Olympian Lindsey Vonn says she was body-shamed for looking 'too muscular'
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It's fair to say that in order to be an Olympic gold medalist, one would need to be in impeccable shape. However, skier Lindsey Vonn recently revealed that the same muscular physique that made her a champion was also shamed by fans for looking "too muscular" during red carpet appearances.
While Vonn retired from her incredibly successful career as a competitive athlete in 2019, she has some less than fond memories of her time in the limelight.
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In a recent interview with the New York Post’s Alexa magazine, "The Pack" star admitted that her acquired fame came with plenty of unwarranted criticism over her body — specifically when she would dress up for special events like the Met Gala.
“A lot of people have said, ‘You shouldn’t wear things like that. It doesn’t look good on your body type.’ Or ‘You’re too muscular for that,'” the 36-year-old explained, adding that she doesn't plan on naming any names. “I’m not going to say who, but I’ve had a lot of people say not such nice things to me."
Since stepping back from skiing professionally, Vonn says that she has a much more laid back and sustainable exercise regime, working out just three times a week.
“I’m a lot leaner. I used to do things that were so sport-specific, so I had to be bigger. But everyone is like, ‘Oh my God, you’re in the best shape of your life.’ It’s like — yes and no. I’m not training for my sport anymore, I am training to be lean and fit," she explained. "I’m just working out to keep my knee strong and feel good."
This isn't the first time that Vonn has sounded off about experiencing body-shaming. In November 2020, she opened up to Access Hollywood about feeling insecure about her figure.
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"I had a lot of anxiety and body image issues when I came on the red carpet because I was, you know, 30, 40, 50 pounds heavier than everyone that I was standing next to,” she said, confessing that she may have let it affect her skiing performance. “There were definitely moments where I sacrificed a bit of my skiing career, especially after the Olympics. I lost weight because I felt like I needed to fit in and that cost me World Cup wins, that cost me an overall title."
