"It is MY BODY! The only opinion about my body that matters, is my own."
Sunday: What’s your ethnicity?
Kim & Keisha: African American and Irish American
Sunday: What’s your age?
Kim & Keisha: We are 22 Years Old
Sunday: Who was born first?
Kim & Keisha: Lol, Keisha by 30 seconds
Sunday: What do you love most about your body, and why?
Kim & Keisha: We love our legs! Funny enough, that is the only place we have stretch marks. The rest of our body is petite. These stretch marks are like a symbol of growth for us. It reminds us that we don’t have little twelve year old bodies, that we sometimes joke about because we are not super curvy (thanks a lot God, lol).
Sunday: How was it shooting with Karlo with no makeup?
Kim & Keisha: Shooting with Karlo, not wearing an ounce of make up, was freeing and difficult at the same time. It took some time to get used to the idea that you are not going to be glammed up for a photoshoot. We felt really bare, and in the beginning, self conscious. When he first asked if we wanted to see some of the photos he was snapping, we got really nervous. We did not know what to expect. Once we saw the photos, saw how raw and beautiful they were, we instantly became comfortable. Karlo has a really amazing way of drawing the things you have deep inside of you out, then showcasing them in his photography.
Sunday: Do you typically wear makeup? If so why?
Kim & Keisha: We typically do wear makeup. We love beauty in general. To us, beauty encompasses natural and glam. We believe doing our makeup is like painting. The process is extremely enjoyable. When you are really focused while doing makeup, you notice small things about your face that you or others have not seen. It helps us fall more in love with our selves, contrary to belief. There are days that we don’t wear makeup. It really just depends how you feel. We don’t think you should let society pressure you. Do it if YOU want, Don’t do it, if YOU don’t want. Simple.
Sunday: How do you keep yourself healthy?
Kim & Keisha: We keep ourselves healthy by being conscious of what we eat and how much we eat. Being vegan is a big factor in staying in shape and also with keeping our skin vibrant. Keisha always says “You eat to stay alive, so why would you eat things that are killing you.” Again, we eat whatever we want, but this is where portion size plays a role. The world has so many great foods, like cake, LOVVVVE CAKE!!! We just eat enough to satisfy our craving. If we deny ourselves, we usually end up binging and being upset. Fitness also keeps us healthy. We aim to do a workout 3-5 times per week. This includes weights, yoga ( yoga is an every day MUST for us), and bar class. Exercise helps us keep the aesthetic that makes us happy and also gives us a lot of energy to keep up with our busy days.
Sunday: What physical activities make you feel better?
Kim & Keisha: Yoga hands down. It’s a pillar in so many aspects of our life. Yoga plays a major role in our physical, mental, and spiritual health. We usually take the class together so it also became a very good bonding experience for us. Basically couples yoga!
Sunday: What do you typically eat to stay healthy?
Kim & Keisha: Being vegan, we eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. We also intermittent fast, so our first meal would start between 12-1pm and our last meal around 8pm. We love green smoothies…we sound so basic but it is the truth! The best tasting smoothie to start your day and be like “LETS DO THIS!” is a spinach, blueberry, banana, and coconut water smoothie. INCREDIBLE for you and also taste insanely good!
Sunday: What words of inspiration can you give to a girl struggling to love her body?
Kim & Keisha: We would tell any woman or girl who is struggling to love her body, that first, fall in love with the person that is inside that body. The essence that is you! Recognize the beautiful girl that you are in the inside. Once you recognize that, what shines on the inside will start to shine on the outside. You’re not a self hating person, if you want to change something about your appearance. That’s BS. Do whatever makes you happy and at peace. But get in tune with yourself first, so you know it is what you want, not what other people are saying.
"We just snap the photo to catch the feeling. The feeling of power and self seduction."
Sunday: What is one major way you’ve struggled to appreciate or love your body?
Kim & Keisha: Sometimes we struggle to appreciate our bodies when we want it to perform like someone else’s that took them years to get to that point. For example, when I see a woman doing this beautiful intricate yoga pose, I get frustrated with my body like, “ Why can’t you move like that, bend like that, or flow like that?” When I would see runners, I used to beat myself up, because my stamina was at a zero compared to them. The same negative questions come to mind. We don’t always realize that our bodies naturally do amazing things every day without us recognizing it. If we do decide to take it to another level, it takes TIME and PATIENCE! Stick to whatever you are building towards, but love and appreciate your body every step of the way.
Sunday: Why do you think women develop negative relationships with their bodies?
Kim & Keisha: It doesn’t matter what you hear, women are extremely competitive! It is a very thin line between appreciating someone that looks a certain way, then using that positivity to grow, than comparing yourself to someone and using that negative energy belittling yourself for not being at their “level.” When we compare, it is never the latter! That will always, in my opinion, be the root of being self conscious. You have to change that energy! Appreciate the beauty in other women, appreciate that you are also a beautiful woman, then…wait for it…. MOVE ON!! Don’t waste your time putting yourself in a bad mood comparing and contrasting.
Sunday: What are a couple ways you’ve found to overcome negativity in relation to your body?
Kim & Keisha: We’ve really overcame the negativity we used to have with our bodies by just taking ownership. It is MY BODY! The only opinion about my body that matters, is my own. That doesn't mean I have to accept the things I don’t like, because again, I am in control. If I want to change something, I will. If I don’t want to change something, I won’t. Seeing my body like a work of art really helped as well. As long as I am creating out of love and self awareness, I am a masterpiece. Allowing myself to sculpt, paint, or leave bare, without caring what anyone says, is power!
Sunday: What’s one thing you wish would change in the world to help present and future generations of women feel more beautiful in their own skin?
Kim & Keisha: If we could change one thing in the world, it would be the need women and girls have to outsource confidence. I think a lot of the time we jump to blame social media without going to the root of the problem. Before social media, there were insecure women and girls looking for validation from others. If we can focus more on building a foundation of confidence and self love before our daughters know how to work instagram, we would see a different kind of woman. Without that foundation, it’s an impossible hole that no amount of likes or DMs from fuck boys can fill.
Sunday: Why is it important to feel sexy?
Kim & Keisha: To feel sexy is important because it is an energy. It is an energy that boosts your confidence and makes you want to take over the world! Feeling sexy for yourself is good for those very reasons. Sometimes, it is just about you. Use that force to do the things you want.
Sunday: Some people feel taking pictures in underwear is wrong, how does it make you feel when you take photos in a bra and underwear?
Kim & Keisha: There really isn’t a right or wrong way at taking photos in your underwear. The real question is, just who are you doing it for? Are you doing it to get attention and likes? Thats cool, We just also hope you feel that way towards yourself and you’re confident without the likes. Are you doing it to inspire other people that are fighting insecurities? That’s cool too, as long as you’re not throwing shade at the girls on the magazine covers who don’t look like you. We feel beautiful and sexy when we take pictures in our bras and underwear. It is the same to us as looking in the mirror in our underwear, we just snap the photo to catch the feeling. The feeling of power and self seduction.
Sunday: How has SMV impacted you?
Kim & Keisha: SMV has brought so much comfort to us and other women. They showcase that extremely well by showing every point of view they can! You never doubt yourself or feel alone because I promise you, someone on SMV has said it. We are all in this together. We may not look the same, act the same, or agree with each other, but thats ok! All of our voices should be heard and uplifted. And that's what SundayMorningView provides for us, a place to be supported.
To see more of Kim & Keisha, please follow them on instagram @mcconnelltwins
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UNTIL NEXT TIME! :)
