WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- Alyssa Russell of Pleasant Hill, Calif., went through what she calls the "whole hating my body thing" when she was a teenager. But these days, the 20-year-old student has shed those negative feelings. She's big, beautiful and proud.

"I've actually prayed for bigger hips," says Russell, who used to be 257 pounds, but, through healthy living, has found her comfort zone at 216. "I don't want to lose weight because I don't want to lose my curves."

Despite a national war on obesity and a culture obsessed with weight loss, there are many women who love their bigger bodies and don't apologize for them.

Most actually prefer "fat," the term size-acceptance activists first reclaimed during the civil and women's rights movements, says Marilyn Wann, San Francisco author of "Fat! So?" (Ten Speed Press). Reclaiming the word "fat" is about getting rid of shame and moving on with your life, says Oakland's Amanda Piasecki, founder of the community blog, Fatshionista.

While the self-actualization is not new, it comes at a moment when researchers are touting weight-neutral, health at every-size programs, and images of big women are more prevalent in mainstream media.

Wann's book was first published 10 years ago after, she says, she was denied health care for weighing 235 pounds. And it is has been almost 10 years since she and other activists fought for and successfully added weight and height to the anti-discrimination laws of San Francisco.

Much has changed since then. Plus-sized clothing retailers and specialized fitness groups, have helped larger women advance, Wann says. Community blogs such as Fatshionista also provide a forum where women can talk about their bodies in a way that is safer than normal conversations, says Piasecki, who founded Fatshionista in 2004. Plus, women say, big clothes are simply cuter now.

"Everything used to be shapeless or boxy," says Dana Roeting, a Millbrae, Calif., plus-sized model who has worked for Liz Claiborne and Jones of New York. "Now there are trendy clothes available for people up to size 30."

Margarita Rossi, 26, credits her parents for her self-acceptance.

"They helped me realize that there's nothing wrong with me, and I don't need to change myself to make other people feel more comfortable," says Rossi, who is a size 26. She lives in San Francisco and is a moderator on Fatshionista. "In our culture, people think women's bodies are subject to comment. But I have lots of people who are supportive of me and a loving boyfriend. I know that I'm not alone."

Ari-Asha Castalia of San Francisco knows this kind of self-love. Over the past year-and-half, she has lost 84 pounds through healthy living, and she continues to lose. Yet, Castalia, 48, has always believed in self-esteem at any size, she says.

"Long ago, I decided that I was going to wear nice clothes, have a cute haircut and nice makeup. I was going to walk around the world like I belonged here," Castalia says. "So many of us are waiting to be a certain size so we can do something. If I want to go to the beach, I'm not going to deny myself the pleasure of being in the water until I reach a certain weight. I do not feel disempowered as a fat person."