Tia Mowry-Hardrict is fighting against the pressure that new moms often face to “snap back” into great shape right after giving birth.

The star got candid about her post-pregnancy journey with her followers on Thursday, saying that she is getting closer and closer to her health goals with diet and exercise and encouraging other mothers to love their bodies.

“Checking in. #17months post pregnant,” Tia, 41, wrote in the caption for an Instagram post on Thursday. In the snap, the actress shows off her yoga tree pose wearing a blue exercise outfit.

“I did it my way and in my time. Many women feel the need to #snapback right away after they deliver,” she continued. “That was never the goal for me. I was called #fat during my #pregnancy and I was called #fat after my #pregnancy.”

“Why do we do this to each other? Instead of #love one another other? I will never understand that,” she continued. “I intentionally documented my journey and became vulnerable to show #women that it’s okay to go at your own pace, it is okay to love yourself no matter where you are in your journey.”

“Do not fold to societal pressures,” the cookbook author encouraged her followers. “After hard work with just diet and exercise, today I’m closer to my goal. Do I have loose skin and stretch marks? YES. Guess what?? I LOVE all me and I want you to love all of you too.”

Tia welcomed daughter Cairo Tiahna in May of last year with husband Cory Hardrict. The couple also share 8-year-old son Cree Taylor.

As Mowry-Hardrict’s Instagram post suggests, one of the ways she works toward her fitness goals is yoga.

In January, she told Cooking Light that she loves the exercise for more than just how it might make her body look.

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“I absolutely love doing yoga. And it’s not a vain thing—you may walk out with more muscles or tone, which is great, but for me it’s about feeling good,” she said. “If I feel good, then I’m going to continue on that journey… I love this idea of focusing on something and being grateful.”

Still, the star encouraged others to find what fitness regimen is right for them. “Whatever you love to do, whether that’s hiking, or if you like to run, do it: because you’ll be consistent with it,” she told the outlet.

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