Embracing her body — and her happiness! Teen Mom 2 alum Jenelle Evans has proudly flaunted her figure throughout her time in the spotlight.
While the North Carolina native has frequently made headlines for her romantic drama and her complicated coparenting situation with her mom, Barbara Evans, has also been candid about her body transformation throughout the years.
When MTV viewers first met the Read Between the Lines author during her episode of 16 and Pregnant in 2010, Jenelle was described as a “beach bunny” and had the tanned skin and bleach blonde locks to prove it. As the seasons went on, the TV personality may have switched up her hair, style and even relationships, but she always remained true to her beachy roots with frequent bikini selfies and shots of her flaunting her figure by the water.
After three pregnancies — Jenelle shares son Jace, born in 2009, with ex Andrew Lewis, son Kaiser, born in 2014, with ex Nathan Griffith, and daughter Ensley, born in 2017, with husband David Eason — and numerous ups and downs in her personal life, the former MTV personality explained to fans in 2021 why she gained weight over the years.
“Back in 2015, I started gaining weight and also was being cheated on,” Jenelle shared via TikTok at the time, pointing to various photos of her body throughout the years.
“And this is when I started feeling totally insecure and I felt like I needed to do something with my body or I wouldn’t be loved,” she continued, as pictures of herself looking fit appeared in the background. “Like, damn, I looked good, but was I happy? No. Was I trying to impress people? Yeah.”
Ultimately, she said, “Happier is better.” As the TikTok video showed more recent photos of her curves, Jenelle shut down any pregnancy rumors as well. “No, I’m not pregnant, just happy.”
While the 16 and Pregnant alum battled drama in her marriage to Eason and in her relationship with her mom — Us Weekly broke the news in March 2023 that Jenelle was awarded custody of Jace more than a decade after giving custody to Barbara — she also revealed that she was trying to eat healthier.
“Eating healthier lately! Cut out a lot of fast food, soda, and bread,” she wrote via Instagram in 2021. “I haven’t been trying, but I am losing weight without working out! Feeling great lately. Focusing more on my mental health and body has been more than amazing and very rewarding in my opinion 💯💪🏼❤️.”
Keep scrolling to see Jenelle’s body transformation over the years:
