Category Archives: Weight Loss

Weight Loss and what you need to know about Weight Loss.

Pasta Was Linked to Weight Loss in a New Study–and We Know What We’re Having for Dinner Tonight

You Need Posted on by

Finally, some good news about everyone’s favorite carb.

While your friends are off experimenting with the Whole30 plan or dabbling in the keto diet, here’s a refreshing bit of pro-carb news: Eating pasta has been linked with losing weight in a new study.

The research, which comes from (we can only assume) carb-loving study authors at St. Michael’s Hospital and the University of Toronto, examined the results from 30 different studies of people who eat pasta as part of a low glycemic index diet. On average, the pasta-eaters downed roughly a half-cup of noodles three times a week. Not only did they not gain weight, they actually lost a teeny bit—about one pound after 12 weeks.

RELATED: This 25-Cent, One-Ingredient Sauce Is Just What You Need to Rescue Leftover Pasta

“The study found that pasta didn’t contribute to weight gain or increase in body fat,” lead author John Sievenpiper, MD, PhD, a clinician scientist at St. Michael’s Hospital, said in a statement. “In fact, analysis actually showed a small weight loss. So contrary to concerns, perhaps pasta can be part of a healthy diet such as a low GI diet.”

Here’s the catch (c’mon, you knew it was coming): Don’t skim over that low GI part. Foods that rank high on the glycemic index cause rapid spikes in blood sugar, potentially leaving you feeling hungry shortly after eating. Low GI foods—those with a glycemic index score under 55—do the opposite, changing your blood sugar more gradually to keep you feeling full for longer, thereby helping you eat less and, potentially, shed pounds. Beans, lentils, chickpeas, and sweet potatoes are just a few naturally low GI foods you’re probably already eating.

RELATED: 14 Slimming Pizza and Pasta Recipes

The researchers (some of whom have received funding from Barilla in the past, it should be noted) pointed out that pasta is often lower on the glycemic index than other foods made with refined grains, like white bread. Still, this particular study, published in BMJ Open, only tells us about eating pasta in the context of an all-around low GI diet.

Sadly, this isn’t permission to make bottomless spaghetti a regular routine. “Future trials should assess the effect of pasta in the context of other ‘healthy’ dietary patterns,” the authors wrote. They also noted that we still need long-term research examining how dieters fare after a year or more on low GI diets that include pasta.

Following a low GI diet isn’t a magic bullet, as Health’s contributing nutrition Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, previously wrote. For starters, plenty of obviously nutritious foods happen to have a high GI score. “Many super-healthy eats also rank high on the scale, while some less nutritious fare falls low,” Sass explained. “One great example: watermelon. It’s rich in healthy antioxidants like lycopene, and yet it’s higher on the GI than sponge cake!”

To get our top stories delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Healthy Living newsletter

Previous research suggests pasta may also contribute to weight loss when it’s part of a Mediterranean diet. But no matter how the rest of your diet stacks up, it can’t hurt to employ a few smart tactics to make your favorite noodle dishes work even better for you. For starters, stick to portion sizes around half a cup. Consider white-flour pasta alternatives like whole-wheat or quinoa noodles for a boost of filling fiber. And don’t overcook your pasta. Noodles have the lowest score on the glycemic index when they’re al dente—aka slightly firm.

This Woman Looks Like She Lost Weight, but She Actually Gained 25 Pounds—Here’s How

You Need Posted on by

Scales are liars.

If you’ve been eating right and working out regularly, you’d expect to drop pounds, not gain them. But that’s exactly what happened to one social media user—and her story is a good example of why you should never link your self-esteem to what the scale says.

RELATED: Here’s What to Eat for Lunch if You’re Trying to Slim Down, According to a Nutritionist

In an Instagram post shared on Tuesday, user @bananas.gets.fit provided a side-by-side photo showing what she looked like before starting fitness influencer Anna Victoria’s Fit Body Guide method, and then how she looked after following the plan.

“I’ve been seeing a lot of posts talking about how you guys are down and out about what the scale says,” she wrote. “So after some digging I found the photo on the left, that’s me at the very beginning of my fitness journey a little over 2 years ago. I was super depressed and coping by eating my emotions.”

At the start of the program, @bananas.gets.fit said she weighed 150 pounds—but now weighs in at 175 pounds. The weight gain isn’t a bad thing, she continued.

