Everything You Need to Know About the "Reverse Progress" Fitness Movement

Juice cleanses, fasting, eating clean, and counting calories: How many times a day do we wish for a faster metabolism or to change our bodies completely? It’sexhausting.

And we’re not the only ones who are tired and overwhelmed. New moms and fitness buffs Tara Brumfitt and Neghar Fonooni have taken to the Internet to share their not-so-typical before-and-after fitness photos. They’re part of the reverse progress fitness movement, which is meant to help women realize that weight fluctuation is completely normal and sometimes even a good thing.

Tara Brumfitt received a lot of media attention last year when she posted this photo on social media:

Since then, she’s created the Body Image Movement to help spread the message of body acceptance. (We suggest you check her out—she is seriously awesome.) And like many moms, Tara is motivated by her daughter: “How am I going to encourage her to accept and love her body, when I am standing in front of her with a surgically enhanced body?” she writes. “What type of hypocrite mother would I be?”

And Tara is not alone. This is Neghar Fonooni:

She’s a fitness expert whose blog, Eat, Lift, & Be Happy, is popular among those trying to get fit. Neghar usually posts photos and videos of her workouts.

But recently, Neghar took to Facebook to show the world a different type of transformation.

“In the picture on the left I was miserable, and today I am free as a bird,” writes Neghar. “I've chosen not to let my body fat % dictate how I feel about myself, and fully accepted my body and all of its beautiful imperfections. I hope you will too.”

Although she has gained roughly 14 pounds, she writes, “I call this ‘reverse progress’ but I actually think it’s real progress. I’m happier now.”

Check out the Kickstarter for Brumfitt’s documentary, Embrace, which hopes to change the negative way that women think and talk about their bodies.