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Danielle Brooks Embraces Curves With Sports Bra Gym Selfie: “I Should Not Be Ashamed of My Body”

Hey ????rs, Today I decided to do something I’ve never done before: Go to the gym with my SHIRT OFF!! ???? I thought I’d share why this is significant for me. I’ve always wanted to do this but have felt shameful and have told myself “until my body is perfect I’m forbidden.” Today my inner being told me to turn up the notch on my self-love. I should not be ashamed of my body. I’m not a walking imperfection! I’m a Goddess. Secondly, I’m a confident woman! That doesn’t stop once I take off my spanx. Lol Sometimes it’s a struggle. Sometimes I don’t like what I see, but I have the power to change the way in which I relate to my body both physically and mentally. Today I woke up feeling beautiful and motivated to love myself and take care of the ONE body that I’ve been given. I’m not saying World take your shirt off, twist it round your head, spin it like a helicopter????, (lol) I’m saying everyone live in your confidence. One Life. One Body. Take Care of It. With ????, DanieB #voiceofthecurves #yesmythighstouch #lovethyself #beautyinandout #goddess #imabadshutyomouth #ivebeeneatingmygreens #thickathanasnika

A photo posted by Danielle Brooks (@daniebb3) on Jul 28, 2015 at 9:21am PDT

Taystee is proud of her curves! Orange Is the New Black star Danielle Brooks showed off her figure while sweating it out at the gym on Tuesday, July 28. The actress wore a sports bra in public for the first time to encourage others to love their bodies.

“Hey [lovers], Today I decided to do something I’ve never done before: Go to the gym with my SHIRT OFF!! I thought I’d share why this is significant for me. I’ve always wanted to do this but have felt shameful and have told myself ‘until my body is perfect I’m forbidden,'” Brooks, 25, captioned the snapshot on Instagram.

“Today my inner being told me to turn up the notch on my self-love. I should not be ashamed of my body. I’m not a walking imperfection! I’m a Goddess,” she continued. “Secondly, I’m a confident woman! That doesn’t stop once I take off my spanx. Lol Sometimes it’s a struggle. Sometimes I don’t like what I see, but I have the power to change the way in which I relate to my body both physically and mentally.”

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Brooks, who plays Tasha “Taystee” Jefferson on the Netflix smash Orange Is the New Black, was all smiles for the pic. She wore a colorful pink sports bra, matching sneakers, and black pants while burning calories on a treadmill.

“Today I woke up feeling beautiful and motivated to love myself and take care of the ONE body that I’ve been given. I’m not saying World take your shirt off, twist it round your head, spin it like a helicopter, (lol) I’m saying everyone live in your confidence,” Brooks wrote. “One Life. One Body. Take Care of It. With [love], DanieB #voiceofthecurves #yesmythighstouch #lovethyself #beautyinandout #goddess #imabadshutyomouth #ivebeeneatingmygreens #thickathanasnika.”

Danielle Brooks
Danielle Brooks at the 2015 Fragrance Foundation Awards in 2015. Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic

Related: PHOTOS: Diet secrets of the stars

Back in May, Brooks previously opened up about embracing her figure in a Glamour essay. She wrote about never being a skinny kid, and that Hollywood has magnified her imperfections.

“I want to see all beauties, all shapes, all sizes, all skin tones, all backgrounds represented in my profession. Now that I am blessed to be that reflection I was once looking for, I’m making a promise to speak out for that little girl that I used to be,” she wrote. “So if you see me on a carpet with my arms and legs out glistening, or my midriff exposed, it’s a reminder to myself and the world that I know I’m beautiful.”

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