“Fast forward to 2 years of @annavictoria programs and I’m 25 pounds heavier, fitter, and wear a size 6 versus a 14 (for those that care),” she wrote. “The purpose of this post is to show you what the scale says does not matter, take your measurements, take progress photos and stay consistent. Is my body perfect, absolutely not (I love me some chips and salsa and Starbucks) but I love it and in the end that’s what matters.”

RELATED: 57 Ways to Lose Weight Forever, According to Science

Program creator Victoria was thrilled to see the before and after, and she reposted it on her page with the caption, “READ THIS THEN THROW YOUR SCALE AWAY‼️ @bananas.gets.fit went from a size 14 to a size 6, but the scale didn’t reflect that in the way you’d think…why? Because the scale is a LIAR.”

Victoria, who has already said that she doesn’t weigh herself, is certainly onto something. The number on the scale is helpful, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. For starters, it doesn’t reflect your body fat percentage, which is more indicative of your overall health. And the number can be higher if you’ve been working out a lot, since muscle weighs more than fat.

So while it’s good to gauge your weight-loss progress by stepping on a scale, don’t let it be the only the only measurement you use. As @bananas.gets.fit realized, dropping a couple of dress sizes tells you in no uncertain terms that your body is leaner, and a body-fat percentage reading can let you know if you’re in a healthier range as well.

This Quickie Cleanse Could Lead to Major Results

You Need Posted on by

The premise is simple: Cut out junk for one totally doable week, and you’ll notice real results before your detox is done.

Skipping booze, sugar, and processed grains and eating only whole foods—think produce, unprocessed grains, lean protein, and healthy fats—for just seven days can trigger long-lasting changes. “A lot of times when we reach for a cookie or a drink, it’s out of habit. By shaking up your routine, you can reset and form better ones,” explains Brooke Alpert, RD, author of The Diet Detox. But it also offers serious perks in the short-term. Read on for five body benefits to expect by this time next week.

You’ll crush your workouts

In the absence of booze and sugar, your pancreas makes less insulin, the hormone that shuttles glucose into fat cells for storage. “When your insulin levels go down, you store less glucose as fat and burn it on the spot instead,” says Robert Lustig, MD, an endocrinologist at the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in San Francisco. The result: You feel like the Energizer Bunny.

Your skin will plump up

A diet full of sweet treats messes with the repair of collagen, the protein that keeps your skin plump. That’s why when you nix sugar, you might notice a smoother, more supple complexion in only a week’s time. “If you’re hydrating enough and eating really nutritious foods, the effects could be even quicker,” says Alpert.

You will sleep deeper

A nightcap may help you unwind, but it disrupts your REM sleep, the restorative stage that first occurs later in the night. “When you cut out alcohol, you’ll often find that you not only sleep longer, but also better,” says Neha Vyas, MD, a family physician at the Cleveland Clinic.

Your tummy will be flatter

Passing on veggie chips, granola bars, and other packaged snacks can potentially bring down bloating instantly, because you’re dodging all the sodium hidden in those processed foods, says Alpert.

You may shed some weight

If you typically sip vino with dinner and dig into fro-yo for dessert, you might see the number on the scale drop. “To lose a pound in a week, you need to have 500 fewer calories a day,” says Dr. Vyas. Eliminating junk could do the trick.

Follow these simple food rules

Skip: Anything that’s processed or comes in a package, booze, and added sugar (the kind that’s in salad dressings, sauces, and candy).

Eat: Veggies, fruits, lean proteins (like fish and chicken), and small amounts of dairy and unprocessed grains (such as quinoa and barley, not bread).

What the ‘Perfect’ Woman’s Body Looks Like, According to Men and Women

You Need Posted on by

An eating disorder specialist weighs in on the mental health ramifications of a recent survey.

It’s probably not a huge surprise that men and women have different ideas about what constitutes the “ideal” body for women. Now, a recent survey is spotlighting just how different.

The survey, conducted in January on behalf of RiverMend Health and Rosewood Centers for Eating Disorders, revealed that women are more likely to describe the “perfect female body” as athletic, while men prefer a curvy body type. More than half of the 1,004 respondents–54%–agreed that an athletic physique, like David Beckham’s or Michael Phelps’s, is the ideal for a man. The results for a woman’s body, however, varied. Forty-nine percent of women said an athletic body type (think: Jennifer Lopez or Gwen Stefani) is ideal, but 38% of men voted for a curvier frame (like that of Kim Kardashian West or Mariah Carey).

