Coronation Street’s Brooke Vincent has shared before and after photos after losing weight and quitting junk food and smoking, saying she is now a “better version” of herself.
The actress, 25, made changes to her lifestyle as she prepared to take part in Dancing On Ice.
She said on Instagram that she had “cried” over the before picture before deciding to make changes.
Vincent said: “So!!! Here they are!! The before pictures that I’ve cried about, denied that I never looked like and wanted to delete or take again!!
“The fact is, these pictures make me feel such a certain way that I didn’t think I was brave enough to show these to friends and family never mind to the whole of social media.
“BUT… mid cry one day I sat and realised the reason why?. I wasnt In the best health , and yes the lighting wasn’t flattering or the outfit choice/stance wasn’t great.
“And honestly why put a unflattering/“FAT” picture of yourself up?.. You don’t need to because “social media” is the place where everybody makes out everything is so perfect. It’s in the comfort of having filters,effects, airbrushing tools that somehow we feel most at home,about showing everybody what we look like, when in reality it’s much different.
“Many of us have pictures taken off guard and begged our friend to delete them even though they look ok, convinced we can get a better one..Instead of changing ourselves we change the picture!”
She continued: “So.. that’s exactly what I’ve done.. changed the picture, to a healthier, more toned better version of myself. This picture is noway the finished product. It’s just what happens when you cut out all of the rubbish you eat.”
Vincent – who plays Sophie Webster on the soap – said she had not thought she could give up cigarettes.
She said: “I’m not going to lie I’ve not been perfect, but taking out my smoking was the biggest health improvement I could have done.
“I never thought I would able to give up I really NEEDED something to turn to.
“During those 12 weeks habits started to change and health started to improve.
“And now that I’ve actually completed it, I’m so proud of myself, mainly from the smoking aspect, but more so because I never thought I was strong enough to take something so seriously and stick it out.”
“This is my 12 week transformation,” she went on.
“So here I am a stone lighter smoke free and in that dress I bought at 19 grew out of and kept ‘just in case’.”
The actress warned fans not to compare themselves to the images in magazines.
“Girls… don’t be so hard on yourself,” she said.
“Because even the girls in the magazines don’t look like the girls in the magazines..”.