Ashy Bines hits back at critics saying ‘I could post a photo of an apple and people would get offended’

ASHY Bines is not backing down on her criticism of Tess Holliday, saying the plus-size model is putting her unborn child at risk.

Ashy Bines Instagram image.

AUSTRALIAN fitness guru Ashy Bines has hit back at critics who found her post about American plus-size model Tess Holliday inappropriate, saying “I could post a photo of an apple and someone would have something negative to say about it.”

On Monday night, Bines took to Instagram and Facebook saying the fuller-figured model was not a “good role model for young girls” and was not a “healthy body image that should be applauded”.

The post, which received more than 12,500 likes on Instagram and was shared almost 700 times on Facebook, received a mixed response, although those who were negative or nasty towards Bines were either blocked or removed.

And while addressing her critics on a video on her Facebook page, she did she did not back down — going so far as to say Holliday was putting her unborn child at risk.

“Now that you are pregnant also, the risk of birth complications and providing your baby with the nutrients that it needs to have the best start in life, I just don’t think you’re doing a very good job and you’re putting this out to your 1.1 million followers.”

Ashy Bines Instagram post where she comments on women's weight received more than 12,000 likes. Picture: Instagram

In the 30-minute video, which was live streamed by more than 3700 viewers, the 27-year-old Queenslander acknowledged the subject of Holliday’s weight and health was a sensitive issue.

“I knew that this subject was going to be a touchy one to talk about, and is something I have wanted to talk about for a long time,” Bines said in the video.

“It seems like it’s something everyone kind of tiptoes around because it does cause a lot of backlash.”

Ashy Bines took to Facebook to defend her comments about Tess Holliday as a role model. Picture: Facebook

“My message was clearly to talk about health. I’m not saying you need to look a certain way to be healthy, but it was quite obvious that both of these women are not healthy,” she added.

“Anyone who says they are [healthy], I’m sorry but you’re seriously kidding yourself.”

Bines admitted to not knowing the anorexic model in the Instagram post was in fact Ana Carolina Reston, who died in 2006 of reported kidney failure at just 38kg.

“I was unaware the model had passed away,” Bines said.

“She passed away from kidney failure, which breaks my heart because obviously I do what I do to help women live a healthy lifestyle and to be the best version of themselves, and to look and feel their best but also about having a healthy relationship.”

“Putting yourself in the spotlight and putting yourself out there, you have to expect there’s going to be backlash. I honestly think I could post a photo of an apple and someone would have something negative to say about it.”

Ashy Bines posted this image of her with her girlfriends on Instagram. Picture: Instagram

The founder of Ashy Bines Bikini Body Challenge praised Holliday for her body confidence, but raised concern over her health and that of her unborn child.

“I honestly think you’re beautiful, I just don’t think someone of your size should be applauded or a role model for our younger generation,” she said.

“When you are morbidly obese, and I’m sorry Tess but you are, you are at the risk of doing so much damage to your body. Heart disease, kidney failure, strokes, cancer — the list goes on and on.

“Now that you are pregnant also, the risk of birth complications and providing your baby with the nutrients that it needs to have the best start in life, I just don’t think you’re doing a very good job and you’re putting this out to your 1.1 million followers.

“1.1 million followers is huge Tess, and I don’t think someone of your size should be applauded.”

Holliday, who is six-months pregnant with her second child, rose to fame in 2013 as a body positive activist and spearhead behind the #effyourbeautystandards movement on Instagram.

In 2013, she was named by Vogue Italia as one of the top six plus-size models in the world. Two years later, Milk Model Management signed Holliday, making her the largest plus-size model to be part of a mainstream modelling agency.

Holliday has used her platform to speak out against fat-shaming in the fashion industry, but Bines fails to see how the size 22 model provides a healthy image to her social following, especially when it comes to fitness.

“A lot of people are saying ‘Tess works out, Tess does this, Tess does that’ that’s great that you work out, but I would honestly love to see you walk up a flight of stairs without looking like you can’t breathe.”

Bines said she would love to see Holliday walk up a flight of stairs without looking like she can’t breathe. Picture: Instagram

“My goal for women is to have a healthy relationship with food. I think a healthy relationship with food starts with a healthy relationship with yourself. When you love yourself, not in a cocky I look beautiful kind of way, when you really, really do love yourself, you respect yourself. When you respect yourself, you respect your body. When you respect your body, you want to feed it healthy nourishing food.

“I understand you don’t need to be a certain size to be healthy. Some women are curvy, others are genetically smaller, but there’s a big difference between being curvy and being morbidly obese and carrying X amount of kilos.

“I am standing by my message, I don’t think these women should be healthy role models for our younger generation.”