Certified eating disorder specialist Dena Cabrera, PsyD, executive clinical director of Rosewood, tells Health women’s critical approach may boil down to a marketing problem. “Women are inundated with pictures of the ‘ideal,’ and we tend to view ourselves in a way that taints how we see ourselves and the way we’re valued,” she says. “Women put a lot of value into body shape and size and weight.”

To get our top stories delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Healthy Living newsletter

But women weren’t the only ones concerned with their appearance. More than 75% of survey respondents said they would give up something they love if it meant they could achieve the “perfect” body overnight. Those sacrifices included cutting out fried food, alcohol, social media, and even sex. A small percentage of people–3%–said they would go so far as to give up their homes, and 2% said they would give up a relationship with someone they love for that idealized physique.

Unsettlingly, the survey also found that men were more likely to want their partners to take extreme measures to achieve what they believe to be the perfect body. Thirteen percent of men said they would want their partner to exercise to the edge of their physical limits every day regardless of pain compared to just 5% of women; 5% of men said they would want their partner to skip meals compared to 1% of women; and 3% of men said they would want a partner to consume laxatives or to throw up after eating compared to zero women.

RELATED: 9 Ways to Help a Friend With an Eating Disorder

Cabrera, also author of the book Mom in the Mirror: Body Image, Beauty, and Life after Pregnancy, doesn’t think men necessarily mean any harm. “I don’t think they’re equating it with negativity,” she says. “They’re not connecting it with self-esteem or self-worth.”

Still, she says she’s had at least one patient with a partner who was so aggressive about her body, the romance became abusive. “The relationship became about fulfilling [the man’s] needs and negating [the woman’s] own needs, self-worth, and value,” she says. “A relationship should be about two equal partners and about connection, not about looks.”

Kylie Jenner Promoted Waist Training as a Way for New Moms to ‘Snap Back.’ Here’s Why That’s Wrong

You Need Posted on by

Another day, another Kardashian promoting waist-training devices on social media. This time it’s new mom Kylie Jenner, and she’s touting the corset-like products as a way for women to “snap back” after giving birth.

“My girl @premadonna87 hooked me up with the @waistgangsociety snap back package,” Jenner wrote yesterday in a sponsored Instagram post. She then encouraged her followers to purchase the package using her exclusive discount, so she “can keep up with your progress.”

We’re all for empowering new moms (and losing weight with friends!), but we’ve got a few issues with what’s going on in this post. To begin with, the notion that women can or should “snap back” to their pre-baby bodies isn’t the healthiest. And on top of that, the idea that a waist trainer can help is, well, questionable at best.

RELATED: The Flat-Belly Workouts Celebrities Swear By for Sexy, Sculpted Abs

If you’re new to the waist-trainer world, here’s a quick primer: These modern-day corsets are essentially thick bands of material that wrap tightly around the waist and lower rib cage. Kylie’s sisters Kim and Khloé have both promoted them on Instagram, and celebs like Jessica Alba and Brooke Burke-Charvet have credited waist training for helping them get back in shape after childbirth.

There’s no question that, while you’re wearing them, waist trainers deliver a slimming, hourglass look. Companies that market waist trainers also claim that the devices can reshape the body or reduce belly fat—but Carolyn Apovian, MD, a professor of medicine at Boston University School, previously told Health that “in my opinion, that is complete nonsense.”

Dr. Apovian says there’s probably nothing wrong with wearing a waist trainer for the sole purpose of looking thin for a few hours. “If you look in the mirror and like what you see, it can potentially be a good thing,” she adds; it may even boost a woman’s confidence and encourage her to exercise and eat healthy.

But a waist trainer won’t change the shape of your body, she says, and you won’t see lasting effects once you take it off. In fact, celebrity trainer Nicole Glor told Health, regularly wearing a waist trainer might actually decrease core strength. (A better goal, she says, would be sculpting lean muscle with moves like planks and twisting crunches.)

RELATED: 27 Fat-Burning Ab Exercises (No Crunches!)

As for new moms, Dr. Apovian says that wearing a waist trainer during workouts may help women feel more comfortable, as long as it’s not so tight that it restricts breathing or causes discomfort. “If it helps everything feel a bit tighter and there’s less jiggle around your stomach,” she says, “it may help you feel better about exercising.”

