Khloé Kardashian's 35-Pound Weight Loss Is "Revenge"

But it's not about Lamar.

What better way to get back at fat-shamers than working your butt off at the gym and casually documenting your progress on the covers of a few magazines? It's most definitely the strategy of choice for Khloé Kardashian, who shows off her self-proclaimed "revenge body" on the September issue of Women's Health (not to mention her greased-up editorial for Complex, which was unveiled last week).

"It's just as much for all my critics who called me 'the fat one' for my entire existence," she says of her 35-lb. weight loss, adding that toning up wasn't easy. "The first 45 days you're like, 'Fuck this shit.' You're exhausted, you're sore, and I actually felt fatter because I was swollen. If you keep going, you're eventually like, 'Wow, is that an indentation on my arm?'"

Funny enough, she says that validation for her hard work first came from brother-in-law Kanye West, who asked for her help while developing his Yeezy Season collection earlier this year. "He was like, 'I want you to come and be a fit model,'" she says. "And I was like, 'Did you mean to call Kylie?' And he was like, 'No, I'm calling you. Your body vibes are my influence this year.'"

That's high praise from 'Ye, but in our opinion, nothing can silence body critics like the ability to rock a frong.

Resource: redbookmag.com

These Bikini Selfies That Will Change How You See Before/After Weight Loss Pictures Forever

Instagram is deceiving.

About a year ago, Australian fitness instructor Mel V went viral online after posting this mind-blowing selfie:

Yes, those pictures were taken within minutes of each other. Mel posted the photo to point out that when you see a super-fit bikini selfie on Instagram, that person probably does not look that ripped in everyday life; she probably just knows how to pose. Mel wrote that she took these steps to go from normal to looking like a fitness model instantly:

1. Ditched the phone wallet 'cause that shit is lame.

2. Changed into black bikini bottoms that are a size larger than the red ones.

3. Rubbed on a fake tan.

4. Clipped in hair extensions and wore her hair down.

5. Stood up taller with her shoulders back and sucked in her stomach.

6. Stood with her legs a bit wider apart and popped her hip.

7. Chicken. Wing.

8. Smiled.

9. Zoomed out farther.

10. Added a filter and upped the contrast of the photo.

She went on to write: "What's my point? Don't be deceived by what you see in magazines & on Instagram.. You never see the dozens of other pics they took that wernt as flattering. Photoshop can make a pig look hotter then Beyonce."

Resource: redbookmag.com

Woman's Honest Portraits Show What Major Weight Loss Really Looks Like

She wanted people to see the physical, as well as the emotional transition.

When you look at the average weight loss story, you typically see a "before" and an "after." In the "before," you see a sad-looking person wearing the clothing equivalent of a burlap sack, and in the "after," you see what appears to be a completely different person who is happier than they've ever been. Photographer Julia Kozerski's weight loss portrait series is not like those glossy, airbrushed photos — on the contrary, it shows the difficult, often painful journey (and aftermath) of major weight loss.

Kozerski's project, Half, chronicles her experience of going from 338 pounds to 178 pounds, revealing not just her successes but also her struggles with "food, obsession, self-control, and self-image." While studying photography at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, she began going through this incredible transition — so naturally, she turned the camera on herself. "For many months, I was the only one to see the photographs I was taking, not even my husband was aware," Kozerski told Good Housekeeping. "Eventually I began to share the photos in my class critiques and was astonished to hear the outpouring of support."

The series shows her in vulnerable positions, often without the shield of clothing. On top of showing her weight loss itself, Kozerski sheds light on what losing over 160 pounds actually does to the body. She shows her excess skin and stretch marks, two things many people try to hide but Kozerski bravely stands nude for the camera, revealing it all.

The resulting support has been incredibly powerful. "I believe that the most overlooked aspect of weight loss is the emotional," she says. "There's a great focus on looks and numbers, and less so on how the person is feeling — I think that is where a lot of the stigma and shame come from." Kozerski's work has done much to fight the stigma of weight loss's effects, and she's received "countless" emails from women and men of all backgrounds sharing their stories, telling her how much seeing her project has helped them.

