abrielle Upshaw is not here for the usual self-care sermon. Sure, she loves a green smoothie and enjoys a good yoga session, but when it comes to nurturing her body, she listens to one source above all else—herself. And sometimes, that voice says, “Take a nap,” or better yet, “Drive to the store for some ice cream.”
At just 23 years old, Gabby, an African American and White woman from [insert city], has already learned what many women spend a lifetime trying to figure out: real self-love doesn’t come from denying your cravings or forcing yourself to sweat through a gym session when you're exhausted. It’s about balance, and, more importantly, listening to what your body actually needs.
For Gabby, health isn’t about perfect adherence to some strict fitness plan. Sure, she works out, hikes, and even scuba dives for fun, but she’ll also drive aimlessly, wallet in hand, to fulfill an ice cream craving without a second thought. This is not the kind of "health" influencer that’s about juicing celery stalks for a week straight. This is a woman who’s got her priorities straight: “If I need sleep, I sleep. If I need ice cream, I bring my wallet because I never have it with me!”
While some would consider her carefree approach a rebellion against the pressures of societal beauty standards, Gabby sees it as a form of empowerment.
"Feeling sexy is a powerful feeling,"
she says. “It gives me a fierce confidence that I’ve learned to have on my own.” She’s unapologetic about flaunting her figure in a bra and underwear, too, noting that her confidence spikes, knowing she doesn’t care what anyone else thinks. Now, that’s attitude—and we like it.
It wasn’t always this easy for Gabby. Like many women, she struggled with negative body image in her younger years. She recalls days of eating foods that didn’t agree with her, then starving herself out of frustration. “I would hate the way I looked and, as a result, wouldn’t eat for a day or two,” she admits. But through self-reflection, often spurred by looking at old photos and realizing she didn’t look “as bad” as she thought, Gabby learned to appreciate her body’s natural changes.
One of the biggest game-changers for Gabby was her decision to stop punishing herself before photoshoots. Rather than starving or over-exercising to fit into an unrealistic image, she skipped the gym, ate her favorite sugary cereals, and embraced her body just as it was. “I put my juicer in the garage for the week,” she says with a laugh. That simple act of kindness toward herself may have been her most radical act of self-love.
Gabby is also not shy about being in her own skin—literally. “The female body is so beautiful,” she declares, adding that being naked feels freeing and allows her to connect with both her mind and body. It’s this comfort with herself that she hopes will inspire others. She frequently shoots with Karlo Gomez, a photographer known for capturing women’s “imperfections” like stretch marks, cellulite, and scars. Karlo’s lens, in her words,
“makes you love the parts of yourself you want to hide.”
Gabby has become a role model, especially for her niece, to whom she’s been repeating the mantra since birth: “You are smart, you are beautiful, you’ve got attitude, and I like it!” Now, her niece says it back with confidence. This is the kind of generational change Gabby wants to see, where girls grow up loving their bodies and rejecting comparisons to others.
So, what does Gabby want all women to remember? Love yourself. Love the girl next to you. We’re all struggling, but with a little kindness and a rebellious spirit, we can all learn to appreciate who we are—ice cream and all.
To follow Gabrielle's journey, find her at @gabby.lovee
