Invisapeeps 2.0

If you go into Advanced Editor, click on the little icon of a tree, paste the URL in the pop up box and it should post for you.

http://www.today.com/health/womans-real-post-weight-loss-bikini-pic-goes-viral-2D79630476

Woman's 'real' post-weight-loss bikini pic goes viral

 

Bikini-phobia paralyzes many women, even actresses and models with seemingly perfect bodies. Not Brooke Birmingham. The Illinois blogger who lost 170 pounds has turned a rejected bikini photo of her post-weight loss body into a viral campaign for “real” bodies.

After years of following the Weight Watchers diet plan, Birmingham, 28, says she was to be featured on a before-and-after weight-loss spread for the website for Shape magazine. Birmingham submitted a photo of her in a two-piece swimsuit, proudly show the folds of her belly. When the magazine’s writer asked her to submit a different “after” picture, one with her wearing a T-shirt, Birmingham became frustrated, especially after seeing other photos of women in bikinis on the site. “I don’t feel like my body was given the same respect as others on their site,” she wrote in a blog post on May 2, saying the magazine rejected her "real" body.

The magazine, in a statement featured on TODAY, denies her claim of rejection.

“This is a result of a misunderstanding with a freelance writer. This does not represent Shape’s editorial values and the comments made about Shape’s ‘editorial policy’ are absolutely untrue. Shape prides itself on empowering and celebrating women like Brooke, and any indication that we would not run the piece with the photo provided was wrong, as we would have been proud to share her inspirational story.”

Despite Shape’s denial, the picture has gone viral. Birmingham’s story has been picked up by numerous websites as the latest example of the fashion and beauty industry’s pursuit of unrealistic PhotoShopped perfection.

“Magazines are in the beauty business and always have to pick the ‘perfect specimen’ for everything,” said TODAY anchor Tamron Hall Wednesday. “We’re in a world where beautiful models are airbrushed so it doesn’t surprise me.”

In an email to TODAY, Birmingham wrote: “I did this not for attention but to show all women and men they can be perfect in their own image and they don’t need to listen to what the media’s perception of what ideal image is. I didn’t do this to start an issue with Shape. I did this to show the true body of a major weight loss. I love my body. I do this for the people to know they’re not alone.”

The reality is, anyone who loses more than 100 pounds is left with loose, sagging skin. It’s the less explored part of extreme weight loss. And research show that many people are surprised with how unhappy they are with their bodies, even when they’re reached their goal weight. 

Birmingham has had plenty of support on social media, and says she's happy for the attention she's brought to the issue.

SO having seen the picture why would she want to post it and why would the magazine put it up?

I agree, it's great that she lost the weight... but, like ana, I don't get why she wants to broadcast her body like that. and I also agree that she needs some surgery.

I agree that she should be proud of herself. No argument there. But there are ways (even without surgery) to "firm up" excess skin after weight loss. She would benefit from using some of those ways before she put herself "out there" in a bikini.

ETA: and she could have shown her weight loss just as well in a one-piece... or a light dress... or slacks and a blouse.

Also, to be perfectly honest, if she'd been a nudist, posing in a nudist publication about weight loss... I would't have anything negative to say about her appearance/attire. But when you wear clothes, they should be "flattering" to the body. A bikini is not flattering in that picture.

-- Edited by RichardInTN on Friday 9th of May 2014 10:47:57 PM

Richard there is no way you can firm up that skin after that kind of weight loss, there just isn't, well except not get that large in the first place. Like all of you have said she should be proud of the weight loss but that was such an unflattering picture.

That brings up a question for me. If you (general) are overweight and don't have much expendable income, would you be motivated to lose the weight if you knew you would have to accept having a body that looked similar to hers?

Probably, yes, for health reasons.

I've been fortunate to never be in that situation. I was not meaning to put her down at all, I was sincere in saying good for her that she has the confidence. I know I don't.

I agree- I don't see myself as insecure either. More like I have no interest in showing off my flaws. I don't have the I-don't-give-a-crap-what-people-think gene to go that extra step and point them out like this woman did. I care how I present myself and what people see so I dress to accentuate my assets and hide my flaws- if that makes me insecure, ok then. But I don't think it does.

There are different degrees of confidence and I will say that I do think it takes more confidence to put all your imperfections out there for the world to see.


BTW, I've missed seeing you :) I hope that doesn't sound creepy as I tend to be a less prolific poster, but you were always one I enjoyed reading.

SM thanks

SM and MD I really don't think it has anything to do with confidence it has to do with rational behavior in my mind. It is fabulous hat she lost the weight and I am sure she is a lot healthier that she has done so. But dressing like that will scare the little children (ok I am being facetious but you get my point). It not about confidence, in my mind, it is about crazy. I have stretch marks and some extra skin from having three kids but if this woman were a ten in the extra skin department I am a .5. I wear a size 6 pants but I would G-D if I would wear a bikini like that. It has nothing to do with me not being confident it is about me not being delusional.

