'RHOC' Star Emily Simpson Shares Inspiring Message After Losing 40 Lbs.: ‘I Am the Strongest (Mentally and Physically) Right Now’

'My only competition is Me', 'Real Housewives of Orange County' star Emily Simpson posted about her fitness journey

<p>Tommy Garcia/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty, Emily Simpson/Instagram</p> Emily Simpson before and after her 40-Lb. weight loss.

Tommy Garcia/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty, Emily Simpson/Instagram

Emily Simpson before and after her 40-Lb. weight loss.

Emily Simpson is the “strongest” she’s ever  been.

On Tuesday, the Real Housewives of Orange County star, 47, shared a video compilation, showing how she’s been able to lose 40 lbs.

“Around age 42 I gained 40 pounds and it wasn’t until now (age 47) that I was able to finally get it off and feel like my old self again…,” Simpson’s caption read. “Just to be clear though… I rocked a bathing suit on TV for 5 years and never felt ugly or not confident in myself or my body. Not once.”

Simpson’s video begins with a photo of her holding a bottle of water at the beginning of her fitness journey. The clip then switches to her doing various exercises at the gym, including pull-ups, before ending with a photo of her showing off her figure in a white bikini.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

<p>Emily Simpson/Instagram</p> Emily Simpson

Emily Simpson/Instagram

Emily Simpson

Related: 'RHOC' Star Emily Simpson Has Spent 6 Months Improving Her Physical and Mental Health: 'Choose Your Hard'

“I am the strongest (mentally and physically) right now … at age 47 … and I will continue to improve myself daily. My only competition is Me ❤️💪🏻,” Simpson continued in her caption.

The RHOC star, who has had several plastic surgeries, went on to thank her fans for following her journey and encouraging her with kind words. She also had a message for the “haters," saying: “For the haters out there.. I love you too! You motivate me daily to lift harder and eat better ❤️💪🏻🙌.”

On Wednesday's episode of the Two Ts In A Pod with Teddi Mellencamp and Tamra Judge podcast, Simpson revealed that when she gained weight at 42, it was not the result of lifestyle changes.

Related: 'RHOC''s Emily Simpson Says She's the 'Healthiest, Fittest' She's Been in Over 7 Years: 'Just Getting Started'

“It's not like I went out and changed my diet or I got depressed,” she said. “I think it was all hormonal and just being middle-aged and you know, probably dealing with the show and not dealing with it well.”

Simpson went on to explain that she decided to take her fitness seriously because she wanted to feel comfortable and “feel like myself again.”

She ended her Instagram post with a shoutout to her trainer: "Thank you @paulinastein for texting me at 6am every morning and confirming that my ass would be at the gym by 7 💪🏻🙌😂"

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.