The Most Inspiring Body Transformations
As the New Year rolls in and weight loss resolutions have you making grocery lists and workout [...]
Losing half her size:
At 23 years old, Jessica Weber had been overweight (and had faced harsh bulling because of her size) for years. She was eating two dinners per night, full of starches and low in nutrients.
Doctors urged her to undergo gastric bypass surgery, but that was just the beginning of her weight loss journey.
She now goes to the gym religiously and plans her meals around healthy veggies. But the reminders of her past life are still very much visible.
"When you lose 180 pounds, the skin doesn't just suck back up," she wrote in a caption on Instagram. "I have been learning to deal with it, even with wanting to lose a bit more weight and have surgery! This is my life until then and I will not hate my body anymore!" Learn more about her story here.
prevnextA mom owning 4:15 a.m. workouts:
A mom to five children, Ashley Garrett knew making time to work out wasn't going to be easy — which is why she started setting her alarm for 4:15 a.m. to make a serious, lasting change. Through a combination of different activities — utilizing an app to stay committed to running, using BeachBody's HIIT and cardio plans and joining various running events — Garrett shed 90 pounds in one year.
Her transformation completely changed her body, but more importantly, it allowed her to keep up with her energetic kids — something that had always been a struggle in the past. Read more about her path to weight loss here.
prevnextA two-pound difference:
For those who rely solely on the scale to determine weight loss success, Adrienne Osuna has a shocking truth for you.
The fitness blogger worked to transform her body by putting in work at the gym and in the kitchen, but between her before and after photos is just a two-pound difference.
"The scale is only a number, it doesn't determine if weight is fat or muscle," she explained in one inspirational post.
Instead of dwelling on the arbitrary number, Osuna has chosen to focus on her shrinking clothing size (size 16 to size 10), higher energy and increased muscle tone. Ready Osuna's full story here.
prevnextMama June's transformation:
In reality TV land, the most dramatic weight loss journey of the year was earned by "Mama" June Shannon, who documented her transformation for the world to watch.
But the cameras following Shannon's gastric sleeve surgery, setbacks with overeating, shifting fitness plans and skin removal procedures provided a genuine look at what it takes to achieve your goals — and the weight of determination.
June, who shed more than 300 pounds on Mama June: From Not To Hot is sure she'll keep the weight off with better food decisions, exercise and portion control. "I can promise you I'm never going back to that size," she told PEOPLE. "I'm happy where I'm at."
Follow June's journey from a size 24 to size 4 here.
prevnextA dramatic full-body makeover:
While embarking on a weight loss journey can have a dramatic affect on your body, Kaylee Bonnett found that her face got a makeover. At her heaviest, Kaylee weighed in at 481 pounds — something that made every day a challenge.
"Day to day, life was a constant struggle," Bonnett says. "From worrying about if I'll fit in this chair or if the chair will hold me, to trying to look nice and hoping that getting from point A to B doesn't make me sweat my hair and makeup off, I was constantly on the defense."
She dropped some significant weight on her own through a combination of diet and exercise before being cleared to go ahead with gastric bypass surgery. Now, she's sitting at 235 pounds and can see a whole new person emerging in the mirror. Read her story here.
prevnextA turn to bodybuilding competitions:
Jana Roller began her journey weighing 307 pounds, a size that led her to feel sick and uncomfortable in her own skin.
"My 'aha' moment was when I was at the park with my son," she says. "He ran away from me and almost got hit by a car because I couldn't catch him. I thought, 'This needs to change right now.' "
Roller trained six days a week and tracked her macronutrients to lose 130 pounds. Once she gained confidence in her body, she decided to enter a bodybuilding competition in 2017 — even highlighting her loose skin in a bikini.
"Being someone who used to be 300 pounds I was always finding excuses to put layers on, so getting closer to stage day I realized, I have to take it all off!" she said. "I had worked two years to get to this point, and I'm incredibly proud of myself."
Read more about Roller's inspiring journey here.
prevnextJonah Hill's slim-down:
When photos of a slimmed-down Jonah Hill surfaced on social media this year, the internet appropriately freaked out about his drastically transformed stature.
Hill reportedly 40 pounds after getting a forceful piece of advice from his fit 21 Jump Street costar Channing Tatum.
"I called Channing Tatum and said, 'Hey, if I ate less and go to a trainer, will I get in better shape?'" Hill said on The Tonight Show. "And he said, 'Yes, you dumb motherf-----, of course you will. It's the simplest thing in the entire world."
The actor took his friends advice and with the help of a nutritionist, food journal and trainer, he's now living a healthier, more active lifestyle.
Learn more about Hill's weight loss — plus his favorite healthy food — by clicking here.
prevnextA Ketogenic lifestyle swap:
Joanna Wilcox began her weight loss journey just one year ago, slimming down from 204 pounds to 142 by adopting a new, filling diet.
The mom of two sought help for her emotional eating and leaned on this protein-heavy, low-carb diet to keep herself accountable and take out all the guesswork of planning meals.
"Consistency is the main reason why people fail at losing weight, and if you can just commit, you will achieve results even you never thought were possible," she told Reader's Digest. "Accountability is also important. Find a friend to commit with or surround yourself with others following a similar diet. Finding a weight loss community where you feel supported can make a huge difference in your weight loss journey."
prevnextZero pounds, insame transformation:
In case it didn't sink in the first time, know that the number on your scale doesn't tell the whole story of your fat loss progress.
Nikki Reese's before and after photo shows a visible body transformation, with a slimmer waist and more toned arms, legs and tummy, but she didn't lose a single pound.
Reese's healthy living strategy is perhaps the simplest: eat healthy most of the time, but eat what you love every so often — and don't let if derail your progress.
"Balance the food books like the intelligent rational human being your are... eat what you love every now and then And what you NEED more often than not... and on those days when it all goes horribly wrong.. as it inevitably will... just remove your face from the tub of butter... replace the lid and continue on exactly as you were.. motivated, goal orientated and #healthyAF," the motivational blogger wrote on Instagram. Check out Reese's full story here.
Reverse before and after:
For some, a body transformation includes overcoming the mental and emotional hurdles keeping you unhealthy, regardless of your size.
Megan Jayne Crabbe was diagnosed with anorexia after spending years "torturing myself every day for not fitting an image I was never supposed to be." During her recovery process, the now body positive activist learned not to equate health with weight and learned how to properly fuel her body with nutrients-rich foods.
She also found self-love and has dedicated her life to showing others that size doesn't equal happiness. "As it turns out, happiness isn't a size. And I wasted far too many years believing that it was. Now I'm not going to stop letting people know that they deserve happiness exactly as they are. They deserve to live now, not 10 pounds from now."
Read Crabbe's emotional body transformation story here, and learn to love the skin you're in.
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