Iskra Lawrence

“I remember Googling operations to make my calves slimmer, and I ate only ham for a week to try and become skinny.”

“My dad always has the best advice!”

“I'm very much a positive person - I put good energy out there - so I don't feel like anyone would want to do anything nasty to me.”

“I remember I took an editorial, and I was so excited. I got the pictures back, and I looked in the magazine, and I was like, 'Oh my gosh!' My arms were half their size, and I had a thigh gap magically, and all these crazy things. My family went out and tried to find my pictures in the magazines, but no one could recognize me.”

“When I joined Instagram, I began sharing my raw photos along with my raw and honest thoughts and feelings.”

“The focus for me is always about health. That's why I talk about self-care rather than size or anything like that, because that's something we can all do that's relatable - this discussion of being healthy form the inside-out.”

“I always encourage other people to share a story and voices. That is so important.”

“We need to see real women's bodies.”

“I didn't always have a lot of self confidence growing up.”

“When we think about our bodies, we often think about the way they look as opposed to what they accomplish for us every day.”

“I love McDonald's now and again - not every day.”

“When you're happy and at one with yourself and have come to peace with who you are, that radiates.”

“Like virtually all of the women I know, I spent my teenage years battling with my body and feeling I wasn't good enough. A lot of that negativity is because I was pursuing a career in modeling and was told countless times that my body was too big. My hips and thighs were too wide.”

“Words and images deeply impact the way we view our bodies, and the consequences can be very damaging.”

“If you are trying to achieve the 'perfect body' or aspiring to be like someone else, you are only going to feel like you failed.”

“I had a taste for this fashion industry that I loved and wanted to be a part of.”

“Everyone has to realize that body-shaming can happen at any size.”

“I did not label myself 'plus size.' The fashion industry did.”

“Never think your life isn't good enough. You only have one, so enjoy every minute.”