CREATIVE JUNCTION PAGE 1 Welcome. Wow what an inspiring issue! Body positivity is something that is so close to my heart. I was the fat kid in primary school, not big enough to be ‘everyone’s friend, the jolly fat kid’ but big enough to be different to my peers. I can remember my first diet clearly. Mum took me along to her Weight Watchers meeting. I gingerly queued behind a lady with a blue rinse and large bum, thinking ‘this is what I’ll be in for in 50 years’ time if I don’t nip this in the bud now’. And I did. I lost most of my ‘puppy fat’ and started my first day of secondary school on a high. But that started an evil spiral. I would weigh myself daily. I refused to eat in public, and took up smoking to have something to do other than eat in my lunch break. I was your average size 10, but I would never be good enough. I could always look skinnier and everything I wore would revolve around how skinny I looked. Long story short, I went to uni and lived off two-min- ute noodles, started my career and lived off coffee and takeaways and not surprisingly, ended up the biggest I’d ever been. Cue wedding transformation. I lost 45kgs and be- came a consultant for a large weight loss company, inspiring others to do the same. And after yo-yo dieting for that long, it’s no wonder my body didn’t bounce back the same after my sec- ond baby. It’s been 18 years since my first diet, and 2 years since my last one. I have embraced the femininity and colours of rockabilly/pin up culture, and try to dress to reflect my mood rather than my size. I look at food as an essential part of life, but I don’t actually value it as much now that I have choices. Of course I’m not a freak about it- I’m always going to choose the glass of wine over a piece of celery, but I won’t have the crackers and cheese as well now. And to be honest, I absolutely love how childbirth has given me hips I never had, a waist I always longed for and two beautiful children I swore I’d never have. I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in, happy. ‘Happy’ is what we’re celebrating in this issue, with yet another round of inspiring personalities. Creative Junction is all about promoting positive news stories so remember to use that hashtag #goodnewsday with your celebrations and achievements and your smiling face could be the next one to grace our pages! Pippa x PHOTO: SARAH MARSHALL PHOTOGRAPHY