Back in 'Shape' After Losing 172 Pounds

Brooke Birmingham has lost a whopping 172 pounds, all the while documenting her journey on her blog, "Brooke Not On A Diet."

Watch the Segment

Birmingham told INSIDE EDITION, "I love getting my story out there because we all have a story that we need to tell, because you never know who's going to be listening to that story."

So she was delighted when Shape magazine asked her to appear in an issue last May. What happened next shocked her.

After the magazine received this photo from Birmingham posing in a bikini, they sent her this response: "My editor's hoping you could send over a different after photo…they are looking to include one with a shirt."

Birmingham recalled, "When they sent the email back saying, 'Hey we want you to put your shirt on,' I was a little hurt. It's like, I worked so hard for this body and I'm proud of it."

She took to her blog saying: "I don't feel like my body was given the same respect as others on their site…this is a body after losing 172 pounds. A body that has done amazing things."

Birmingham's post went viral and Shape magazine came in for a lot of criticism.

Now, the magazine has had a change of heart.

Shape magazine Editor-at-Large Bahar Takhtehchian told INSIDE EDITION, "When this blew up on the internet, our reaction was one of shock, and we were very upset because it was a misunderstanding and it stood against everything that Shape represents. We are a magazine that celebrates women. We celebrate their bodies, no matter what size, no matter what age."

Birmingham is now featured in this month's issue, sporting a blue polka dot bikini.

"I'm not ashamed of my body, so putting on the bikini was nothing. The photo shoot was so much fun. It was great to play a model. It was amazing," concluded Birmingham.