But women should still follow their doctor’s advice about how much and how hard to push themselves as they start exercising again—and they shouldn’t feel pressure to “snap back” too quickly. And while some waist trainers claim to reduce water retention and swelling of the uterus, Dr. Apovian says that’s not true.

“The uterus is going to shrink when it feels like shrinking,” she says, “and you can’t get rid of water weight with a corset—that’s simply not true.”

There could be risks, as well: If waist trainers are too tight, they can interfere with breathing or contribute to heartburn. “Your stomach might get pushed up beyond the diaphragm, which could cause reflux,” says Dr. Apovian. “If you’re wearing one and you experience those symptoms, that’s a definite sign that you need to loosen it or take it off.”

To get our top stories delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Healthy Living newsletter

We’re not the only ones who noticed something off about Kylie’s post. Many of her Instagram and Twitter followers were quick to criticize the star for hawking a product that (a) isn’t proven to actually do anything and (b) could perpetuate negative body image among her followers—including teenagers and other new moms.

Instead of waist training, we’d love to see Kylie promoting healthier and more effective ways for new moms to lose the baby weight—when they’re good and ready, that is—like following a balanced diet, starting a postpartum exercise routine, and yes, even breastfeeding. Not only are these strategies actually proven to help shed unwanted pounds, but they come with lots of other benefits, as well.

4 Things to Remind Yourself When You Overeat, Drink too Much, or Skip a Workout

You Need Posted on by

Don’t beat yourself up. Try one of these gentle mantras instead.

There’s no way around it: You will stumble (you’re human!) on the path to achieving your health and wellness goals. But berating yourself for skipping the gym, or eating that extra slice of cake will only set you back farther.

“It’s okay to slip once in a while,” says sports psychologist Alexander T. Latinjak, PhD. Just remind yourself: “When I slip, I get up again, and get back on track.” 

Try three four tricks to dodge self-flagellation and move on.

RELATED: Exactly How 5 Real Women Lost the Last 10 Pounds

You finished all the cookies

Tell yourself: “I accept that I’m not perfect—but I choose to refocus on healthy eating.”

Don’t make it a big thing, says Jeffrey Rossman, PhD, director of life management at Canyon Ranch in Lenox, Massachusetts; use it as a chance to recommit.

You skipped a morning workout to sleep in

Ask: “What can I do so I don’t skip next time?”

The key is to not get discouraged, and give up on your a.m. workouts entirely, says Judy Van Raalte, PhD, professor of psychology at Springfield College. Maybe tomorrow you set an extra alarm, or tonight you hit the hay a little earlier.

Keep in mind there’s a good chance you needed the sleep, Rossman points out. And one missed workout doesn’t mean you’ve failed. Find another time to fit in your exercise that day, or resume your regular routine the next day, he says.

You overdid it on alcohol

Remember: “It’s not who you are, it’s who you want to become.”

If you’re not happy with yourself or your behavior, remind yourself you’re making strides, Latinjak suggests. 

Rossman offers a similar mantra to spotlight the fact that you can’t rewire old habits overnight: “I am a work in progress. What can I learn from this?” He recommends using slip-ups with alcohol as a moment for reflection. Think about what triggers contributed to your desire to drink, he says. For example, if you were out with a friend who is a big drinker, meet up for dinner or a walk next time, instead of drinks. Or if you drank a little too much wine while binge-watching a favorite show, tell yourself you’re no longer going to drink alone.

To get our top stories delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Healthy Living newsletter

You’re not seeing results from your new exercise routine

Think: “I’m not exercising because I’ll lose weight. I’m exercising because [insert other benefits, both physical and mental].”

One workout–or even a handful–isn’t likely to result in much more than the loss of water weight. So stop trying to motivate yourself with the promise of changes on the scale, Latinjak says. Instead, list the benefits of exercise beyond weight loss. So if you run, you might say, “I’m running today because it makes me feel fast, because I like spending time in the park, because I get to do it with my friends.”

Keto vs. Atkins: Which Is the Better Low-Carb Diet?

You Need Posted on by

The low-carb, high-fat plans aren’t as similar as they sound.

If the premise behind the ketogenic diet (a low-carb, high-fat, moderate-protein plan) sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Curious folks around the Internet have been asking: What’s the difference between the keto diet and the Atkins diet?

At their most basic, they’re both low-carb diets. But they’re not exactly the same.

