Anna (24) is unsure of her body on the beach. “Because of my roots, I was built small and wide.” | my beach body

On Ostend Beach it is bypassed when the weather is sunny. But if you take the ferry in the direction of Fort Napoleon, you’ll get to a place near the dunes where it’s less crowded. Anna knows that. Her parents have an apartment nearby.

On a large towel she enjoys calmness until we approach her. Does it feel like a photoshoot? She reacts a bit at first, but is eventually convinced. “Oh, why not.”

I: “Honestly, not that much. I don’t have such a good relationship with my body. I tend to focus on my flaws and mainly see things that can be improved upon. I’m content with one thing: my skin. It always has an olive undertone. I find that warm and unique. I suspect it’s a genetic talent, but I’m not sure. I was born and raised in Guatemala, so I don’t know my biological family.”

“I’m also happy with my face. My nose is nicely symmetrical, and my lips are full. I should probably accentuate this asset more with lipstick, but I mainly wear lip gloss.”

I also get compliments on my haircut. However, I do not use any special care products for my hair. Just shampoo. I wanted to color my hair blonde, but i’m glad i never took that step. This may not suit me (smiling) In the past, I’ve donated my tail to the Pink Ribbon Company by the way. Now I’m growing my hair out so I can do it again.”

“It’s still one processing practical. (He laughs) For example, I have always been self-conscious about my body. On the one hand, there’s my height: I’m only five-foot-five, that’s short, right? I find it especially difficult in crowded places, when I go to a party, for example, or to a festival. In such a crowd I could feel claustrophobic. Then I would like to be fifteen centimeters taller.

“Because of my height, people sometimes call me ‘nice.’”Eyes rolls) Then I would prefer to be called “pretty” or compliment me on other external features. That should make me a little more confident.”

“On the other hand, I am very broad. Just look at my shoulder. Here I can say with certainty: I owe it to my roots. I know I come from the Maya. They are all very small and broad.”

“Like I said, I’m pretty tough on myself. My breasts can handle it, although they could be a little bigger. My stomach and hips could also be better: flatter and more toned. But the hardest part is the stretch marks. During puberty, I gained a few kilos in a short time, which left me with stretch marks. Although I logically know that many women have stretch marks, they still make me very insecure.”

“I try my best to look at myself in a more benign light. As long as I know I’m living a healthy life, I can reasonably do so. I try to eat a balanced diet and exercise every week. Because I work as a nurse and still study, unfortunately I don’t always find time for that. Well, if possible, I like to go jogging and yoga.”

“I take care of my skin with the simplest skincare. I apply sun cream and body lotion, and I cleanse my face. I don’t start with a ten-step skincare routine. (smiling)”

“Every month I treat myself to a facial. I visit an esthetician who detoxes my skin. It’s not really necessary. My skin is easy: I don’t have acne, and I don’t have to worry about wrinkles yet. But it’s just pure relaxation. Pure time for me. Pure indulgence. And I really enjoy it.”

Elisa (21) proudly shows off her body on the beach: “My family thought I was ‘fat’ and ‘ugly’. I wouldn’t like it”

Transgender woman Gabriela, 28, feels comfortable in her body on the beach. “I am proud of my long, slender legs.”