IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

Fitness personality Emily Skye on gaining 28 pounds

Fitness personality Emily Skye shares how gaining 28 pounds changed far more than her body composition.
/ Source: TODAY

This article is part of TODAY Style's "Love Your Body" series.

By now, we should all know better than to equate happiness with a lower number on the scale. In fact, for many women, the opposite is true — just ask Australian fitness personality Emily Skye, who shared how gaining 28 pounds changed far more than her body composition.

In a before-and-after photo Skye recently posted to Instagram, she opened up about her transformation from skinny, self-conscious cardio addict to the strong, confident woman she is today.

"This is before I started strength training," she wrote of the first photo. "I was obsessed with being as skinny as I could be. I was starving myself & was really unhealthy & unhappy. I suffered depression & had terrible body image."

She explained that heavy weights, short high-intensity cardio sessions, and a lot of food brought about changes both inside and out. "I'm ... happier, healthier, stronger & fitter than I have ever been. I no longer obsess over the way I look. I eat & train to feel my best, for overall 'health' & longevity," she wrote.

"I LOVE having muscle & I feel more confident than ever."

But Skye also explained that her intention isn't to call one body type better than the other. In fact, her body really isn't the point — merely evidence of changes she made to other parts of her life.

"When I first started lifting weights 7 years ago, I was finally starting to become healthy & happy for the first time in my life. I had friends at the time telling me I wasn't healthy and was taking it 'too far,'" she recalled. "This devastated me ... I couldn't believe that the people who were supposed to love me weren't happy for me even though I was obviously much happier & healthier than I'd ever been."

"I now surround myself with positive, supportive people who are true friends to me!" she explained. "I love my life & I'm so grateful I decided to make those changes several years ago & committed to my healthy lifestyle."

How's that for motivation? We think you look fabulous, Emily — that smile in the "after" says it all!

RELATED: