Ninong Ry isn’t just teaching us how to whip up a good meal, he can also impart important life lessons. For example, learning to love your body and tuning out what naysayers have to say against it. In a lengthy Facebook post last August 1, the food vlogger shared about his personal struggle of dealing with a negative body image. Ninong Ry wasn’t afraid to get vulnerable and real with his 5.4 million followers. What did he have to say?

Sharing his struggles

“Buong buhay ko, nag-struggle ako sa mga bagay na isosoot ko. Ang hirap humanap e,” he said in his Facebook post. “Bilang isang lalaking mataba, wala gaanong choices talaga pag sa mall ka namimili kaya sa mga nagtatanong bakit iisa palagi ang soot ko, eto ang dahilan.”

Ninong Ry was referring to his signature look of a black shirt and jeans. It was a combination he now reveals was from a lack of size-inclusive fashion. He adds how it’s disappointing to see clothes he likes only to find out that it doesn’t come in his size.

“Ang sakit nung may makikita kang magandang damit only to find out na XL lang ang biggest size nila or yung XXL naman nila e maliit pa din. Ang lakas sumira ng confidence nun,” he said.

That’s why when he finds clothes he likes and fits him, he goes ahead and buys multiple pieces.

Ninong Ry also shared how he endured body shaming comments sometimes casually thrown at him throughout the years. And since society is prone to body shaming heavyset individuals, this has often discouraged him to go outside.

Ninong Ry knows what you feel

The food vlogger offered comfort to those like him who have been struggling with their body image.

“Hindi ko kayang sabihin sayo kung saan makakakuha ng confidence. Hanggang ngayon paminsan minsan hinahanap ko pa din yun e. Basta tol, ramdam kita,” he said.

Ninong Ry assured his followers that he knows what they feel. Gaining confidence in oneself, especially after years of being told otherwise is no easy task, even Ninong Ry admits he battles with it every day. It doesn’t happen overnight. But you can do something about it starting with.

Get better at loving yourself every day

Towards the end of his post, Ninong Ry encouraged his followers to tune out the naysayers.

“Kung feel mo gwapo o maganda ka today, ipagsigawan natin!” He said.

“Hayaan na natin. Siguro kasi, ang tunay na gwapo e yung hindi kailangang mang baba ng tao para umangat ang sarili nilang estado. Stay chubby, mga inaanak!,” he ended.

At the end of the day, you’re the best person to get yourself out of the hole of self-pity. There are a number of things you can do to change the way you view yourself.

Boosting your body confidence

Catch your negative self-talk and correct it. Just because you put in more weight than what society’s unrealistic beauty standards dictate doesn’t mean you aren’t beautiful or handsome. Each body is different.

Unfollow people on social media who impact your self-esteem — and be honest about it. Seek out accounts that offer support and promote body positivity. Or you can open up to a reliable friend about what you’re going through.

Most importantly, take things one day at a time. Remember what we said earlier? Having confidence in yourself takes time but you will get there. And whatever you do, remember what Ninong Ry said — you are not alone.

Netizens got his back

Ninong Ry’s post garnered thousands of comments from Pinoy netizens who could relate to his struggles. They left comments to cheer the food vlogger up and boost his confidence. Pretty soon, the whole comments section was filled with Pinoys backing each other up.

“Sus, ang lakas lakas kaya ng dating mo Ninong, saka chubby is the new sexy na. Kapag pumayat ka di ka na hot. Crush ka na nga ng bayan,hindi ka ba aware??? Plus pogi points din yang galing mo sa pagluluto,” said one netizen.

“I love this, Ninong. To all the body shamers and insensitive people out there, instead of telling someone to lose weight, why not tell yourself that someone’s weight is none of your business?” commented another.

Many also left their photos to show Ninong Ry and the rest of the internet that they’re not alone.

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