On Monday, Riverdale star Camila Mendes shared a vulnerable story on Instagram about her eating disorder and mental obsession with food.
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After partnering with Project HEAL, a nonprofit organization which provides resources for people with eating disorders who cannot afford treatment, the 23-year-old got real about her personal experience and shed light on the “dieting” culture.
In the post, the Brazilian actress explained how during a visit to a naturopath physician, she was asked a question which made her process her past experiences with food. With many seeking out herbalists and natural forms of medicine, it’s no surprise why the actress used a doctor with holistic methods to promote her self-healing journey.
“What other things could you be thinking about if you didn’t spend all your time thinking about your diet,” the doctor asked Mendes. After hearing the question, the star took a moment to reflect and shared in her post, “At some point in my life, I allowed my obsession with being thin to consume me, and I refused to make room in my mind for any other concerns. Somehow I had stripped myself of all the pastimes that brought me joy, and all that was left of me was my anxiety around food.”
She recalled losing her passion for education, cinema, music, and more due to her desire to become a “thinner and happier” version of herself which actually made her miserable.
The star went on to say, “I’m sick of the toxic narrative that the media consistently feeds us, that being thin is the ideal body type.” With the media promoting skinner bodies as a “healthier” look, Mendes is on to something. The body positivity movement has recently helped many curvier women feel beautiful when in reality they were already gorgeous, and finally, designers are beginning to showcase all body shapes on the runway.
Encouraging her followers to love their bodies more, Mendes took a vow to stop dieting, join her in the #donewithdeiting movement she is pioneering with Project HEAL.
Check out her full post below, and get rid to feel touched, moved, and inspired!