Woman switches up the way we think about ‘before and after’ pics

When we say "before and after" shots, what do you think of?

The first thing is weight. The second thing is loss. The third thing is a person looking slightly overweight in a picture on the left, and the same person looking slimmer in a picture on the right. Before and after pictures have become a staple of dieting, fitness, and exercise. Because why lose weight unless you can share an Instagram post about it? One woman who is a fan of before and after pictures is Allison Kimmey. But they're not the before and after pictures that we're used to seeing all over our newsfeeds. Instead of her 'after' images showing her smiling in a bikini six sizes smaller than she was 'before,' Allison's 'after' pictures show her smiling in a bikini six sizes bigger than she was 'before.'

A post shared by ALLIE ? Just Do You, Babe! (@allisonkimmey) on Jul 11, 2017 at 12:17pm PDT

According to her, being a few sizes bigger has made her "a million times happier."

"What you see here is so much MORE than a physical change. Weight gain and loss do not and NEVER WILL equal happiness. I consistently made heart centered choices the pounds and inches didn't matter anymore - I have learned they will come and go through the ebbs and flows of life - but finding true peace and passion within yourself... that is immeasurable."

A post shared by ALLIE ? Just Do You, Babe! (@allisonkimmey) on Jun 27, 2017 at 2:17pm PDT

Allison is suggesting that rather than only celebrating your body when you lose weight, we should be able to celebrate it when we gain it too. She is not shaming anybody, but encouraging others to be happy with whatever body shape they feel most comfortable with... while promoting the idea that you don't have to be slim to be proud of yourself.

A post shared by ALLIE ? Just Do You, Babe! (@allisonkimmey) on Jun 15, 2017 at 1:29pm PDT

Allison says that she first started dieting at the age of 14, convincing herself that if she could "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."

Now, Allison says that she is happier than she has ever been because she isn't "wasting" her life.

A post shared by ALLIE ? Just Do You, Babe! (@allisonkimmey) on Jul 18, 2017 at 1:46pm PDT

Allison Kimmey isn't telling anyone how to look, how to feel, or how to be happy. She is simply showing that she's found a way to achieve it - and that, for her, it doesn't involve counting calories, working out, or traditional before and after pictures.