For me it is not what other people think it is what I think about myself.  If I looked like her I would think it was awesome that I lost weight but I could be objective enough to know I damned sure don't look good enough to wear a bikini.  Just like I think about myself now.  And I am full of confidence.

-- Edited by Forty-two on Saturday 10th of May 2014 10:05:46 PM

EmmDee wrote:

---

I can understand why she would want to share it. I have a childhood friend who lost that kind of weight, at least 150 lbs. That picture is very similar to how her body looks. She intends to have surgery after she has kids (she just recently got married). Fact is that not everyone can afford the expense of the surgery. We have society telling the 300+ lb women they need to lose weight to be healthy. Does anyone think about what a body looks like unless it is put out there? I feel she was brave to show that she did everything right to lose the weight and no matter how she may look to others, she is proud of her accomplishment and how she looks.

---

 THANK YOU!  I have the infamous kangaroo pouch from having kids. Mostly it just holds all my tummy fat and is not attractive. The rest of me is not big. I get mistaken for being pregnant. Yes, some intense ab focused exercises can tighten it up and yes, losing every bit of extra fat I have will shrink it too, but without actual surgery I will never get completely 100% rid of it because it is extra stretched out skin. We don't realize that celebrities get immediate skin lasering and lipo after they have a baby during the c section usually. So they can walk out of there looking like they never had a baby-Beyonce looking at you. 

But I don't think I could ever justify spending that money on surgery unless I get some kind of windfall and I am nervous about having a surgery that could potentially go wrong. I would never forgive myself in heaven I guess if I died having a surgery for vanity and left my kids alone. But say I lose every pound and am back to my prebaby weight which was a size 2. Should I not be able to be proud of my body? Even though I still have that kangaroo pouch? I would probably not wear a bikini but I should still be able to be proud of myself. Just like this woman. 

 

I agree with Richard. If you have a pooch, a bikini is probably not the right choice of swimsuit. My sister had that (she eventually got it removed with surgery), but in the meantime, she wore tankinis. No one wants to see a pooch with stretch marks hanging out from your swimsuit!

Hahaha!

My narrow pretentious privileged world?

I don't think you know me at all. Seriously. Judging me for voicing that I would make a different choice and insulting me? What does that say about you?

I think most of the world tries to hide their figure flaws. Doing so doesn't make one's view a narrow, pretentious and privileged one.

I'm not judging her. I applaud her weight loss. However, I think a different swimsuit choice would be more appropriate and flattering.

I think the picture should have been shown at least somewhere as a good thing as far as letting people know that if you lose a significant amount of weight, yes, there will be extra skin and stretch marks you are going to have to deal with. At least so people can be prepared. I find that whole thing informative. So maybe they could do a story on her and show it and talk about the options and things you can do to deal with the extra skin.

I had a friend who lost about 100 pounds. She was still big at that point but got down to about a size 14. She was super proud of herself which is great but somehow thought she could now wear super short shorts and bikinis...... No. Just no. She had stretch marks, extra skin and was still a little big. I was super proud of her weight lost and very encouraging to her but I was internally cringing at her walking around in bikinis because that is just not flattering to her.

That's great BA.

This came up on my facebook feed today so I thought I would share it.

www.dear-internet.com/2014/05/the-truth-behind-before-and-afters.html

I think there is value in having a picture that reflects reality, and true experience. I can't say nobody would be inspired by this woman's picture and story. I think many people could relate to her and not to the typical before -and -after pictures or the pictures of celebrities that run after they've had babies or whatever.
Like I said, they are not obligated to run the picture. I just don't share the incomprehension or revulsion some seem to towards this woman and her picture.

Cactus wrote:

---

I think there is value in having a picture that reflects reality, and true experience. I can't say nobody would be inspired by this woman's picture and story. I think many people could relate to her and not to the typical before -and -after pictures or the pictures of celebrities that run after they've had babies or whatever.
Like I said, they are not obligated to run the picture. I just don't share the incomprehension or revulsion some seem to towards this woman and her picture.

---

I don't see anyone here having a reaction of revulsion (maybe I'm just blind to it though). In general I have observed that people wear clothes to accentuate their positives, hide their negatives, and cover those parts that legally must be covered (even if the law is silly).

To me, it's not that she has extra belly skin. It's that she's wearing a bikini and doesn't have a "bikini body". If she were inside and wearing a bra and panties (something seen on commercials any time of day), and it looked like a "this is a real 'after' picture" picture... instead of a "I'm ready to head to the beach!" picture, my reaction to it would be entirely different... even though she'd still have basically the same coverage.