Camila Mendes "struggles" with "body acceptance".
The ‘Riverdale’ star has previously opened up about her battle with bulimia throughout her teenage years, but has now said that even after learning how to embrace her body for what it is, she still struggles with her own image "on a daily basis".
She said: "Body acceptance is a big part of my life and something I struggle with on a daily basis. I know it’s a never-ending process for me, so I want to talk to the festival audience about the fact that it isn’t this transformative thing where all of a sudden you’re better and you’ll never doubt your body or yourself ever again."
Although the 24-year-old star still has her hang-ups, she no longer struggles with an eating disorder, and has said she had to rethink her relationship with food before she was able to change her mindset.
She added: "I had always thought, ‘Well, if I’m not on a diet then I’m going to gain weight.’ I had a really open conversation with the women at [eating disorder recovery group] Project Heal and I realised I needed to give up dieting. It was a moment of, ‘Okay, I’m going to take a leap of faith and see what happens when I stop doing this. Am I going to feel lighter, happier, and free?’ And I really did."
And Camila has now encouraged her fans to try to not "think about" their weight, as the important thing is what they do with their body.
Speaking to People magazine, she said: "My body hasn’t changed, I just feel healthier and my mood is lighter. Don’t think about your weight. Don’t think about what you look like. It’s what you do with your body that matters.
"I really do think happiness starts from the inside out. I just notice a difference when I’m taking care of myself. Everything else in my life feels great."
Camila Mendes’ body acceptance struggles
