"Summertime is definitely upon us; here in New Mexico we are feeling the heat. By now, I bet you’re a nice shade of brown as you rock those sundresses, shorts, tank tops, and cute sandals and maybe even a body-baring swimsuit. Yep, I said it. The word itself strikes fear into many a woman. If you’re one of those lucky, genetically skinny Indian chicks, then this article is not for you! I’m talking about women like me, who fight an uphill battle when it comes to managing their weight; who face anxiety over the annual swimsuit hunt. Some of you don’t even bother, I know. I’ve been there. Some years I’ve just skipped it altogether and opted for the “Indian swimsuit.”

It doesn’t help that as I get older, it’s harder to keep the weight off. As a former quintessential “fat kid,” I’m predisposed to “commod bod,” making the subject of the swimsuit all the more precarious. For some Indian gals, the swimsuit consists of shorts and a tank or t-shirt, for others it’s a classic one piece, and for a few brave or blessed ones, the skimpy two-piece. I’m somewhere in between. I like the idea of wearing a swimsuit but it’s hard to find one that flatters my short, curvy figure, or at least feels comfortable enough for me to wear in public. Though mostly confident, the timid Indian girl in me surfaces now and then, mostly when I feel exposed, literally and metaphorically.

With discipline and educating myself about food, I was able to turn my chubby youth into a relatively healthy adult life. How did I do it? What you already know: diet and exercise."

Get the Story:
Christina Castro: What Moves You, Ladies? Zumba: A Fresh Take on Fitness (Indian Country Today 7/31)