Iskra Lawrence Opens Up About Her Past and Reminds Us That We Are the Only Ones in Control of Our Lives

Published on 12/21/2016 at 9:10 PM

When Iskra Lawrence was just 16 years old, her modeling agency dropped her for being too curvy; now, at 26 years old, when we hear her name we immediately think of body positivity and confidence. For Iskra and many other women, her journey to feeling this way was tough, and now she's opening up about how she got to this place in her life in the January/February cover feature of SELF magazine.

The British model has gathered over 2.9 million Instagram followers thanks to her authenticity and genuine ability to keep it real, all while radiating sexiness and humor. When she stripped down to her bra and underwear on a New York City subway to spread a message about vulnerability, it didn't matter that she wasn't wearing clothes because everyone was blown away by her message. Iskra tried every diet under the sun when she was younger, but eventually realized she wanted to embrace being different in the modeling industry, and that's when her message spread like wildfire.

"Once I convinced myself I could do this, I was able to convince them," she told SELF, referring to modeling agencies. "I saw it as a way to express myself and show that I'm more than a set of measurements." Iskra jokes about her "tiger stripe stretch marks" and "cellulite lightning bolts," but above all of that, she's changing the lives of so many women.

From her appreciation for McDonald's to her ability to control her own future, Iskra is telling all, and it's motivating us to bring on 2017 with confidence, humor, and an unwavering feeling of self-love. Keep reading to see everything Iskra had to say about her journey and the amazing ways she's transformed.

On having curves, and being asked by a modeling agency to lose weight: "I was so confused about why my body was curvy. . . . That's when I became obsessed with weight. My hips were 36 1/2 inches when they were 'meant' to be 34. . . . [At one point] all I ate was ham for two weeks. I lost 2 inches around my waist, exercising like crazy. I would fall asleep in school. I felt agitated."

On how far she's come: "I never thought I would be here. But why not be ambitious and set goals that scare you a little bit? I'm happy with myself. I respect myself. And I know that no man, no jeans, no scale, and no booker is in control of my future — I am."

On working out and eating right: "Even if I have 30 minutes for a bit of stretching and skipping, that feels good. . . . I love McDonald's now and again — not every day. I haven't wanted to change anything about my body for the last three years."

On founding Iskra's Army, a campaign through which she talks to middle school students about self-care issues like body image: "Since I've come out about my struggles, it's amazing how many girls from my past have said, 'Do you realize I felt the same as you, Iskra?' How crazy that we all did and yet none of us talked to each other about it?"