUR BODY! … Today! Easier said than done, I know but… try!
Oh, and Thinspiration can SUCK IT! Love you curvy girls, voluptuous thighs and all!!!
April 29th, 2013 Skye 
Curvy Girls Rock, and these girls are no exception! The curvy Beyonce, Kelly Brook, Kelly Obsourne, and my other beautiful featured plus size models all have amazing bodies without looking starved! I may be a bit biased, but looking at scrawny Victoria’s Secret models with twig like legs do not motivate me to hit the gym; Sexy, toned, curvy girls like these ones DO!
April 20th, 2013 Skye 
If you hate celebrity weight and body gossip, please disregard this post – but if you love it, yay! Snooki’s weight loss is apparent, she looks so tiny, and is apparently living off of lettuce, egg whites, booze, and laxatives. Yum!
LeAnne Rimes no longer looks scary skinny, and says she never restricted her eating or had an eating disorder of any kind during her skinniest time. Some girls apparently stop eating when they’re stressed and that’s all it was for her. Wow, where does one come across that trait??? I’m sold!
Once super skinny Hilary Duff, now a mom to 1 year old boy Luca, was spotted at Coachella this week looking cute and curvy.
Oh, and one of our favorite curvy plus size models is no longer sporting her sexy curves! Plus model Crystal Renn’s weight loss has left her looking very slim, and has lost her sexy curves that CurveInspire.com readers loved so much! She claims she did not try to lose any weight and it just happened. Again, how do I get this to happen to me accidentally?? I guess I like food too much, oh well! Love my curves!
April 17th, 2013 Skye 
To me, these curvy girls exude major body confidence. Even in little lingerie or a teeny bikini, these curvy plus size models don’t look and act anything like what society thinks plus size girls should be like. Unhappy, shy, and reserved, just because your not a size 2? No thank you! It isn’t always easy to flaunt what you’ve got wearing close to nothing, especially in a size zero world. That’s why I love the curvspiration of these gorgeous, curvy models! I’ve been one to hide behind my towel while I’m walking around at the pool, but I’m beginning to think that’s pretty ridiculous when I see so many beautiful curvy girls like these ones! <3 Curvy Confidence Love!
March 27th, 2013 Skye 
Today’s Curvspiration comes courtesy of sexy, curvy plus size models and curvaceous celebs like Christina Aguilera, showing off her weight loss, and pregnant Kim Kardashian’s baby weight gain. Holy jugs, batman! I can only dream the same will happen to moi in a few years time! These girls are all gorgeous, curvy, and confident, other than the claims that Kim Kardashian has been lying about her weight and claiming she’s eating only veggies and gluten free! Yes, it’s no one’s business what her weight is, but if she could just admit she’s curvy, has gained weight since getting pregnant (who cares? Everyone does so why lie about it??) and accept her body, perhaps it would be easier for curvy girls everywhere to embrace their bodies!
March 21st, 2013 Skye
What moment or event started your weight loss journey?
I started after a Dr. appointment. I was fed up with the Dr. I had at the time. He wanted to prescribe me yet another pill to take care of symptoms I was having. A co-worker of mine told me about a Dr. that her cousin had gone to and spoke highly of. So I thought, I haven’t anything to loose. I was taking 6 pills a day and not feeling any better. The symptoms I was having were random severe stomach pain, irregular bowl concerns, sleeplessness, random dizzy spells, depression, anxiety, and leg & joint pain. I had a great experience with this Dr. He took the time and spent 2 hours with me on my first visit! After a full blood work up and long interview process to get my history we discovered I had a severely under active thyroid and food allergies. I changed my diet immediately which wasn’t easy, since my allergies were celiac (better known as gluten) and lactose (dairy!). He immediately put me on a thyroid medication to balance and help it work properly. Within 3 days, I was sleeping without pills, my stomach pain went away, I had energy, and my body didn’t hurt! I wanted to run a marathon!
What was your starting weight? What weight are you at now?
My starting weight was 258lbs! I am now at 185lbs and working to 165lbs as my healthy goal weight.
What was your thought process that made you decide to lose weight?
Health of course. I did not have a history of being over weight. Even with the weight gain I was not a lazy person. This caused a lot of frustration as to why I wasn’t loosing weight and I was only gaining. Once I realized it was my health that was affected, and the symptoms that were so painful subsided and allowed me to be more active, there was nothing to hold me back.
How did you stay motivated?
The diet change was a challenge. But I kept reminding myself that the foods I used to eat were hurting my body. I was feeling so good without it, I started to look at those foods as poison for me, so it was easy to stay away. I started a very easy 15 min exercise program 3 days a week in the morning.
What would you say is the most important factor in your weight loss?
