Vicky Pattison explains why skinny doesn’t always equal healthy
Vicky Pattison has offered a reminder to her followers that being skinny doesn't always mean a person is healthy.
While reflecting on her own weight journey, the 33-year-old former Geordie Shore star explained that when she was at her slimmest, her mental health was suffering.
"Skinny does not always mean healthy! Just thought I'd leave that there," she started her post, which was shared alongside before and after snapshots.
Pattison went on to acknowledge that her post wasn't intended to be an attack on women who are naturally super slim, instead she said she was hoping to encourage women to love and accept their bodies and "stop being so hard on themselves".
Read more: Women reveal stretch marks and cellulite in nude photos with model Ashley Graham
"For years I did everything in my power to be as thin as I possibly could be," she continued, explaining that she became "obsessed" with her sizing in clothes and her weight on the scales.
"I lost a huge amount of my self esteem in this desperate and never ending pursuit of perfection and in the end, I was never going to be happy," she contined, adding that the problem wasn't her body, but her mindset.
"Being skinny didn’t make me happy - it made me anxious, lonely and f**king hungry.
"You know what makes me happy? Being strong, being fit, being healthy and having balance in my life."
Pattison ended her empowering post by encouraging women to stop putting so much pressure on themselves in pursuit of an "unrealistic aesthetic."
"Ladies, I hope you know how wonderful you all are and how much more you have to offer than a clothes size or a bikini pic," she signed off.
"You’re all beautiful in your own ways and you’re all heroes to me!"
Read more: Rebel Wilson reveals body confidence trick she's adopted during weight loss journey
Since sharing her body positive post, the former reality TV star has been inundated with comments from fans thanking her for opening up about the subject.
"I can't explain how much I needed to see this today," one person wrote. "This is sooo important and definitely something I need to remember going forward. I've been struggling to love myself recently, but I'll get there. So so grateful for you Vicky."
"Needed to see this today," another commenter wrote. "Raising three girls in this world and trying to teach them to love themselves."
Watch: Vicky Pattison admits to feeling 'ashamed'.
Others shared stories of their own journeys to body confidence.
"Love this, after starving myself to a size 6 and thinking I was happy! I wasn't. Now a 12/14 edging more to the 14 but happier than ever. Great honest post, love the work and words for our uprising ladies," one wrote.
This isn't the first time Pattison has kick-started a discussion about learning to love your body.
In September 2020, the star shared her struggles with body image, urging others not to believe that 'thin’ is the same as ‘healthy’.
Reflecting on her health and fitness journey over the years, Pattison explained that she used to place a lot of importance on being thin.
“I thought if I could be as small as possible I’d be fit and healthy and happy,” she wrote. “But as you can see by these pictures: That wasn’t the case at all.”
She went on to say that health and fitness aren’t actually about your size, shape or weight. She has come to realise that fitness involves respecting your body and feeling the effects of exercise on your wellbeing.
“Exercise should be a celebration of what your body can do - not a punishment for what you’ve eaten - and sometimes we forget that."
Read more: 'Strictly' star Maisie Smith shares legs 'insecurity' and encourages fans to embrace their 'flaws'
Pattison also recently admitted that she once became obsessed with weighing herself and admitted this had a knock on impact on her mental health.
Speaking on her The Secret To podcast, she revealed: “I was like super strong, super toned, but looking back, I wasn't healthy. And I don't mean physically. Like, mentally, I was super unwell.”
Pattison went on to reveal that she became “fixated” on weighing herself.
“It was all to do with what that number on the scale said that morning and that would completely dictate my entire day.
“If I was going to have a good day, it would be because there was a loss on that scale.
“And if I was going to have a bad day, if I was going to be stressed out, if it was going to be difficult, it would be because I’d maintained – or heaven forbid – gained weight.”