As for her favorite self portrait, Kozerski tells Good Housekeeping, "The first image, '...or for Worse,' really sums up my reasoning behind starting such a lifestyle change." After Kozerski got married and was looking forward to a happy — and long — future with her husband and eventual kids, she realized that her weight could prevent that from happening. "It was then that I knew I needed to revamp my lifestyle and make positive changes that would not only benefit myself, but my family as well."

Resource: redbookmag.com

Famous Weight Loss Blogger Is Documenting Skin Removal Surgery

She's revealing her journey to the world, from beginning to end.

24-year-old Simone Anderson made headlines earlier this year by bravely revealing her excess skin to the world after Instagram critics called her weight loss photos fake. At the time, she had gone from 372 pounds to 184 — a huge jump, and one that she definitely didn't take lightly.

"I can't even begin to explain in words what this accomplishment feels like," Simone captioned her photo. "With a lot of determination, will power, drive, motivation & compromise I have achieved my goal."

Now, the New Zealand blogger is making the news again by documenting her next step: surgery to remove her excess skin, a common occurrence after massive weight loss. After disclosing her plans to her followers, she posted striking photos of the markings made my her doctor to Instagram:

While this might seem like over-sharing to some, she credits this decision to her desire for an "honest journey." She told People Magazine: "I needed to show that yes, I do have loose skin, and it's actually a side effect of something I am proud of. Obviously, I can't wait for it to be gone, but it's not something I'm ashamed of or embarrassed of."

Not only did Anderson's journey take her emotionally far, it also brought her to another country. For her excess skin surgery, she enlisted plastic surgeon Dr. Remus Repta to perform surgeries including a tummy tuck, back lift, breast lift, and breast reduction. Here she is, all prepped and ready:

After the surgery, she let her followers know she's doing a-okay with a sleepy thumbs-up.

Now the world will just have to wait and see how it turns out — results we hope Anderson will be as happy with as she already is with her journey thus far!

Resource: redbookmag.com

The Secret to This Woman's 100-Pound Weight Loss Was on Her Phone

Pretty mind-blowing results.

After Chelsea Stevens gave birth to her son three years ago, she started to gain weight. The now 25-year-old college student from Birmingham, England, weighed 280 pounds at her heaviest, and credits/blames her frequent fast-food indulgences — fried chicken and pizza, mostly — for the weight gain.

"I loved eating fast food every day and I was addicted to crusty bread smothered in butter but didn't realize how fat I was until it was too late," Stevens told the Caters New Agency. "I used to look at myself in the mirror and feel disgusted with what I saw but I couldn't help but eat huge portions."

It wasn't until 2013, when she got on a roller coaster and was asked to move to a larger seat, that she felt compelled to lose weight. In October of that year, Stevens took a photo that she intended to use to "fat-shame" herself — and then she made it the wallpaper on her phone so she'd be reminded of how she looked, constantly. 

"I knew that looking at such a disgusting picture of myself every time I picked up my phone would stop me from ordering takeaways and give me the courage to lose weight," Stevens said.

Stevens also signed up for a meal replacement program, which sped up the weight loss. She has since lost 98 pounds. 

"I feel amazing being a slim young mum," Stevens said. "I can be more active with my son and feel so much more confident."

Resource: redbookmag.com

Shonda Rhimes Gets Refreshingly Real About Her 117-Pound Weight Loss

"It's upsetting. I'm like, 'Where's my cake?'"

Shonda Rhimes is a household name, especially on Thursday nights. As the mastermind behind shows like Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, and How to Get Away with Murder, it's clear that she's a hard worker...and knows how to get what she wants. Now she's applied that to her weight loss, and instead of hiding behind the camera, she's stepping out in front of it—and getting refreshingly real in the process. 

The 45-year-old writer and producer recently debuted her new figure at a special #TGIT Shondaland party (seriously, thank God fall TV is back), showing off a 117-pound weight loss. And instead of hiding behind cliche lines of "it just took time" or "I learned to really love exercise," Shonda was quite frank—as she always is—and told it like it is. 

Yes, she dropped the weight through your standard methods—regular exercise and better nutrition—but that doesn't mean she enjoyed it. I "hated it the whole time," she told Extra. "It's upsetting. I'm like, 'Where's my cake?'" 

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Basically, Shonda is all of us (and she probably hates those girls who say mmm, I just love green juice after Spinning class). 

And while she isn't going to fake joy about eating healthier fare, Shonda does admit that it gets easier to compromise over time. "I actually eat everything I want to eat," she said. "I tried to make it much less and smaller portions, but what happened is, is that you change what your palate wants. I'm suddenly craving fish and salad."

Regardless, just because Shonda wasn't having the time of her life doesn't mean she's forgotten that the hard work is saving her life. "I just decided I was going to get it together and get healthy," she said. "I have some little kids, and I want to be around them."

And that, at the end of the day, is really what it's all about. 

Resource: redbookmag.com

Mom Lost 106 Pounds In One Year Drinking Weight Loss Tea

And nine cups of it, too.

Just one year ago, Samantha Reese weighed roughly 243 pounds. For Samantha, her weight was always a struggle, and became especially difficult when she had her first child at age 15. Because of her pregnancy, she always felt much larger than the other teenage girls.

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"I was around a size 18 and weighed almost 210 pounds by the age of 18," Samantha toldThe Sun. "I hated my body and couldn't pull off the extra weight because I was so petite [she's 5'1]. But feeling miserable about the way I looked only made me want to eat more."

As a result of her unhappiness, Samantha says she developed bad eating habits. She would eat two pieces of toast with butter for breakfast, two chocolate bars for a snack, two grilled cheese sandwiches with chips for lunch, greasy pizza for dinner, and drink either sugary soda or five cups of tea with milk and sugar nearly every day.

"At my most unhealthy, I would get through cup after cup of milky tea with sugar and I'd always dunk a couple of cookies in there too," Samantha told the Daily Mail.

Samantha knew something had to be done when she stepped on the scale for the first time in awhile last April.

"I had been avoiding the scales for some time, but my clothes were becoming so tight I knew I needed to see how big I'd become," Samantha recalls. "I was shocked and immediately googled my BMI and discovered that this meant I was 'morbidly obese.' I was mortified. I knew I had to change or I might die."

Samantha reportedly first tried a few quick-fix diet pills to help her lose weight that summer, but after getting unsatisfactory results, she decided to overhaul her diet and drastically cut out all the cookies and fast food she had been eating last August. But Samantha says she still wasn't shedding a lot of weight until she replaced her five cups of sugary tea for unsweetened green tea.

"People told me green tea was a 'superfood' that boosts metabolism and gets rid of hunger cravings. At first, I laughed it off. I thought drinking green tea was a fad," Samantha explains. "I always thought that was just a myth, but I was so desperate to lose weight I decided it was worth a go."

At first, Samantha says she hated the bitter taste and had to force herself to drink it. But soon, Samantha was sipping on green tea and lemon every morning. She then began drinking one cup each hour at work and finished off the day with one while watching TV—a total of nine cups of green tea every day. After just one month of this regimen, Samantha dropped nearly 15 pounds.

"Obviously I'd been eating well and cutting out my milky teas had probably helped, but my metabolism must have sped up too and I was certainly snacking less," Samantha says. "I was amazed."

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Samantha has drunk almost 3,000 cups of green tea since last September and now weighs 130 pounds. She says she is happier with her body than ever before.

"I look better now than I did in my twenties," Samantha says. "Some people swear by eating five portions of fruits and vegetables a day. For me, it's drinking nine cups of green tea."

While Samantha seems to attribute much of her success to the healthy drink, Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.N., L.D., an instructor of nutrition at Mayo Clinic, says that lowering her calorie intake was probably the biggest factor in Samantha's weight loss journey. Although caffeine in green tea can jump-start your metabolism, it wouldn't be enough to produce significantweight loss results, says Zeratsky.

"If you are drinking lots of fluids, these liquids will fill you up and send a regulatory hormone to your brain that tells it that you aren't hungry, which could mean you eat less," Zeratsky explains. "Also, if you're well-hydrated, your body won't confuse hydration with being hungry which could also lead to consuming less...But, ultimately, a balanced diet and exercise are the most important."

Zeratsky also added that while drinking nine cups of green tea might not cause any large health issues, it's best to be cautious and not "over do a good thing."

Still, Samantha is sticking to her green tea routine and thanks each and every cup for her success.

"Now my cups of green tea get me through the day," Samantha says. "For me, it's not a fad, it's a lifestyle."

Resource: redbookmag.com