Weight loss has always been a struggle for moms, and Melissa Ricks is no exception.
She gave birth to her daughter Kiera in 2015, and since then Melissa has been vocal about the pressure of trying to lose weight.
She wrote in one of her Instagram posts last November 2017, "I was made to believe that there was something wrong with that, that it made me less of an actress, less of a role model, even less of a person.
"I was told to lose weight or nothing was there for me..."
At some point, however, Melissa realized she had to face her weight issue from a different perspective.
"I stopped doing it for other people and did it for myself," her post continued.
"I took my time, and when I was finally ready, started again. That's when I felt better about myself, I started to feel stronger, healthier.
"I felt more confident and I slowly started shedding the pounds little by little because I was finally doing it for myself..."
In 2018, Melissa lost 35 pounds.
"BETTER VERSION OF MYSELF"
Melissa now is in good shape, nearly a year after she began her weight transformation.
In an Instagram post early this week, the celebrity mom showed off her curves in a blue body-hugging, off-shoulder midi dress.
She captioned, "Working on the better version of myself..."
Melissa then related her renewed sense of self-worth in her next Instagram post.
It read, "Usually when there's big occasions I get a bit of anxiety or nahihiya ako pumunta.
"I always find it hard to find something to wear especially that I have gained a significant amount of weigh since giving birth.
"But I have finally accepted the fact that I'm not like I used to be, and that's absolutely FINE.
"I used to be so worried what others thought of me, but now I realized that I have become so much more than just my looks.
"Everything that I have been through has molded me into a better person and a better mother.
"I've learned to embrace what I have now, and aim to improve myself but never degrade myself just because I am now different than I used to be.
"Dati umiiyak ako. Some people turned me down for work, some treated me differently and would continuously tell me I SHOULD lose weight.
"But right now, what really matters to me is my well being, my peace of mind, my happiness and my child. Everything else could matter less.
"We should always aim to be a better version of ourselves, and not the version others want us to be.
"It's OKAY to just do YOU... Laban tayo mars!!! Girl power mars!!! Momma power!!!"
Melissa is back at the gym, and has been doing her exercises with greater appreciation of herself.
Her battlecry, "Let's do this momma!!!"