Transformation Tuesday! The “Before” photo was taken in 2008 when I was 17. This photo was taken during a time when I was calorie counting, to the point that I limited myself to around 1,000 calories a day. I lost 70 pounds and weighed in at 150. I wish I had more full-length photos to show you, but unfortunately I was so insecure and embarrassed of my body that I required most of my photos to be chest-up. Also, I would have never been caught dead on the beach in an actual swimsuit.
On the right is my “After” photo, taken in 2014 at age 23. During the time period in between the photos, I began my radical journey of self-love and body acceptance. I don’t owe it to anyone to be their version of aesthetically pleasing, I don’t owe it to anyone to lose weight, and I don’t owe it to anyone to be ashamed of my body. Who I am now—all 220 pounds of me— has more confidence and zest for life than I ever did before.
