Tess Holliday has shared a sultry photo of herself in a bra and underwear while opening up about her focus on her mental health and her fitness journey.
The 33-year-old plus size model took to Instagram on Friday to post a mirror selfie, which shows her posing with one leg propped up on a table and her body turned towards the camera.
In the caption, Tess discussed how she has been working on both her fitness and her career, explaining that she has ‘been doing a lot of thinking and reevaluating lately.’
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Sexy selfie: Tess Holliday, 33, took to Instagram on Friday to post a snapshot of herself modeling a bra and underwear while posing with one leg propped up on table
Doing it for herself: In the caption, Tess discussed how she has been working on both her fitness and her career, insisting that her workouts have ‘zero to do with weight loss’
‘It may seem to y’all that I’m not doing much work wise. Though I’m not able to share anything I’m working on YET (!), it makes me feel like folks don’t care about me or what I’m doing bc I’m not “busy,” she wrote.
‘Being “busy” is great, but our culture of workaholism is really difficult in so many ways. I’ve been doing my best to retrain myself to enjoy ALL the small moments that make up my life.’
Although Tess has been sharing photos and videos from her workouts with her trainer Massy Arias, she admitted she hasn’t been fully open about her experience because of the shame associated with plus-size people being physically fit.
‘I haven’t shared more about my fitness journey yet bc there is a stigma against fat folks working out,’ she wrote. ‘Though it feels silly to say, it is truly a journey. And it will always be. And I’m okay with that.’
Working up a sweat: Tess posted footage of herself running during one of her sessions with her trainer Massy Arias last week
Footage: In the clip, she is wearing a black sports bra and bike shorts while doing a ladder drill at the gym. ‘The last time I was running this fast I was chasing an ice cream truck,’ she joked
At the end of her post, she stressed that her workouts have nothing to do with trying to lose weight or slim down.
‘I just want y’all to know that my feelings around fitness & “health” have zero to do with weight loss & everything to with improving my mental health & strengthening myself,’ she explained.
‘It’s taken me a long time to realize that I want to honor myself in whatever physical form I take. I’m here for myself and I’m here for YOU. #effyourbeautystandards.’
The model’s post has received more than 85,000 likes and over 1,000 comments, including messages from some of her famous friends.
‘Love you very much – I like you taking time for YOU,’ Lena Dunham wrote.
Focus: The model, who’s been working with her trainer Massy (pictured)since July, said her workouts are about her mental health and strengthening herself, not weight loss
![Open: 'Tbh, I’m stronger than ever physically & ready to secure all the bags [money bag emoji] Just gotta keep working on my mental health, but hey, I’ll get there,' she captioned this image](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/04/08/23/12024866-6900531-Open_Tbh_I_m_stronger_than_ever_physically_ready_to_secure_all_t-a-2_1554762312273.jpg)
Open: ‘Tbh, I’m stronger than ever physically & ready to secure all the bags [money bag emoji] Just gotta keep working on my mental health, but hey, I’ll get there,’ she captioned this image
‘ALL OF THIS yes, @tessholliday!!!’ Jordin Sparks added.
Since she started training with Massy last summer, Tess has been regularly sharing videos of her grueling workouts with her 1.8 million followers.
Just last week, Tess posted footage of herself running during one of her sessions with her trainer.
In the clip, she is wearing a black sports bra and bike shorts while doing a ladder drill at the gym.
‘The last time I was running this fast I was chasing an ice cream truck @massy.arias #lookatthosetiddiesbouncetho,’ she captioned the clip.
She recently detailed the lengths she is willing to go to have regular workout sessions with Massy, revealing that she drives over two hours per day to train with her three times a week.
Changes: The mother-of-two struggled with delayed postpartum depression last year, which led her to start taking medication and seeing a life coach
Honest: Tess admitted last summer that she feels ‘guilty’ eating healthy and working out. She explained that some people feel a ‘sense of betrayal’ when plus-size public figures lose weight
‘That’s commitment,’ she wrote on Instagram Stories last month. ‘So don’t tell me what folks in bigger bodies aren’t capable of, because we will prove you wrong ever time.’
The model, who is a mom to sons Bowie, two, and Rylee, 12, struggled with delayed postpartum depression last year, which led her to start taking medication and seeing a life coach.
While dealing with her mental health, Tess also started eating healthier. However, as a champion for self-acceptance, she admitted that she worries what her fans will think about the shift.
‘I feel guilty,’ she told Self last June. ‘The amount of people [who] get thrust into the limelight and they’re plus size? They lose weight. The more successful they get, the more weight they lose. It’s hard because those people don’t owe staying fat to anyone.’
She noted that people with bigger bodies often feel a ‘sense of betrayal’ when plus-size public figures lose weight, and she is among those who have wondered if their weight loss was their choice or something that they were pressured to do.
‘It’s none of my business and you just have to let people live and do their own thing, but I feel guilty saying I eat well and that I’m active and that I do all those things,’ she said. ‘I’ve realized that through loving yourself, at least for me personally, that means I take care of myself more.’