The most important factor in my weight loss is definitely my health. I am off of the 6 pills that I was taking daily! I love to learn new recipes that include gluten free products and dairy free options. I view foods differently. Food was definitely an emotional thing for me. I had to learn to separate emotion from food, and see it more as a fuel and a means to live instead of something that will complete or fulfill me emotionally.
With my thyroid working properly my body was able to metabolize the food I was putting in it. This was a drastic change. More studies revealed a small mass in my Pituitary Gland which is found in your brain. This was scary. After research I found that this condition is common with women who have not had children by the age of 35. I am lucky that mine has not grown and is not considered a tumor at this time. This condition however, can cause to Stroke and Unexpected Brain Aneurysms. In a way it can be a silent killer if gone undetected. After more testing with a specialist, they discovered I have a condition called Hashimoto’s Thyroid-ism. This is a condition where your body attacks the hormones that the thyroid puts into the body. I am being treated with medication currently and am happy to report that my body is reacting positively to them. I have received excellent care through the Swedish Hospital Pituitary Center. I highly recommend that women get their thyroid tested with a simple blood test. They can also check your hormone levels that leads to your Pituitary Gland. With a simple MRI, they can detect any abnormalities.
Describe the diet or healthy eating plan you’re following. Do you allow cheat days?
Lifestyle Change! No Gluten and No Lactose. I pretty much eat a Vegan diet with white meats? Sounds contradictory but I lean towards Vegans products because I know there is no hidden dairy products. Vegetarian products tend to have a lot of wheat so I cant eat a lot of them. Everyday is a discovery, not a struggle. Its a state of mind.
My diet change was and still is emotional for me. I cried in the middle of a bakery that I hadn’t been to for a while when I realized, I couldn’t buy the carrot cake I always used to take to my grandmothers house. She has been gone for 12 years now, but it made me realize the emotion I attached to food.
I still keep away from baked goods. Even the Gluten/Lactose free ones!
What is you exercise plan like? What keeps you motivated?
Well being a Cabaret performer, I rehearse at least 1x a week with my troupe. Before a show, those rehearsals increase! I stick to my 3 days a week; I have found that it works for me. 5-7 days a week just burns me out and its not fun anymore so I wont stick with it. My workouts are what ever I am in the mood for. I have a bunch of different types of videos, so its like a candy basket to pick which one I want to do. I like videos that are fun, have more dancing, and aren’t too long. Most of my videos are 30-45 minutes. On days I wanna cheat, I have 4 different 15 min quick workout videos, so I make sure I at least do them if time or energy is short. I also just started a holistic Yoga class 1x a week, and I love it! It is much more meditative and not your regular “gym” workout. I feel recharged and relaxed when I am done, and I love it!
How do you feel about your curves now?
Honestly, I was in love with my curves when I was bigger. I had an adjustment period when I was loosing. I lost an average of 9lbs a month! It was drastic and coming off fast. I am working to get the tone I had before when I was more voluptuous. But everyday I tell myself a mantra…I start at the top of my head and I touch my body moving all the way to my toes. As I move down my body I tell myself, I love my hair – my beautiful hair, I love my face-my beautiful face…and so on. It helps with the mind body connection and helps to hear it. I learned it from my Yoga teacher and is a great start to my day.
How has your weight loss affected your pinup modeling and burlesque career?
Well, I had to buy new clothes! I did find that my weight loss was drastic enough that I wasn’t being recognized. My show clothes were too big and my once full DD breasts were merely a much less full C/D. Some of my fans were disappointed, as they were in love with the full figured Dessi, but when it all comes down to it I am on earth for me, and if I am not healthy then no one will have Dessi!
March 16th, 2013 Skye
Will you please tell me and my CurveInspire readers your name, city you work in, and facebook or web link?
Hey everyone! My name is Bootleg Betty and I work out of Tulsa, Oklahoma. You can find me on facebook at:
http://www.facebook.com/bootlegbettypinup
How long have you been a pinup/What got you into the world of pinup modeling?
I have been a pinup model since 2010 and I’ve loved every minute of it! I was stalking some profiles on facebook one night when I came across a gorgeous pinup photo of one of my friends and I absolutely fell in LOVE! I just had to do it. So I scheduled my first pinup shoot and it just went from there! My best friend and I recently joined forces and formed F&F Pinup Photography, so it’s nice to have my own personal photographer on hand. 
Find us at:
www.facebook.com/FFPinupPhotography
How did having curves affect you growing up?
I started getting “chunky” about my sophomore year of high school when gym class was no longer a requirement and vending machines appeared in the lunch room. Then I lost it all by the time graduation rolled around. I didn’t really have TOO hard of a time back then. But the pounds piled back on after my first monster was born, so the challenge was on to keep it off once and for all!
How do your curves help you in your career as a model/pinup model?
