Riverdale Actress Camila Mendes Opens Up About Her Eating Disorder & Promotes #DoneWithDieting Movement

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!

When did being thin become more important than being healthy? I recently went to a naturopath for the first time in my life. I told her about my anxiety around food and my obsession with dieting. She phrased a pivotal question in such a way that struck a chord with me: what other things could you be thinking about if you didn't spend all your time thinking about your diet? I suddenly remembered all the activities I love that used to occupy my time. 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. My passion for education, cinema, music, etc. — all the interests that used to occupy my mind — had been eaten away by my desire to be thin, and it made me miserable. I'm done believing in the idea that there's a thinner, happier version of me on the other side of all the tireless effort. Your body type is subject to genetics, and while eating nutrient-dense foods and exercising regularly will make you healthier, it will not necessarily make you thinner, and the current system fails to make that distinction. I’m sick of the toxic narrative that the media consistently feeds us: that being thin is the ideal body type. A healthy body is the ideal body type, and that will look different for every person. I’m #donewithdieting – join me in this movement and share your story!

A post shared by Camila Mendes (@camimendes) on Feb 19, 2018 at 9:13am PST