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Camila Mendes Reflects on Her Past Struggles With Bulimia and Why She Completely Gave Up Dieting
Stronger! Riverdale star Camila Mendes recently reflected on her past struggles with an eating disorder and serial dieting. Now, the starlet has completely ditched counting calories and is living a healthier life. She shared her advice, what she’s learned, and how she’s moving forward.
The 24-year-old is an open book and admitted to coping with bulimia in high school, college, and once her acting career took off. However, after seeking help from a therapist and nutritionist, The Perfect Date star was able to change her relationship with food.
“I had always thought, ‘Well, if I’m not on a diet then I’m going to gain weight,'” she divulged to People in an interview published on Thursday, April 18. “I had a really open conversation with the women at [eating disorder recovery group] Project Heal and I realized I needed to give up dieting. It was a moment of, ‘OK, 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.”
She noted that since she’s stopped depriving herself, the urge to binge eat had subsided. “My body hasn’t changed, I just feel healthier and my mood is lighter,” she confessed. Another important piece of advice she gave is to not obsess over the numbers on the scale. “Don’t think about your weight. Don’t think about what you look like. It’s what you do with your body that matters,” she advised.
Although she’s made huge strides toward body positivity, The New Romantic star acknowledged that she’s a work in progress. “Body acceptance is a big part of my life and something I struggle with on a daily basis,” the raven-hair beauty explained about why she decided to lead a discussion during POPSUGAR Play/Ground this June in NYC. “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.”
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