Oh, I would never be where I am today if I wasn’t a curvy chick! Once I started shooting and posting photos I noticed that people LOVED it! In fact, I think people look up to the idea that I will shoot in lingerie and throw the images out there for everyone to see. I have girls email me all the time asking how to become a plus-size model. I love helping other ladies see their true beauty and get out there to show it off!
What moment or event started your weight loss journey?
I happened to be channel surfing one day and I came across a program called “I Used to be Fat” on MTV. Sitting through this program and seeing someone who weighs 300 pounds lose over 100 pounds in one summer through diet and exercise made me realize, “I CAN DO THIS! What am I waiting for?” I have tried diet pills, crash diets, etc. but absolutely NOTHING works like good ‘ole healthy eating and activity. That day I made a vow to change my lifestyle. I started walking laps around my 5-acre property, I logged into MyFitnessPal to keep track of my food and exercise and the rest is history.
What was your starting weight? What weight are you at now?
Several months back I had hit the 199lb. mark and I said to myself, “Ok, I will NEVER get over 200lbs.” Well, 200 came and went. I finally hit 218lb. last fall and that was my breaking point! I felt so bad that I had let myself go so far and I finally did something about it.
After 4 hard months of work I have lost over 30lbs. and I’m currently down to 185lb. and falling. It feels SOOOO good to know that I will never be over 200lb again! Or even 190lb!
What was your thought process that made you decide to lose weight?
I told myself, “If everyone else can do it, so can I and nobody is going to stop me.” I have LOVED being a plus-size model but I’m ready to fit and healthy. I have gained so much willpower and that has helped me to stay on track.
How did you stay motivated?
PURE. WILLPOWER. And MyFitnessPal. That website/app keeps you honest. You log your food, water, exercise, weight, inches, etc. and it keeps track of everything! You can also add friends on there so there is always someone to hold you accountable. Also every time I thought about eating a 6lb brownie covered in chocolate sauce I pictured the body that I want, the body I’m working for, and that helped me through the craving (and so did sugar-free candy. ).
What would you say is the most important factor in your weight loss? Changed eating habits? Exercise? Changed thinking? Something else?
All of the above! You can’t expect to successfully lose weight (and KEEP IT OFF) unless you factor in everything. You can change your eating habits but you won’t get into shape without exercise. You can exercise and gain muscle but you will always have a blanket of chub over it unless you change your eating habits. And you can exercise and change your eating habits to lose weight but unless you change your thought process and make it a LIFESTYLE CHANGE than all of your lost weight will come right back. I believe that in order to lose weight you need to completely change your lifestyle. Do a kitchen cabinet overhaul. Toss out junk food and soda pop. Not only do you need to do that at home but you need to keep on your “diet” even while you’re away from home, which means fast food is a no-go. Have a turkey sandwich with mustard and no cheese from Subway instead of that cheap heart attack $1 special from McDonalds. Eat fresh!
Describe the diet or healthy eating plan you’re following. Do you allow cheat days?
Basically try to cut out processed foods and sugar. Stick to the outer aisles of the grocery store and try to buy foods with “only 1 ingredient” (eggs, milk, turkey, lean beef, whole wheat breads, fresh fruits and vegetables, etc.). No soda! Drink water instead. Crystal Light is awesome if you don’t like the plain taste of water. Buy yourself a diet cookbook and cook healthy meals for the entire family. But you must remember to check your portions! For example, chicken is healthy and has very low calories per serving, but if you eat an ENTIRE chicken you aren’t helping yourself much! Again, jump on MyFitnessPal and it will assign you to a certain caloric intake for the day (1,200-1,500 calories per day). If you log EVERYTHING you eat than you will be on the right track.
And yes, yes, YES I allow myself a cheat meal every week! We will go and PIG OUT on mexican food once a week and not feel bad about it! I have even found that the carb overload will actually jumpstart my weight loss for the week. And man, do I really look forward to that meal! Mmmm.
What is you exercise plan like? What keeps you motivated?
I started small, like walking the property for 30 minutes a day. Once I did that I bumped it up a bit; walked faster and for a longer period of time. Then I throw in something different a couple of times a week, like riding a bike or jogging. I toss in some weight training if I can. I try to do a variety of cardio throughout the week so my body doesn’t adjust to one type of exercise and slow my weight loss down. Yes, it is hard to stay motivated but I just remember that if I STOP…then I may not want to start back up again. If you get the craving for a bike ride than DO IT! If you don’t than you’ll come up with some excuse or find something to watch on tv instead.
How do you feel about your curves now?
I’m happy! So super happy! I recently did my first photoshoot where I actually showed midriff instead of covering it up with a corset. I have a lot more work to do but I know I have made a huge start. Gotta keep it up! Nothing will stop me now from reaching my weight loss goals. And don’t let anyone stop you, either!
