Demi Lovato’s Journey To Embrace Her Body
Hey Guys!
People have STRONG opinions about celebrities and how their bodies look.
I still can’t figure out why people obsess over this and pick celebs apart, and honestly, I’m OVER IT.
Which is why it’s SUCH a breath of fresh air to see some celebrities changing the discussion. They’re opening up about loving the skin they’re in and they’re shifting the focus away from what the media portrays as “perfect.”
Perfect example: Demi Lovato
She struggled with bipolar disorder, an eating disorder, exercise addiction, and drug addiction, ALL in the public eye.
She’s been on a roller coaster for most of her life, starting with an eating disorder that started at a very young age. Recovery eventually turned into exercise addiction. Eventually, the pressure, exhaustion, and unhappiness led to heroin addiction. Finally, it was in rehab when she finally received a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. The diagnosis and treatment was a big part of tackling what was going on with her mental health, but her struggle with body image still weighed heavily.
After a drug overdose in 2018, she decided she was done hiding her battles and she was done trying to meet everyone else’s standards.
So, she opened up and became a role model for recovery and body acceptance.
To celebrate her own recovery and confidence, she posted this. Annnnd it broke the internet.
View this post on Instagram
I’m gonna quote some of the caption from this post because it is GOLD:
“I’m just literally sooooo tired of being ashamed of my body, editing it (yes the other bikini pics were edited – and I hate that I did that but it’s the truth) so that others think I’m THEIR idea of what beautiful is, but it’s just not me. This is what I got.”
Did you just get the chills? BECAUSE I DID.
I can’t imagine the kind of courage it had to take for her to post this picture, not because it isn’t BEAUTIFUL, but because she has been pushed to conform to what we’re brainwashed to believe is “perfect” for so long. On top of that pressure, the girl has just been through so much. This picture represents recovery, acceptance and peace. It’s SO POWERFUL.
SO. What can we take away from this?
First, I think it’s important to go over a few things:
- Do we have the right to comment on anyone else’s weight? NO.
- Is it productive to comment on whether they gained or lost weight, and how they got there? Nooope.
- Is weight loss always healthy? Of course not. But can weight loss come from healthy changes? Absolutely.
- Should we make assumptions about why someone lost weight? NOO.
Basically what I’m saying is that first we need to stop adding fuel to the fire. The commenting and assumptions aren’t making anyone feel better!
Let’s follow Demi’s lead and stop beating ourselves up over a “perfect” body that doesn’t actually exist. All of our bodies are AMAZING and PERFECT in their own unique way. We’re always capable of getting stronger, learning new skills and achieving some really amazing things, all thanks to our bodies! And if we were all the same, that would be really boring anyway, right?!
Let’s change the discussion to what we LOVE about our bodies, mmk?
14 thoughts on “Demi Lovato’s Journey To Embrace Her Body”
There are 14 comments posted by our users.
Cassey all of this applies to your post about Adele: you don’t know how or why she did it. and yet you defended it as healthy.
Do we have the right to comment on anyone else’s weight? NO.
Is it productive to comment on whether they gained or lost weight, and how they got there? Nooope.
Is weight loss always healthy? Of course not. But can weight loss come from healthy changes? Absolutely.
Should we make assumptions about why someone lost weight? NOO.
Yes, yes, yes!
As someone who has Bi polar, it’s hard to explain sudden changes in weight to people who don’t understand how anti depressants and anti psychotics affect your metabolism. You can never assume weight changes whether decreasing or increasing are just based on someone’s habits. Sometimes it’s totally out of their control. I work out five days a week and eat clean, but when I had to switch medications I expericed a rapid weight gain (and I mean rapid!) that had nothing to do with my choices. It can be incredibly frustrating, which is why self love is so important. Never give up on yourself, and treat yourself in the best healthiest way possible. It doesn’t mean you’re going to look the way you want to, but your confidence needs to come from within. I truly believe that without struggle we are not strong, but we are so much stronger when we find the courage to love ourselves.
Such a refreshing take on the female body! I hope more celebrities start posting non filtered images. There is just too much unrealistic pressure for women to conform and look a certain way. Let’s celebrate our differences & uniqueness! Future generations (especially young girls) will benefit from seeing real women portrayed – not an airbrushed lie. Time to get real! Way to go Demi!!
Part of eating disorder recovery (which I’ve spent all of 2020 so far either in residential or outpatient treatment for the first time in my 20-year battle) is learning to stop using numbers and measurements to put value on our bodies and instead shift to how our bodies feel QUALITATIVELY. It would be AMAZING if we could get away from numbers where bodies are concerned. I love POP Pilates, but the use of numbers in the same posts where eating disorder recovery is discussed hits a sore spot every time. “No numbers” is the #1 rule in any ED recovery group, therapy, or dietitian session.
Thanks for posting this Cassey–I love when you focus on body inclusivity, strength, and self-love as opposed to changing how we look. Would love to see you keep in this inclusive, health at every size perspective, which feels very aligned with the spirit of blogilates <3
If you actually believe a word of this blog post, then why did you complain about your weight and go on the 90 day journey when Demi is WAY curvier than you?
Because it’s not about someone being bigger or smaller than you, it’s about how you feel?
What on Earth is the purpose of disliking someone for improving their body? We don’t say to people ‘but your mental health is WAY better than so and so’s so WHY are you going on a wellness retreat?’ Do we? No. Because that would be rude and it would be presumptuous.
From your comment I surmise that you aren’t in a great place, Nicole. I hope you have, or are able to find, a support system built on positivity and acceptance 💛
I thought the same thing as you Nicole….
I really struggle with myself, I think there are more things I hate about myself than love, but I always try to avoid those feelings, evethough it hurts a lot, and try to focus on the good, but truth is, I can’t continue like this.
The thing is that, she have inspired soooo much, and you too, because you have changed my perspective of life, for a better one, and I really appreciate it, I still struggle, but I know It will get better with time, its all a journey of learning to embrace ourself just as we are♥️
As long as you and your body are healthy there is absolutely no reason to be ashamed of it. But if it isn’t healthy, it isn’t good to cover it up and hide it with all these “positive vibes”. There is a limit.
So amazing! Thanks for posting|! Too many people, whether they’re in the public eye or not, care what others think. For along time I did, and it nearly ate me up. Nearly killed me. I am still battling with the biggest challenge; loving myself. I am getting there. Demi Lovato is such a big influence to me, it is people like her in the public eye that DO help people. We should never judge people because we don’t what happens behind their closed doors. Meg x
I agree 100%. It’s your health that matters. If you feel good about your body, it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. Love this post!
This is the most amazing post I have ever read!!!