I’m a size 22 and I’m fitter than my skinny friends

Despite being classed as morbidly obese, Jessica Millichamp, says she can go head to head on the cross trainer with her thin friends and leave them gasping for breath as she outruns them in both speed and duration. 

The curvy 30-year-old admitted she doesn't always have a great relationship with food after years of fad diets but says she has a clean bill of health, perfect blood pressure and tries to exercise around three times a week.

Her 'can-do' attitude and honest pictures of 'saggy boobs', cellulite and acne have earned her an army of fans online with followers praising her passion for encouraging others to embrace their appearance no matter their size or shape.

The married dental receptionist said: ‘I've always been overweight. I've always been the fat one in my group of friends.

‘I started dieting and watching what I ate when I was 12 or 13 years old but it was a vicious cycle.

‘I don't always have a great relationship with food but I try to do the best I can and I enjoy exercising. 

‘I know a lot of people will criticise me saying it's unhealthy but I'm actually fitter than a lot of my friends. I can go faster and for longer than them on the cross trainer. 

‘I have a clean bill of health and I've never had high blood pressure or anything like that.

It’s very sad to think that some people will look at me and just think ‘diabetes’ when in fact I’m just a normal human being, trying my best, being kind to others and striving to be happy.’ 

Jessica, from the UK, often posts pictures of herself, including bikini shots, online in a bid to inspire people who are insecure about the way they look to live life to the max. 

In a recent post she even bravely went braless and encouraged other 'busty beauties' to do the same despite being a size 42DD and wearing a bra since she was 11-years-old. 

Jess, who runs a blog called 'Jess - On The Plus Size' added: ‘I don’t just run my blog for fat women, it’s for all women because the vast majority of women have insecurities.

‘A lot of the women I speak to don’t just feel insecure, they actually hate themselves.

‘I know this feeling, I’ve been there before and it’s an awful way to feel. You can’t enjoy your life because you just constantly compare yourself to others, put yourself down and ultimately you feel depressed.

‘Your mental health is just as important as your physical health and if society wasn’t so quick to judge a person based on their appearance, then maybe we wouldn’t loathe ourselves and maybe I wouldn’t have to run a blog telling people that they are good enough just as they are.

‘It’s not about glorifying obesity it’s about reminding people that the world is full of diversity and that nobody is perfect.’

This article originally appeared on New Idea.