The biggest difference between the keto diet and the Atkins plan might be their origin stories, says dietitian and educator Claudia T. Felty, PhD, RD. “Atkins was designed for weight loss, and keto was designed, it its strictest form, for seizure prevention.” (Really! It was a tool in the treatment of epilepsy, and has only recently been adopted as a slim-down strategy.)

RELATED: 7 Keto-Friendly Recipes People Are Loving on Pinterest

When you crunch the numbers for the two diets, things shake out a little differently too. People on the keto diet usually get 2% to 5% of their daily calories from carbs; while Atkins followers are typically getting around 10% of their calories from carbs (at least at first). Both diets use this ultra-low carb approach to trigger ketosis, a state in which the body burns fat for fuel instead of stored carbs, leading, in theory, to weight loss.

On the keto diet, people usually get somewhere between 75% and 90% of their daily calories from fat, and the remaining 6% to 20% of their calories from protein. In the Atkins plan, fat makes up closer to 60% of daily calories, with protein accounting for closer to 30%, according to the U.S. News and World Report annual diet rankings. (The site ranked Akins 36th out of 40 on its list, and keto 39th.) That helps explain why people think of Atkins as the “all bacon, all the time” plan, while keto is considered the “avocado-a-day” diet. 

RELATED: Kourtney Kardashian Says She Did the Keto Diet to Help With a ‘Metal Detox’—Does That Work?

Another difference: The Atkins approach to carbs changes over time. “Atkins has what’s known as the ‘induction phase,’ which is the first phase of the diet. It allows 20 grams of net carbs—total carbs minus fiber. As the diet progresses, the carb amount allowed goes up,” Felty explains. “Keto counts all carbs—not just the net—and the amount tends to be much lower long-term than that of Atkins.”

Adding in more good-for-you carbs as you reach, and then maintain your goal weight brings you out of ketosis. And that might be a good thing: Ketosis can trigger ketoacidosis, which is when excess ketones–a byproduct of fat metabolism–build up in the blood. Left untreated, ketoacidosis can be fatal.

When it comes to losing weight, both plans can help you shed pounds, especially at first. Low-carb diets are often successful weight-loss plans in the short-term as you shed water weight. But the results might not last: In its reviews of the two diets, U.S. News and World Report pointed to longer-term studies that haven’t found much difference between low-carb diets and low-fat diets. There simply hasn’t been enough research to determine if lasting weight-loss success on a low-carb plan is due to cutting carbs, or simply cutting calories.

To get our top stories delivered to your inbox, sign up for the Healthy Living newsletter

If you’re considering going keto or trying Atkins, keep in mind that low-carb diets aren’t always easy to follow. After all, who wouldn’t miss potatoes? “I suggest modifying the diet to allow more carbs–especially the ones you know you can’t live without,” Health contributing nutrition editor Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, wrote in a previous article. “In my experience, moderation is generally the key to shedding pounds for good, optimizing health, and living a balanced, enjoyable life.”

Demi Lovato Slams ‘Diet Culture’ and Tells Fans They’re ‘Beautiful No Matter What Anyone Says’

You Need Posted on by

“It’s so frustrating and sad how strong the #dietculture in our society is,” Lovato wrote.

Demi Lovato wants her fans to know that they’re “beautiful,” regardless of what society tells them.

The singer, 25, tweeted a body-positive message to her fans while slamming modern culture’s obsession with dieting.

“It’s so frustrating and sad how strong the #dietculture in our society is,” Lovato wrote. “It’s constantly telling us we’re not thin enough no matter what.”

In reality, she added, “You are beautiful no matter what anyone says.”

Lovato also retweeted a post from Eating Disorder Hope about the correlation between orthorexia and perfectionism.

Lovato, who has a history of eating disorders, said in January that she has “given up dieting” and the “chronic stress” of worrying about every single thing she eats.

“I stopped dieting and have gained a little weight so it’s been a struggle, but at the same time, I’m happier because I’m not restricting myself from certain foods and I’m no longer food shaming myself,” Lovato told PEOPLE.

And she emphasized that being healthy is more important than trying to lose weight.

“As someone recovering from a food disorder, it’s something that I want to put out there that you don’t have to diet in order to be happy,” Lovato said. “I don’t think I’ve heard that message out there in the public and of course, it’s important to be healthy and everything in moderation is fine.”

7 Inspiring Things Celebrities Have Said About Why They Don’t Diet

You Need Posted on by

These are spot on.

