Why This Plus-Size Woman Wants You to See Her ‘Reverse Transformation’ Photo

Elise Solé
A formerly size 6 mom is sharing a transformation photo to remind women that being thin doesn’t guarantee a happy life. (Photo: Allison Kimmey via Instagram)
A formerly size 6 mom is sharing a transformation photo to remind women that being thin doesn’t guarantee a happy life. (Photo: Allison Kimmey via Instagram)

A plus-size mom is sharing a “reverse transformation” photo in the hopes of inspiring women struggling with body image.

Allison Kimmey, a mother of two from Cocoa Beach, Fla., routinely shares candid bikini selfies with her 72,000 followers on Instagram. Her latest post is a split-screen image depicting Kimmey at a previous size 6 and at her current size 16, and it makes the point that happiness doesn’t always stem from body perfection.

Transformation photos typically show a weight-loss progression; however, lately, a slew of women have been sharing “reverse transformation” images that portray weight gain, in an effort to reimagine the concept of health.

In March, plus-size model Charli Howard posted a photo of herself at a thinner weight during a time when she “starved” herself, along with one of herself heavier but “healthy.” And in February, blogger Megan Jayne Crabbe posted a previous photo of herself with chiseled abs and then one with curves, along with a written defense of why she’s happier at a heavier weight.

“I spent most of my adolescence as an overweight, shy teen trying to avoid any situation that pushed me outside my comfort zone or put me in front of people,” Kimmey wrote in the April 18 post, which received more than 5,000 likes. “I worked desperately hard to lose weight at the age of 14, when I began my first diets, restricted eating and over exercising habits. I equated happiness to thinness. That once I was able to fit into Hollister jeans I’d be the popular outgoing girl I thought I wanted to be.”

Kimmey also explained that over a period of 12 years, her weight fluctuated by 100 pounds, while she compared herself with others and experienced low self-esteem. “Even as a size 2/4 on my wedding and honeymoon, I could only see my perceived flaws,” she wrote.

Hey babes! It's been a while since I introduced myself and a lot of you have asked about my personal story. So here goes… My name is Allie. I'm a mommy to two cute toe-heads and a pup, wifey to my high school sweet heart and lover of the beach. As you can tell, I spend a LOT of time in swimwear, confidently living in my size 16/18 body. But it hasn't always been this way. I spent most of my adolescence as an overweight, shy teen trying to avoid any situation that pushed me outside my comfort zone or put me in front of people. I worked desperately hard to lose weight at the age of 14, when I began my first diets, restricted eating and over exercising habits. I equated happiness to thinness. That once I was able to fit into hollister jeans I'd be the popular outgoing girl I thought I wanted to be. For 12 years I spent my existence completely consumed by my size. Fluctuating 100 pounds over the decade. Constantly comparing myself to others and never feeling enough or worthy. Even as a size 2/4 on my wedding and honeymoon, I could only see my perceived flaws. After the birth of my daughter in 2012 I had visions of her growing up and looking exactly like me. I verbally said that I wished that she wouldn't look like me. And at that moment I realized that I needed to change…not only for myself, but for my entire family- especially my children. And so I took the first steps to trying to find myself again, uncover my purpose, and retrain my mind to see beauty instead of imperfection. Over the course of the next 3 years I poured myself into the self help section of the book store, attended seminars, paid for expensive online courses, and began my spiritual journey. I constantly pushed myself to do exactly the things that scared me most, and the more times I immersed myself into the things I had been avoiding, it became my new normal. And one day, after seeing one too many transformation Tuesday photos of a grumpy fat woman turning into a happy thin woman, I looked back at my own journey and realized it happened to be exactly the opposite of what we are taught to believe. My hope is that these reverse transformation photos allow one person to find happiness NOW!

A post shared by ???? ALLISON ???? Just Do You! (@allisonkimmey) on Apr 18, 2017 at 2:48pm PDT

After she gave birth to her daughter in 2012, Kimmey found herself wishing that her baby wouldn’t grow up to resemble herself. “And at that moment I realized that I needed to change … not only for myself, but for my entire family — especially my children,” she wrote.

According to Kimmey, scrolling through social media and seeing people’s transformation photos depicting thin women looking happy and overweight woman looking sad, she had an epiphany: “I looked back at my own journey and realized it happened to be exactly the opposite of what we are taught to believe,” she wrote. “My hope is that these reverse transformation photos allow one person to find happiness now!”

Kimmey did not return requests for comment; however, she told Yahoo Beauty in March that her self-confidence has rubbed off on her daughter. “One day, I told her, ‘Everyone says we look alike,'” she shared. “She said, ‘Mom I don’t want to look like you — I want to look like me.’”

Does being smaller make you a better person? No Does weighing less make you nicer? No Does wearing a smaller size make you smarter? No Does gaining weight make you lose all that was good about you? No So then why are we all so deathly afraid of fluctuating sizes and shapes? It doesn't change your worthiness. And it doesn't change the fact that you're loved. I've learned more than I could even begin to tell you in between these 4 dress sizes that I would never ever want to lose out on. Sending love to anyone struggling with weight gain, a new body after motherhood or just finding it hard to love yourself in general! You'll get there babe! And if you need help, check the link in my bio! Just do you! Xoxo Allie

A post shared by ???? ALLISON ???? Just Do You! (@allisonkimmey) on Mar 28, 2017 at 1:20pm PDT

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