Taryn Brumfitt was once obsessed with the notion of looking perfect, which according to her was a slim and toned body. But over time, the mother of three's idea of perfection underwent a drastic change, and today, she is advocating moms to love their bodies, no matter what size or shape they are in.
But the journey has not been easy.
Having three babies had led to Brumfitt being out of shape, and she was often ashamed to look at her own body. This is one reason why she decided to get it all fixed by going under the knife sometime after the birth of her third child, Mikaela in 2009.
But a week later, while watching her daughter play, Brumfitt began to think how she was going to teach her daughter to love her body, if she cannot do the same.
''I felt so trapped,'' she said, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. ''I wanted the surgery for me, but I couldn't do it for her.'' Then another thought occurred: ''I wonder whether it's possible to love my body without surgery?''
Brumfitt went on to start a blog called Body Image Movement, where she writes about body issues and her struggles. But even then, she hadn't given up hopes of looking thin.
This forced her to train for three hours a day and change her diet to a protein-rich one. Her remarkable transformation was seen in a 2012 INBA bikini contest, but that did not guarantee happiness.
''I looked healthier, but I was extremely imbalanced,'' said Brumfitt. ''I was really grumpy ... it's not easy to have that body. I did have the perfect body and, you know what, nothing changed about how I felt about my body.''
Brumfitt's surprising ''before'' and ''after'' shots, which have since gone viral, have become a source of inspiration for many women to love their bodies, and now the Australian mom wants to reach a wider audience.
On May 11, Brumfitt posted on crowdfunding site Kickstarted a petition to raise $200,000 AUD to make a documentary "will unite women across the globe to love their bodies!"
"140 characters on Twitter, 4 minute TV interviews and 800 word blogs weren't enough. I needed a louder voice and a bigger platform! Whilst searching for the best way to get my message out to the world the idea of creating a documentary was born," she wrote on Kickstarter.
The original target has since been crossed, and the new target now is $300,000 AUD.
"It's taken a lot of effort, time and energy but I can tell you there is nothing better than a) loving your body wholeheartedly, lumps and bumps and all and b) telling society where they can shove their ideals of beauty," said Brumfitt, according to Life & Style magazine.
