My mom and dad with me in Parma, Italia. The happiest I have ever felt about my body was living in this town...

On the beach of Monterosso, skinny to large Italian women walked in a way that truly took my breath away. Everyone looked amazing and I was truly envious of them. They knew how to love their bodies and I didn't, and it was showing. My self consciousness may as well have been an extra 50 pounds of chub, because it was definitely weighing me down and I decided to drop it on that beach. Coming home from Italy, I started to walk like an Italian for a while. Shoulders back, head up and proud of my body.

From left to right: Jenny the Canadian, Andrea the Italian, me the American. Andrea taught us foreigners to love life through good food, good wine and loving your body for what it is.

why don't we love our bodies as much as they do in europe?

As I write this post today I am reminded that my Italian walk has slipped away a bit, and I want to know why and how to bring it back. I have been asking people around lululemon a few questions about loving their bodies. I wasn't shocked by their answers, but I want to find a way to put an Italian sway in their days. Here is what I found:

Hollis dancing to her own beat.

Hollis, a runner and dream maker, and in the eyes of most women has a perfect body.

Do you love your body?

Most days.

How do you find the love in your body on the days it seems to be lacking?

Exercise or run or cycling when I can't find the love and I am reminded of how strong my thighs are because that's the body part that I hate the most. My thighs give me strength in a conflicting way.

Dane, one handed push up, no problem!

Dane walks tall, works out a lot, and in the eyes of most women, is pretty smokin'.

Do you love your body?

No. I haven't in the past and I'm starting to.

How do you find the love in your body on the days it seems to be lacking?

I beat myself up mentally and then feel better by exercising. Sculpt yoga classes make me feel the best about my body, and when I need the love, I go to class.

Natalia punches it out and always exudes confidence.

Finally, there's Natalia. Natalia is beautiful inside and out, and seems to have it all figured out. When I met her a few weeks ago, I was blown away by her internal beauty and was instantly reminded of the Italian women I so admire. She is an IntenSati instructor and is trying to teach the world how to love themselves through exercise.

Have you always loved your body?

Absolutely not! It wasn't until my teen years when I found exercise that I began to appreciate my body and enjoyed being physical. I can honestly say that I now love my body. IntenSati has a lot to do with that, it reminds me that the point of exercising is not to fit into a pair of jeans, but to feel strong, healthy and confident.

What tips and mantras can you share with those of us who are still working on loving our bodies?

Find a type of exercise that you enjoy. If you feel that exercise is torture or punishment, chances are you will not stick with your routine and that you will feel resentful and angry, neither of which are emotions that cultivate self-love. Of course it should be challenging, but if you hate running or swimming, I would not start by committing to run or swim every day! Try lots of classes and find one you love.

One affirmation I think is really powerful is; I love myself exactly as I am. This helps remind me that even as I am striving to be stronger and more fit, I must begin from a foundation of love for myself just as I am in the present moment. After all, love is always a more powerful fuel than self doubt.

walk like an italian, sweat like a north american, and love your body

In the end what I found was that we North Americans may not show that we love our bodies in the way that we walk and talk, but we definitely love our bodies in the ways we sweat. Now if we can just put a bit more of an Italian bounce in our step, we might be able to convince ourselves and the world of the love we have for our bodies. When you are not feeling the love, find a way to sweat and fake it until you make it. Life's too short and you only get one body, so love it up. Namaste.

rebecca

I love my collarbone because it is so defined and makes me feel oh so beautiful and womanlike, especially when I'm dancing, modeling, acting and walking!

marlissa

I love my arms because they are feminine and lean, especially my triceps. They make me feel strong when I'm grabbing those handle bars in spin class!

keri

I love my bum because it is like no one else's and follows me everywhere I go. It rocks out from everything to squats, shopping and even on the dance floor!

karey

I love my legs because they carry me through my day. I appreciate that I've been blessed with two of them. They provide me with thee ability to dance, run, swim, bike, hike or strut!

jennifer

I love my tiny waist because it leads to a nice bum, which isn't always popular for Asian women. I love my waist in hot yoga class and finding outfits to accentuate it.

greg

I have been blessed with naturally broad shoulders. They are the envy of my smaller shouldered brother. They look even larger when compared with my tiny hands.

ashley, alex & marisa

Ashley: I love my collarbones because they protrude and make me feel beautiful. My favourite workout is bikini bootcamp.

Alex: I love my stomach because it's toned and makes me feel good about myself, and shows me that my hardcore ab workouts are paying off.

Marisa: I love my arms because they make me feel strong and beautiful, especially my biceps. I love working my arms in a muscle conditioning class called Fabulously Firm.

andrea

I love my beautiful waist because it makes me feel awesome, especially sweating in Zumba class.

What's your favourite body part, and why?

I don’t know the what, when, where, why and how, but, somewhere along the line, we were told that our bodies weren’t good enough. We were told that we should cover-up, hide from the world, if we weren’t a certain body type. Well, forget that!

Far too much emphasis is put on what other people think. The emphasis should be placed on how you feel. We work out to build confidence and feel good about our bodies. Why don’t we celebrate what we work so hard for?

I am not a size two. My stomach does not lie flat, my thighs are bigger than they used to be, and my shoulders are broad. But that stomach supports me in plank pose when my yoga instructor decides we should hold it there for three minutes. My thighs power my legs as I dodge tree roots and rocks when sprinting through mountain trails. Those broad shoulders of mine propel me along length after length in the swimming pool. I work hard. And, if I want to wear a sports bra while I’m out for my morning run, I’m going to, and I don’t see why anyone should have a problem with that.

There’s no size restriction on beauty and confidence. Dare to bare a little skin. Show off your muscles, your curves. Wear that sports bra and those short shorts.

Don’t look to others for approval. Be the confidence you’re searching for.

Love your body.

It wasn't me that I expected to change and inspire when we created "Love Your Body" month at the Carlsbad Forum store.

We created a recent store window display to educate on body dysmorphic disorder, running rampant in fit rooms across America, especially in our community.

Jacquie and Kenna created a story showing a fit woman looking in the mirror, which to passers-by is a standard mirror. To her, the reflection back is similar to that from a funhouse mirror. As she comments how much she hates her muffin top, a woman behind her says she wishes she looked like that, and two men trailing behind exclaim their interest in getting to know her better. This scenario is all-too-common.

To correspond with our window, we rolled out a challenge to said guests and educators in the fit rooms. We all hold each other accountable for not complaining about how we look. If anyone is "caught" we enroll them in dropping and doing 10 exercises corresponding with the area of complaint.

We are doing this to bring awareness to unnecessary complaining and inspiring taking a second thought first, not so much to fix the alleged problem zones.

I've found my abs stronger and chest more sore than ever these past few weeks. Why? Because I am complaining!

Who do I see in the mirror? I don't see what others see. I've become (alarmingly) aware of this and make every effort now to not make disparaging remarks about myself.

So what am I doing about this? I talk to trusted family and friends for support. During my yoga practice I "let go" of concern for what I may see in the mirror. I focus past my reflection, and look into myself. When I run, I focus on elongating my spine and legs, not for vanity – to feel long.

No complaints will come from my direction any longer. And if they do, my fellow educators – and guests – now have permission to hold me accountable to this.

If you or someone you know may be suffering from a body image or eating disorder, please visit here for help and resources.