Australian fitness personality Emily Skye is as well-known for her raw, thought-provoking Instagram captions as she is for her killer physique. (Just see her posts on gaining 28 pounds or embracing her so-called "frog eyes.")
Now, Skye is opening up about the cellulite that's popped up alongside her recently announced pregnancy — and she's doing it with a smile!
"The point of this post is simply to remind you that we’re all human and imperfect, we’re all different and on our own unique journeys," Skye wrote in her caption, providing some context that she has been exercising for eight years and is used to maintaining a lean physique.
"Since becoming pregnant I have gained some fat and cellulite and I’ve lost a fair bit of muscle — which I'm completely fine with," she explained.
Skye, 32, was quick to point out that her journey and her perceptions of her body are hers alone.
"Now you might be looking at this thinking 'Pffft that’s nothing' or 'you think THAT is cellulite?!' ... This is not about comparison nor is it a competition," she wrote. "I just wanted to highlight the fact that nobody is perfect, we are all different and all of our pregnancy journeys are going to be different too. Some women don’t gain any fat, cellulite or stretch marks, while others gain a lot — one isn't more 'normal' than the other ... it’s unrealistic and unhealthy to compare yourself to anyone else."
Skye then took the opportunity to reflect on how far she's come from a time when her life revolved around fitness.
"Nowadays these things aren’t even close to being my priority," she said. "My health (mental and physical) is most important to me and it’s always about how I FEEL. Sure I like to look good, but not if I have to sacrifice my health for it — especially my mental health. My priority right now is the health of my baby — nothing else comes close in importance. I feel so incredibly blessed and grateful for my precious growing baby that all of the 'downsides' of pregnancy are insignificant."
She ended with a call for women to embrace their perceived "flaws" and support one another. "Most of all let’s love all that we are and stop focusing on what we don’t like or don’t have," she wrote. "Just because you’re not where you want to be ultimately doesn’t mean you can’t love yourself just the way you are now."
Words to live by. Thanks for the perspective, Emily!