It was about a year ago that Brooke Birmingham refused to let Shape Magazine run her story of weight loss. Brooke had lost over 172 pounds, and kept it off. Shape wanted to run an article about her journey, but a problem erupted. If you recall, the problem boiled down to the magazine requesting a picture of Birmingham wearing a full t-shirt instead of a bikini top. She felt that she was being asked to hide her body and be ashamed of it, and thus declined the exposure that she could get in the magazine. What’s Brooke up to these days?
Reaching a Deal With Shape
After Brooke’s blog went viral, not only did she get international coverage through the Huffington Post, Good Morning America, and The Today Show in Australia, she also came to an agreement with Shape to feature more women who have gone through an extreme weight loss. It’s not just a physical change, but a mental change as well. Her experience really opened a needed dialogue about women’s bodies and what happens after weight loss. Not everyone gets ripped abs and tight skin after losing weight, and it’s important to note what really goes on with your body and not to ashamed of yourself. Her own story ran in Shape in the Jan/Feb 2015 issue.
Today for Brooke
According to her blog, Brooke is not at her goal weight of 155, but she’s stopped beating herself up over it. She is trying to learn to love where she’s at and enjoy her life. In May, 2015, she purchased the materials she needs to get her personal trainer’s certification. She is currently blogging about traveling in Colorado. She was chosen to be a presenter at Ignite and went to the Fitbloggin conference in Denver.
She was also featured on the Today.com website, and she’s had the opportunity to reach out in ways she never imagined before the Shape article. Shape has dedicated a special section of their website to discussing issues of weight loss never before brought to the table. It’s called “The Journey After the Journey” and talks about skin loss surgery, dating after weight loss, and changing your mind-set. Losing the weight is just one step in the process.
Brooke’s Journey
To follow Brooke’s journey, join her on her personal blog brookenotonadiet.com. She provides recipes and exercise tips from her own journey, combining an overall healthy lifestyle with occasional splurges and fun. Learn how to live your life not on a diet and be friends with your food. She is an inspiration to anyone who struggles with eating and living well, no matter what they weigh.
