Miss South Africa finalist, Marciel Hopkins, is going viral for sharing a before and after photo with a message that everyone needs to hear…
The incredible South African has taken to social media to express how she feels about body positivity and it’s a message everyone needs to read.
“Your worth is not based on what others think of your body. You are the only one who decides how attractive you are. You are entitled to love your body in whatever shape and size it comes.”
The 23-year-old daughter of one of South Africa’s renowned winemakers, Charles Hopkins, said she went through a complete transformation when she lost 14 kg in order to take part in the pageant.
Two years on, the Miss South Africa finalist is back to her normal weight — and she couldn’t be happier about it.
Now, Hopkins has made it her mission to spread a message of self-love and body positivity to other young women around the world. She took to social media as she had received a number of messages around weightloss advice and questions about which diet she followed for Miss South Africa.
And here is her honest feedback:
“I never followed a specific diet, but I made drastic lifestyle changes and literally trained my butt off. The picture on the left was after 5 months of intense training and absolutely NO carbs, red meat or alcohol.”
“Chocolates, cake and sweets were swear words!”
“I trained 2 to 3 hours a day and I even worked cardio sessions in over weekends. My boobs shrunk 2 cup sizes and my period stopped. On this specific day of the picture, I got home, freezing after the shoot, and I had a baby apple for dinner.”
“From the picture on the right, more than a year later, I want to say, it’s NOT worth it to fight a daily battle with food or your body.”
“Bodies are different, we can’t all look the same. Instead of having bikini body unrealistic-nonsense-goals that are being spoonfed to us on a daily basis, strive towards being the healthiest and happiest version of yourself (mentally and physically).”
“Don’t fight against something that is part of who you are. Self acceptance is a relationship that you have to work on daily. Be sure to make your body your new best friend. Light and love!”
About body positivity: It’s for every size, age and gender. It’s about being positive about your body and spreading that positivity to others. The ultimate goal is to combat unrealistic ideals about beauty and health, as well as to promote self-acceptance.
“Our bodies are fascinating vehicles which enables us to live a full and wonderful life. We must give them the love and appreciation they deserve. It’s so sad that society and the media have brainwashed us to believe that our perfectly normal and HEALTHY bodies are not good enough, when we should be celebrating them at all times!”
Instead of hating your body for not looking like a photoshopped picture of someone else, rather treat your body as a treasured friend.
by 
What a great story and thank you Marciel for sharing it – and the pics – with us. I have just written a book called Love yourself for no reason and this epitomises my message.