Four plus-size models and bloggers have revealed they find the idea of a diet 'shocking' as they pose in sexy swimsuits.
Melanie Cohen, 48, Hollie Burgess, 30, both from London, Anne-Lise Barber, 48, from Guildford, Kent, and Kim Ryan, 37, from Aldershot, Hampshire, range from a size 20 to 26 and weigh 75 stone between them.
However the four women have vowed to put the 'fat shamers to shame' by embracing the bodies they have - lumps, bumps and all.
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Melanie Cohen, 48, from London, says she is already beach ready and has no plans to diet before her holiday. She is one of four women with a combined weight of 75 stone who are flaunting their curves in bikinis to promote body confidence
Last year it was estimated that the plus-size fashion market in the UK hit the £5.4billion mark in accounting for 12.4 per cent of the overall clothing market, according to research by Conlumino.
The same company forecasts shoppers' spend on plus-size fashion will grow 23.8 per cent to £6.4billion by 2019 as more retailers expand their ranges to include bigger sizes.
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Share 653 sharesThe clothes being sold are on trend, fashionable and allow ladies from size 18 to 32 to flaunt their curves and flash their flesh.
Here four women tell FEMAIL why they are already beach-body ready and won't be going on a diet this summer:
I WON'T DIET FOR THE SUN
Melanie Cohen, 48, from London, is a mother-of-two and models lingerie and clothing for various plus-size fashion companies.
The 18-stone mother-of-two, who models lingerie and clothing for various plus-size fashion companies, above, is proud of her body and says she feels sexier now than she did in her 20s
Melanie says: 'My tip is always have perfect hair and makeup and find the size you are happiest with. Some people, like me, are naturally big'
A size 24, Melanie says she feels sexier now than she did in her 20s and it's all thanks to her size.
The 18-stone mother-of-two, who models lingerie and clothing for various plus-size fashion companies, said: 'This summer I will be hitting the beach in a bikini or fat-kini and just because I am wearing a swim suit I won't be dieting.'
However Melanie admits she hasn't always been so confident in her own skin.
'In 2013 I was convinced to enter a beauty pageant for plus-size women and becoming a finalist changed my way of viewing my body.
'I threw out the baggy clothes and replaced them with on-trend outfits. Part of the competition was swimwear and at first the thought of hitting the catwalk in nothing but a bathing costume was horrifying – now I couldn't be happier.'
While Melanie may be technically obese the London-based mother insists she is fit and healthy.
While Melanie may be technically obese she insists she is fit and healthy. She said: 'I exercise and eat well. The size I am now is my happy weight and across my social media I have over 50,000 followers'
Melanie, pictured at Miss Plus Size International beauty pageant, right, learnt to alter her attitude to her body after competing in 2003
'I exercise and eat well,' she said. 'The size I am now is my happy weight and across my social media I have over 50,000 followers.'
'I model bikinis, plus-size clothes and lingerie. It's empowering and the response I get is overwhelming.
'My tip is always have perfect hair and makeup and find the size you are happiest with. Some people, like me, are naturally big.
'I don't support obesity I support a healthy lifestyle and for me being thin wasn't doing it for me. The size I am now is the size I feel physically and emotionally happiest at and I can fill out of bikini and swimsuit in all the right places.
'I don't care if people stare and since I have embraced my curves and found the guts to wear a swimsuit my life has changed.
'I have a new partner, I have done pageants and I am modelling. I am proud to be a big bikini babe and if I help one woman then I will be doing my job. It's made me more active and healthier and I feel sexier than I ever did.'
I'D RATHER BE A SIZE 24 THAN A SIZE 10
Norwegian Anne-Lise Barber, 48, who lives in Guildford, Kent, is an insurance underwriter, a plus-size model and a blogger who promotes body confidence.
Anne-Lise Barber, 48, from Guildford is a size 24 and can't wait to hit the beach this summer in a range of fashionable bikinis and swimsuits. The insurances underwriter and blogger has a huge following online
Anne-Lise, who has among the UK's largest natural breasts at 42NN, admits it has taken her time to accept her body. The model blogs to encourage women to accept their curves and work towards body confidence
Anne-Lise has a huge following online and regularly reviews the latest plus-size swimsuits available as well as modelling for clothes shows.
However the insurance underwriter and blogger, who has among the largest natural breasts in the UK at 42NN, admits it has taken her time to accept her body.
She said: 'I went through a period of dieting like crazy and slimming down to a size 12 but being slim made me unhappy. It just didn't feel right.
'So I gained weight again and now I feel body confident and especially body confident in swimwear. I won't diet and I won't be fat shamed. People who criticise my size don't know my life story.'
She said: 'The fact is some people have to be big - its either in our DNA or we are built that way'
Anne-Lise uses her blog mookieslife.com to encourage plus size women to accept their curves and work towards body confidence in a healthy way.
'I get the most responses when I post a swimsuit shot If I can help one women put on a swimsuit and hit the pool then I have done my job,' she said.
Growing up Anne-Lise says she was a regular size until she started her period.
She said: 'My breasts got larger and larger and so did my body. I was teased and struggled with diets.'
However she admits that her happy marriage to husband Mike has given her confidence an extra boost.
Anne-Lise slimmed to a size 12 at one point but says she wasn't happy. She now regularly exercises, loves yoga and can do the splits
Her marriage to husband Mike gave her the most confidence. 'He loves my size and my breasts and his love inspired me to put myself out there on social media. I feel emotional and physical happiness is what is needed'
She said: 'He loves my size and my breasts and his love inspired me to put myself out there on social media.
'I feel emotional and physical happiness is what is needed. I am a mum of one and a size 24 and can do the splits and proudly wear swimsuits. Finally I am happy.'
