There’s more to body changes than just “before” and “after” pictures. There’s an encouraging tale waiting to be told about how these people got started on the path to a better version of themselves, hidden behind those bright grins and clean gym clothes.

You’ve arrived to the perfect location if you’re looking for some inspiration to make some positive changes to your routine in order to improve your overall quality of life.

We went to great lengths to find the most inspiring personal stories of women who have achieved the best physical shape of their lives, whether this was accomplished by decreasing their body fat percentage, increasing their lean body mass, increasing their level of physical activity, or improving their diet.

These women demonstrate that life-altering injuries, illnesses, low self-esteem, and other enormous life challenges like motherhood, heartbreak, and grief should not be a barrier to feeling good about yourself. They did this by utilizing a variety of approaches to exercise and nutrition, as well as a positive mindset.