CORONATION Street's Channique Sterling-Brown has shared details about her amazing weight loss journey in an emotional post on social media.
The Dee-Dee Bailey star recently completed the Manchester 10k marathon with some of her co-stars.
Taking to Instagram, the Corrie favourite shared a series of celebratory snaps with her golden medal proudly dangling from her neck.
Viewers of the ITV soap may be surprised to discover that the actress has been through a huge wellness transformation over the past few years.
In a heartfelt post, the brunette beauty opened up about changing her life after years of being “obsessed” with her weight and image.
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Channique admitted that over the years she has tried “diets, shakes and tablets” before taking a break from social media to focus on her mental health.
The 27 year old shared her health transformation experience with her 16,000 followers with a dramatic before and after picture in a now archived post.
In the caption, the star penned: “Couple of years ago it got really bad, I was losing control. Hating yourself is a s**t way to live.
“I came off socials for over a month and when I came back, I unfollowed all the pages full of beautiful, unrealistic bodies.
“Consuming those images daily used to send me spiralling.
“Comparison’s a killer. Instead, I follow women who represented me more, in terms of shape, skills and skin colour.”
This move was the turning point for the TV favourite who proceeded to change her mindset on weight loss.
She also strived for a healthy diet and increased fitness routine..
Channique added: “I stopped seeing the gym as punishment for being fat and started focusing on fitness.
“For the first time ever I started enjoying working out, my high school PE teacher would be shook.
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“I didn’t notice my weight loss until my clothes were a bit big.
“So then there’s this excitement of feeling fitter, new wardrobe (cos a b**ch loves to shop).”
She continued: “But then came the compliments, which weirdly made me so uncomfortable. Awkwardly smiling, when people gushed over me being thinner, not my first class degree.
“Then bare anxiety, ‘If I put on weight is everyone gonna notice?’ It was like confirmation that all my toxic thoughts had been in the back of everyone else’s head all along.
“When people compliment weight loss I know they mean no harm, but when it becomes the main focus of your achievements, it’s disheartening.
“Now I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t proud of myself, but that’s linked to being two years veggie, being healthier and my head being a happier place to be.
“Not always, of course, I still have my moments, things I’d change. But I’ve learnt to keep it moving, don’t let those negative thoughts fester or they will take control.”
The actress also revealed her newfound belief in modern beauty standards and explained her overall growth from the experience.
Channique penned: “Changing how I see myself and unlearning the toxic beauty standards society feeds us, is the real glow-up.
“I now realise the gal on the left is just as much of a bad b**ch as the gal on the right.
“Let’s build each other up for more than just our dress size/ I always want to be known for my love, laughter and loudness, not the body they live in.”
Channique’s character Dee-Dee has been hard at work over the past few months fighting tooth and nail for cobbles icon Roy Cropper to be released from prison for Lauren Bolton’s murder.
However, the drama doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon after it was revealed last Thursday (May 30) that the real killer behind Lauren’s death was her on-screen boyfriend Joel Deering (Callum Lill).
Coronation Street airs on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8pm on ITV1 or catch up on ITVX.