Technically obese Anne-Lise admits every time she sees her doctor she gets a lecture about losing weight.
She said: 'For me there is plus size and obese. I am plus size. I eat well, I do yoga and I use a local outdoor gym.
'I am healthy just big and in three weeks we are off to Spain for some summer sun. I can't wait to hit the beach.
Anne-Lise admits every time she sees her doctor she gets lectured about losing weight. However she believes there is a difference between plus size and obese
She says: 'I'd rather be a size 24 than a size 10. I am immensely happy and I want women who are bigger to see my pictures and feel inspired'
'I'd rather be a size 24 than a size 10. I am immensely happy and I want women who are bigger to see my pictures and feel inspired.
'The fact is some people have to be big - it's either in our DNA or we are built that way. To fat shame us for embracing fashion trends and daring to wear a swimsuit is plain wrong and I won't have anyone tell me what I can or cannot do.
'I used to be slimmer but I wasn't happy and I'd rather be happy and large than slim and sad.'
I'M HAPPIER BIGGER AND PROUDER TOO
Hollie Burgess, 30, from London, works in finance as well as running an award-winning blog for plus-size women.
Hollie Burgess, 30, works in finance as well as running an award-winning blog for plus-size women. A size 24/26 she is proud to be wearing swimsuits this summer and says she has nothing to hide
Hollie admits in her bid to conform to social norms she lost 5 stone 5 years ago. 'I thought I'd be happy at a size 14 instead I felt restricted and miserable- now I am happier bigger and prouder too. I think everyone should be entitled to live with the body that makes them happy'
A size 24/26 Hollie Burgess says she is proud to be wearing swimsuits this summer and has nothing to hide.
She uses her blog Pretty Big Butterflies to encourage plus-sized ladies to accept all aspects of life - from food to clothing.
'We can be on trend dresses and look amazing,' she explains.
Growing up 18-stone Hollie says she struggled to buy fashionable clothes in her teenage years. Then three years ago she entered a plus-size beauty pageant and realised 'big was not bad'.
She said: 'Since then my life has changed. I won't be attacked for being big. I set up my blog and now have over 17,000 followers across social media who have nothing but praise when I model or share pictures of me in a swimsuit.
Hollie admits she is concerned about the UKs growing obesity epidemic but says there is a difference between being obese and being happy and big
'Unlike thousands of women preparing for their summer holidays I won't be dieting. I have no need because I love my size. I love my curves.
'I don't criticise other people for the way they look in bikinis so I find it appalling when people criticise me.
'It's easy to attack someone from behind a keyboard but it's different when you meet them in person.'
Hollie admits in her bid to conform to social norms she lost five stone five years ago.
She said: 'I thought I'd be happy at a size 14 instead I felt restricted and miserable - now I am happier bigger and prouder too. I think everyone should be entitled to live with the body that makes them happy.'
Hollie uses her blog Pretty Big Butterflies to encourage plus-sized ladies to accept all aspects of life -from food to clothing
'Every time I go to my GP even for a cut finger I am told to lose weight. However I exercise regularly and I enjoy all foods in moderation including salads and even the odd McDonalds. I have no health issues and can't wait to hit the beach this summer.
Not everyone can be a size 6 or wants to be a size 6. Hollie Burgess'There are an amazing range of new swimsuits for big girls. All you need is the guts to wear them and be proud.'
Hollie admits she is concerned about the UK's growing obesity epidemic but says there is a difference between being obese and being 'happy and big'.
She said: 'I know I will be fat shamed but not everyone can be a size 6 or wants to be a size 6. I want to show women they can look great in swimsuits and being big isn't necessarily bad.
'We plus size women are a force to be reckoned with and I think if you feel good wear what you want.'
AFTER ENTERING FAT PAGEANTS I DISCOVERED I WAS BEAUTIFUL
Kim Ryan, 37, from Aldershot, Hampshire, is a mother-of-two and a keen footballer.
Mother-of-two Kim Ryan is a size 20 and says she is proud to be able to wear a bathing suit. She found her body confidence after entering the Miss Plus Size International 2015 where she was a finalist, pictured
Kim, who at 5ft 5 and a size 20, is considered technically obese, says she found the confidence to show off her body in swimwear after entering a beauty pageant.
She said: 'I used to be much slimmer but now I have had two children and despite numerous diets have finally learnt to accept that I am a positive plus-size role model.'
'I am happy and ready to hit the swimming pool with my family and don't care what people think or say.'
I realised I had to love my body and with that came a desire to wear swimsuits and enjoy life. Kim RyanKim, who is a keen footballer, says for many years she felt brainwashed into battling to be super slim.
'The diets didn't work properly and my kids and husband kept telling me I looked great bigger,' she said.
'Last year I was talked into entering the Miss Plus Size International 2015 and was a finalist. The experience was life altering.
'We even got to form a plus-size burlesque troupe and that is when I realised I had to love my body and with that came a desire to wear swimsuits and enjoy life. I have chucked the diet.'
'I have a husband who loves my plus-size body in my swimsuit, my sons tell me I look great and I have embraced my curves and yes fat.
'You see so many girls going without ahead of summer following the 'thinspiration' of celebrities. Well I want to be fatspiration and show girls if you are big you don't have to diet to get a nice bathing suit, and you can then grab a sarong and proudly hit the pool.
'No one has a perfect body so indulge and enjoy holidays and swimwear. After entering fat pageants I discovered I was beautiful and now with summer here - I plan to be a chunky dumper not a skinny dipper.'
According to Kim she has no health issues and considers her body mass index – a measure of obesity - just a number.
She added: 'If I can inspire one plus-size mum to go and buy a bathing suit and swim with their kids and enjoy that precious time then I will have done my job as a big bikini babe!'
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