PLUS MODEL MAGAZINE July 10th Anniversary Issue | Page 81

Maddy: PLUS Model Magazine featured you in our recent blog post, “13 Men Who
Are Dominating The Body Positivity (& Style!) Movement”. Can you tell us about
your journey to self-confidence?
Benjamin: It has been quite the long road. Growing up, I didn’t have much
confidence and I definitely wasn’t a “ladies man”. When I joined the Army, it gave me
a great boost in how I saw myself. I felt great, like I could walk up to any supermodel
and ask her on a date. It was while I was in the military that I met my ex wife. It
was rocky from the start; we were together over 11 years in an on-again off-again
relationship and three years of a very challenging marriage. It really took a toll on me
both physically and emotionally and I saw myself gaining a lot of weight during that
time. Although the marriage was very hard, the big trial came after the divorce when
I vowed to lead a healthy lifestyle. I’ve spent the last three years working on myself
and it wasn’t until just recently that I finally came to the point where I can say, “I don’t
care what others think of me because I think I’m amazing”.
Maddy: How do you feel about the term “plus-size”?
Benjamin: I don’t mind it; plus size is what I am. Plus size is beautiful, whether
you’re a man or woman so why wouldn’t I like it?
Maddy: We follow your social media and see how dedicated you are to living a
healthy lifestyle. For those struggling to stay motivated, what are some tips you can
offer?
Benjamin: Don’t compare yourself to anyone but you. Be able to say “I may not be