Peach Bum
It is what made me feel visible once upon a time
When I went to the supermarket last night, I saw a woman with her two kids, one of whom was seated in her trolley. I couldn’t see her face as she was ahead of me, but I remember her distinctly as she wore black tights that tugged onto her shapely butt.
I noticed everything about her. I couldn’t stop myself. I felt a bit embarrassed as my eyes followed her. I wondered if it was wrong to stare at the women continuously. I know I am not bisexual, and there is nothing wrong in admiring a woman — I had convinced myself.
I was pleasantly surprised how could she as a mother, possess a peach bum. It’s been ages since I saw anyone so fit. I remember wishing I could talk to her and ask her how she managed to get so fit. (I didn’t catch her of course and I wouldn’t have asked her. I couldn’t)
My eyes first captured her white pair of sneakers that had dashes of pink. I had a similar one which got dirty and still lives in my shoe rack as I still have hope to make them as pretty as they used to be.
As she bent down, I was amazed to see her perfectly shaped bum, not too skinny, not too fat, almost like a peach bum.
I remember when my bottom was fuller, I felt sexy. I didn’t have to wear anything extraordinary to stand out from the crowd. Simple fitted jeans with a cropped T-shirt looked ravishing on me. I felt a sense of pride each time I looked at myself.
I could tell I had a good figure as I got a lot of compliments from people, especially a friend of mine called E. E didn’t have a round ass, that’s what she called it. She was fascinated with my figure and how my bottom looked, as she felt she had a much flatter one.
The first signs of my ass flattening happened when I was studying for my masters. My love handles became pronounced as my waistline increased. It dropped my pants a bit, and I had to wear a belt to make my jeans fit my changing body.
I was worried in time my bottom wouldn’t be as round as it was. I wouldn’t be the centre of attraction at parties or gatherings. But I wasn’t worried about being invisible. I was pretty, if not beautiful, not the Miss World type, but good-looking.
My ass became flatter. It didn’t look as good as it used to. My belt couldn’t make my pants tug onto my bottom, nothing could.
I met my husband around that time. We got married and settled down. My shapely butt had diminished further over the years. Thankfully my husband met me before it went flat.
Years later, after my pregnancy, I had a tummy sagging out. I didn’t bother until my kids were 2 years old to do anything about it. My hands were full with my twins. The shape of my body didn’t bother me as I had a lot on my plate.
It was only during a friend’s wedding I decided to get fit and reduce a bit of weight. I had to look good in those pictures because it was a close friend and I would be in most of the pictures.
So, I dieted like most people who wanted to lose weight. I wanted to look pretty. I wanted to get back my figure. I tried hard, and I did lose weight. I was around 72 during my pregnancy and I had become around 64. My clothes fit me well. My ass was big but not good looking any more.
I wore more Indian wear. It covered my figure. I shy-ed away from pictures as my face along with my body looked fat. But when I tried to get back into my original body, it felt like I could never get it back.
Years passed by, and I went on several diets and different techniques to reduce weight.
As a mother, I have to try harder to be noticed. My friends jokingly call me Aunty because I am no longer in shape.
It feels good to be looked at. You can catch people admiring you, and your body when you look good and in shape. I blush if my husband ever has to compliment me when I wear something fitted.
Most days, I am comfortable in loose clothing, hiding my loose sage tummy which oddly shapes my body.
A famous Indian fashion influencer I follow recently put up a post on Instagram saying embrace your body. After giving birth, she still looks like a queen. Thanks to her curvy body.
She is pretty, and a smart woman at work, but it is her curves that make every outfit look extraordinary.
In this part of the world, every second person is well dressed and pretty in a way that it is not a big deal. But what stands out is your figure. It is what makes you visible.
I wonder if I could embrace my curves. After four years of giving birth, I did lose weight by being conscious of what I eat.
But if I have to embrace my curves, I most certainly would look odd, as my bottom is almost flat.
To give you a context ‘M’ has a figure like Kim Kardashian. Although Kim’s ass is way bigger, I don’t know if it looks sexier, but I know she is always in limelight for her body and figure.
On days I exercise and am on top of my 12-hour fast, and when I eat early around 7 pm, before sunset, I do feel great because my body feels lighter. During those days, I enjoy wearing tights or clothes to reveal a bit of my figure. But my body never looks the same as it once did at the age of 25.
Even though I get slimmer, my tummy refuses to tug in and there is always a slight 20 degrees of my stomach that bulges out.
A friend ‘D’ once said when he tried being my coach that you will get fit if you exercise daily at 2–3 years old. I remember thinking it is going to take another how many years now?
I will never have a peach bum or maybe if I work out on myself I could. I don’t know all I know is that I long to get back in shape. Because a compliment or two, does make a person happy and visible.
