At first glance, it’s the kind of before-and-after image that makes you stop scrolling. The difference appears so dramatic that it almost seems impossible. But behind transformations involving extreme weight loss or weight restoration, there can be a story far more complicated than appearance alone.
Before-and-after photographs have become a familiar part of social media. We usually expect the “after” image to show someone thinner, fitter and supposedly happier.
But sometimes the transformation goes in exactly the opposite direction.
For people recovering from severe struggles with food, exercise or body image, gaining weight can actually represent progress rather than failure.