A PLUS-size woman who was trolled for her 'granny legs' has decided to embrace her body – and claims she now feels 'beautiful' in a bikini.
Beckie Bold, 24, felt self-conscious of her body growing up but has now found self-acceptance – and feels happier at her biggest than she did at her skinniest.
The communications intern has always struggled with her 'big legs' and coined the nickname 'granny legs' in school.
It wasn't until she was 21 that Beckie was diagnosed with lipoedema – a condition which causes a painful build-up of fat in her legs, arms, and hips.
After seeing other 'fat positive' influencers on Instagram, Beckie was able to embrace her looks and now "lives for me, not others".
Beckie – who wears a UK size 26 – no longer feels she has to cover her body in long black clothes and loves to wear skimpy clothing and bikinis.
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Beckie, from Llandudno, North Wales, said: "I want to live for me not for others.
"I'm happier now at my biggest than when I was at my skinniest.
"I always knew there was something different about my legs.
"Comments from school kids were horrible. They called me 'granny legs'.
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"Getting my diagnosis was a relief.
"Now I have the confidence to love myself."
Beckie has felt there was something different about her legs for as long as she can remember.
She was bullied and struggled with an eating disorder when she was aged 14 to 16 – before realising being skinny didn't make her happy.
She said: "I used to not eat and exercise all the time.
"I lost a lot of weight, but I was never happy."
When Beckie went to the University of Salford, Greater Manchester, in 2017 she was able to start loving who she was.
She said: "It was like a switch in my brain that realised 'I'm tired of disliking who I am'.
"I followed other big people to give me the confidence to be who I am."
Now Beckie feels confident to wear what she wants and knows it's 'OK to be fat'.
She said: "Before, I only wore black. I thought it would slim me down.
"I never wore skirts and dresses.
"But now if I think something looks good, I'm going to wear it.
"I live two roads from a beach. I used to see everyone in the sea, and I'd be in a hoodie and jeans.
"Now I'm happy to be in a bikini.
"I let my body breathe. I love my body."
Beckie posts body-positive content online (@beckiebold) and is used to trolls who tell her she is 'taking up too much space' and 'shouldn't be able to live'.
She said: "I'm OK with dealing with trolls.
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"They say my lipoedema isn't real. Really awful things.
"But I'm really confident in who I am."
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