Keto, Whole30, Paleo—with so many diet buzzwords out there, it’s difficult to keep track of them all. But here’s a better idea: Instead of getting caught up in calorie or carb counting, take inspiration from the celebrities who have sworn off the whole diet-deprivation thing. These ladies focus on nourishing themselves with nutritious food—and plenty of it. Here’s exactly why you’ll never catch Jennifer Lawrence, Jameela Jamil, and five other stars trying to shed pounds on a diet.

Jennifer Lawrence

“I can’t work on a diet,” the Red Sparrow star told Vanity Fair in this month’s issue, when asked about her stance on dieting and exercising in preparation for a film. “I’m hungry. I’m standing on my feet. I need more energy.”

Jameela Jamil

“We aren’t supposed to all look the same,” The Good Place star wrote in an article for HuffPost UK in February, which called for women to stop judging themselves by how much they weigh. “And nothing good ever comes of self hatred. It will never further you. It will always hold you back.”

Adele

“I would only lose weight if it affected my health or sex life, which it doesn’t,” the 15-time Grammy winner told The Guardian in 2007 after facing criticism from YouTube commenters.

January Jones

“I have never dieted,” the actress told Allure in 2011. “I just listen to whatever my body craves. I don’t deny myself anything.”

Kristen Bell

“I was like, ‘I have a baby. Do you know how awesome that is? It’s so radical! Why on earth am I going to be so concerned with my pants size?'” the actress told E! News, shortly after giving birth to daughter Lincoln, who is now 4.

Chrissy Teigen

“I’m going to start my own Chrissy diet that’s like Paleo plus cheese. Plus late Saturday night drive-through,” the model and cookbook author told Elle in 2015.

Ashley Graham

“I know that I look good and, more importantly, I feel good so why am I dieting? I now know what works for me,” the model and body positivity advocate said in an interview with ABC News in 2015.

This Woman Lost 150 Lbs. Only to Be Bullied Online and Regain Weight — ‘I Got Death Threats’

You Need Posted on by

“I was getting really depressed, and I couldn’t admit to everyone that I was gaining weight.”

In 2015, weight loss Instagrammer Stephanie Seabrook went viral for writing on her stomach the cruel comments she used to hear about her weight. She then had skin removal surgery and initially got thousands of comments of support, but a few weeks later, people starting accusing her of photoshopping her pictures.

“At first I tried to just shrug it off, and not think about it, but it started to get progressively worse and more frequent,” Seabrook, 30, tells PEOPLE of the cyberbullying.

She discovered that a girl she met through Instagram was actually photoshopping her pictures and posting them all over to drive the hateful comments.

“I got death threats, and people said I should go kill myself because I’m pathetic,” Seabrook says. “They thought that I was a liar and a fraud when I was just trying to be loved and accepted like anyone else.”

Stuck in “this emotional state of not being able to deal with” their comments, Seabrook started regaining the 150 lbs. she had lost.

“I was getting really depressed, and I couldn’t admit to everyone that I was gaining weight because I felt that I had a duty to be there for these people who said they could relate to me,” she says. “I didn’t want to disappoint them.”

Unsure of where to go from there, Seabrook did start photoshopping her own pictures, thinking it would stop her followers from leaving. Instead, “it made everything ten times worse.”

She decided to completely shut down her Instagram account, and reached out for help from a therapist, family and friends. Though the entire experience was difficult, Seabrook says she’s in a much better place now and appreciates what she went through.

“It made me a much stronger individual and a much stronger woman,” she says. “In hindsight, it made me comfortable with who I am and regardless of what people think of me, what really matters is what I think of myself.”

And on Inauguration Day 2017, after about nine months away, Seabrook reactivated her account with a full-length photo and an honest post about what happened and how she regained 100 lbs.

“I said that this is where I am, this is who I am, and you can either accept it or not,” she says. “I’ve been trying to promote self-worth and self-love, and realizing that even if someone is gaining weight it has nothing to do with fitness and health, it has everything to do with what’s going on in their lives, and sometimes that’s okay.”

Seabrook is working on losing weight — she’s lost about 40 lbs. so far — but it’s purely for her health and the hope of having a baby with her husband. She says that being honest about her experience and admitting her mistakes on Instagram has changed her life.

“Opening up in Instagram helped me open up in real life. Having the strength to do that in front of thousands of people I don’t know has given me the strength to do that with the people I do know,” she says. “There’s a sense of freedom and peace when you can show the world who you are without fear of being ridiculed. I’m comfortable with myself.”