Since her early days on Disney Channel, Selena Gomez has been a household star, and as a result, she has been the subject of intense media scrutiny. The media has been focusing on her weight increase, which has led to criticism and body shaming, especially as of late.
However, Selena Gomez recently discussed her weight gain and her road to acceptance and wellness in an interview with Vogue Australia. Her openness and frankness about her own struggles with self-acceptance, body positivity, and mental health awareness are refreshing.
Here, we’ll discuss Selena Gomez’s experience with gaining weight, how she’s come to accept and love her body, and what we can all learn from her.
Selena Gomez’s Experience with Weight Gain
Selena Gomez is a multi-talented American star. She has been very forthright in recent years about the negative effects of her weight increase on her self-esteem and mental health. Some of Selena Gomez’s weight growth details are as follows:
1. Selena Gomez’s Recent Interviews and Social Media Posts
In recent interviews and social media posts, Selena Gomez has been candid about her weight gain journey. In a 2020 interview with Giving Back Generation, she spoke about how she had gained weight during the COVID-19 pandemic, stating, “I definitely have gained a few pounds, but I don’t mind. It’s OK, it’s not a big deal.” She also shared that she had been cooking more during the pandemic and had been enjoying the process.
In a 2021 interview with Vogue Australia, Selena Gomez discussed her struggles with body image, stating, “I have lupus and deal with kidney issues and high blood pressure, so I deal with a lot of health issues, and for me that’s when I really started noticing more of the body image stuff.” She also shared that she had been working with a trainer and nutritionist to get in better shape, but that she had come to accept her body as it was.
On social media, Selena Gomez has also shared photos of herself that show her weight gain. In one Instagram post from 2020, she shared a photo of herself in a swimsuit, writing, “So here’s me, unashamed, unafraid, and proud to own a body that has fought through so much.”
2. Reasons for Her Weight Gain
Many things, including Selena Gomez’s lupus and mental health issues, have contributed to her weight increase. Lupus is an autoimmune disorder that causes systemic inflammation and manifests itself over time. Lupus patients may struggle to exercise and keep a healthy weight due to the disease’s associated fatigue, joint discomfort, and other symptoms.
Anxiety and sadness are conditions that Selena Gomez has also had to overcome. Changes in appetite and body mass index can result from these diseases. Furthermore, there are several drugs used to treat mental health concerns that can promote weight gain.
3. Her Weight Gain has Affected Her Body Image and Mental Health
Selena Gomez’s mental health and body image have suffered greatly as a result of her recent weight increase. She has said in interviews that she has had challenges with her body image ever since she was a teenager, and that her weight gain has only made things worse.
Selena Gomez has also opened up about the struggles she faces with body image while in the spotlight. She explained her mixed feelings about social media in an interview with Vogue Australia in 2021. After everything I’ve been through and the toxic environment I was raised in, all I want to do is share good vibes.
Despite these obstacles, Selena Gomez has been transparent about her effort to love her body just as it is. She has also utilized her fame to advocate for the importance of self-acceptance and mental wellness. By 2020, she had said on Instagram, “It’s been awhile since I’ve taken a picture with my scars showing, and my body continues to be a symbol of my journey.”
Overcoming Body Image Struggles
1. Self-Acceptance and Love Amid Body Image Difficulties
Accepting and loving yourself unconditionally, no matter your body type or look, is essential to overcoming body image difficulties. Having a positive body image and a loving relationship with your body starts with practicing self-acceptance and self-love.
With the proliferation of social media and its tendency to promote unattainable beauty standards, it’s easy to fall into the trap of constantly comparing yourself to others. However, recognizing and appreciating what makes you unique is the key to overcoming negative body image.
Recognizing and embracing one’s own defects is fundamental to self-acceptance. It entails realizing that there is no such thing as a flawless body and that everyone has their own set of advantages and disadvantages. On the other side, self-love entails always being kind and respectful to oneself.
Focusing on the good parts of your body and appreciating what it can do for you is crucial to achieving self-acceptance and self-love. You can also improve your outlook on your body by doing things that make you happy, including exercising, meditating, or spending time in nature.
2. Selena Gomez’s Body Positivity and Health Journey
It’s inspiring to see how Selena Gomez has embraced her body and made her health a top priority. She has been candid about her battles with negative self-perception and mental health, as well as her progress toward recovery.
In an interview with Vogue, Selena Gomez discussed the effects of body-shaming on her confidence. For the sake of her own emotional and physical well-being, she decided to make taking care of herself a top priority.
The singer Selena Gomez has been open about her struggle to embrace and love herself. She is outspoken in her opposition to harmfully idealized forms of physical perfection. She has spoken openly about her own battles with anxiety and depression, bringing attention to the value of tending to one’s emotional and psychological well-being.
3. Body Image Issues and Therapy/Self-Care
Body-image issues can be overcome with the help of therapy and self-care. Negative ideas and thoughts regarding one’s body can be identified and contested with the help of therapy. It may also aid children in learning how to deal with stress and other uncomfortable feelings.
Mindfulness, meditation, and yoga are all forms of self-care that can help you connect with your body in a healthy way. They encourage people to be in the here and now and value their bodies for what they can achieve rather than how they look.
Self-care can take many forms, and each person needs to find what works best for them. What helps one individual may not help another. Finding and prioritizing positive emotions and experiences in your daily life is the key.
The Impact of Media Scrutiny
Way Media has Depicted Selena Gomez’s Weight Gain and Its Associated Mental Health Effects
Throughout her career, Selena Gomez has been the target of intense media scrutiny, with a lot of attention paid to how she looks and how much she weighs. Media portrayals of her weight gain in recent years have prompted criticism and body shaming.
The mental toll that all that scrutiny and criticism of her body may exact is real. It can bring on low self-esteem, a lack of confidence, and body dissatisfaction. The media’s perception of Gomez’s weight increase can compound her anxiety and despair, which she has spoken openly about experiencing.
It’s not just A-listers who can be influenced by the media’s representation of body image; regular people can, too. Dissatisfaction with one’s physical appearance and low self-esteem might be the result of the media’s promotion of unattainable standards of beauty.
The Entertainment Industry’s Need for Body Positivity
The media and entertainment sector is highly influential in molding public attitudes of physical attractiveness. However, the industry has long promoted unattainable beauty standards, which have put people of different body types at a disadvantage.
Individuals who do not conform to traditional beauty standards may suffer from low self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy due to the absence of body-positive representation in the entertainment industry. It may also have a role in the development of body dysmorphic disorder and other psychological problems.
More body-positive characters should be featured in media and entertainment. To do so, we must celebrate and highlight people who vary in terms of physical size, form, and color. A positive body image is also one that promotes self-love and acceptance.
Some celebrities have used their platforms to advocate for more realistic body image and less emphasis on superficial beauty standards in recent years. Lizzo, Chrissy Metz, and Jameela Jamil are just a few of the celebrities who have spoken out in favor of body acceptance and diverse casting.