An Instagrammer has proved that weight is nothing more than a number by sharing a series of before-and-after photos.
Arielle Mandelson wanted to show how we can tone our bodies with exercise and nutrition, without having to change our weight.
Mandelson, from Los Angeles, posted a series of three images which showed how the Instagrammer changed over the course of two years while she followed different exercise routines and diet plans.
Shockingly, she weighed 125lbs in all three photos.
The first picture from Feb 2016 showed when Mandelson was recovering from a severe addiction to alcohol and drugs. The 32-year-old said she was not feeling healthy at the time.
Speaking to People, the behavioral health consultant said: “I spent a year focusing on my emotional well-being before I addressed my physical health, and when I finally did I was so misguided.
“I thought ‘healthy’ meant lean with abs so that’s what I pursued, and by all the wrong measures.
View this post on Instagramfor anyone fretting over “holiday weight” this is your reminder to screw the f’ing scale! ?? that number means nothing ??♀️ what’s important is how you FEEL, if you’re being kind to your body (and mind), if you’re nourishing yourself with proper nutrients and letting your body sweat ❤️ can you check any of those boxes? GREAT! The rest will follow ? here’s where I have to plug: for specifics on what I’ve done, scroll back in time or visit my blog when it launches very soon! (Or look at my hashtags ?) xoxo ❤️ #transformationtuesday #beforeandafter #progresspic #bbgprogress #bbg #bbgtransformation #bbgcommunity #bbgstronger #bbggirls #bbggirl #bbgfam #fitspo #fitnessmotivation #fitnessjourney #fitnessgirl #fitgirls #fitgirl #workoutmotivation #motivation #fatloss #macros #transformationpoint 1024 | 1
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“I all but completely cut carbohydrates out of my diet, ate about twice the protein someone my size should, did a lot of cardio and attempted some random weight exercises.
“I felt aimless, bloated, lethargic and just completely frustrated.”
It was when Mandelson decided to give a try to Kayla Itsines’ Beach Body Guide program. She had seen many women on social media who have had luck with the workouts.
“After a few weeks of doing BBG, something inside me had shifted; I could feel myself getting stronger each time I did a workout and my relationship with food improved,” Mandelson said.
“My motivation was still primarily aesthetically driven but I also wanted to get stronger, so I looked at food as fuel and workouts as personal challenges to overcome.
“Carbohydrates and I became friends again, and I began exercising in the gym. I craved working out for the first time in my life.”
The second picture was taken after a few months when she had completed BBG’s full around. “I felt good on the inside, so I liked what I saw in the mirror,” she said.
Mandelson said she got “obsessed” with her weight as soon as she started toning up.
“I thought if I could just get it lower and be a certain weight that I would feel better about myself,” she explained.
“It was disconcerting when the number didn’t change at first but my clothes fit better and I felt so good that I was able to ignore it.”
When her weight stopped falling despite all her workouts, she realized it was her muscle weight.
“Progress photos, vain as they are, became my primary barometer — and they are a much more effective tool for gauging where I was physically,” she recalled.
The third picture has been taken recently, and the Instagrammer now feels “strong, energetic and proud.”
View this post on Instagram#transformationtuesday ?? I probably sound like a broken record by now but since I have quite a few new friends here (hi! ??) I will reiterate a few things ❤ this is 16 months apart – 16 months of only #BBG exactly as it is laid out in the #sweatwithkayla app?I didn't follow her meal guides and only recently (3 months ago) began counting #macros ⚖️ with the help of @paosfitworld ? ALSO I want to stress that I rarely have a "perfect" week, I take rest days and have shitty workouts and probably indulge (chocolate is my weakness) too often ? but the thing is I've never given up and I've learned to love and respect myself along the way ❤ I used to look at girl's transformation photos and think, that will just never be me, I don't have the discipline ? but what I found out is that with consistent effort the changes do happen and trust me you do NOT have to deprive yourself and spend hours in the gym ?? sooo if that resonates with anyone I want you to know it CAN be you, but the best change comes in the form of self love, self esteem, and confidence, not abs! xoxo ? #bbgprogress #bbgsisters #bbggirls #bbgtransformation #progresspic #beforeandafter #fitspo #fitnessmotivation #abs #fitness #workout #fitgirl #healthylifestyle #gymmotivation #toneup #bbgcommunity #strongnotskinny @kayla_itsines #tbfmacrospoint 1455 | 1
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Mandelson said her pictures reveal an important thing about weight.
“Scales can’t differentiate between muscle, fat, bones, tissue and water,” she explained. “There are more accurate ways to measure body composition and that is ultimately what is important.
“I get messages everyday from women all over the world of all ages asking how to lose weight. It makes me sad to know how much value people give that number, and how much it can control somebody.
“I know because I’ve been there.”
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