Share and Follow
Eiza González has opened up about her personal challenges with body image, coinciding with Eating Disorder Awareness Week.
In an Instagram post shared on Thursday, February 26, González, 36, delved into her complex journey with her body, tracing its roots back to her childhood. She recounted how grief, fame, and public scrutiny have influenced her self-perception over the years.
“For most of my life, my relationship with my body has been a difficult one. It began after my father’s unexpected passing when I was young. I turned to compulsive eating as a way to cope with the unprocessed pain of depression. By the age of 13, I had gained 30 pounds almost overnight, trying to navigate grief, puberty, and confusion all at once,” she shared with her followers.
González further explained that these body image issues and feelings of self-doubt only grew stronger during her teenage years.
Parallel to González’s story, Selena Gomez has also been vocal about her own journey with self-love and body positivity. “Being in the spotlight from a young age brings immense pressure. It’s challenging to feel at ease when it seems like everyone is constantly watching, judging, and commenting on your appearance,” she has expressed.
“At 15, I was suddenly thrust into the public eye. Every image was dissected, every detail criticized, and everyone seemed to have an opinion about my body, who I was, and who I should be,” she continued. “That level of scrutiny naturally fueled deep self-dysmorphia and sent me down a painful path. I became obsessed — constantly weighing myself, measuring my worth in pounds, asking if losing more would make people like me, or make me like myself.”
Despite her obsession with weight, González shared that she never felt the validation or approval she was seeking in her pursuit to become what she believed was the ideal weight.
Instead, she admitted, “I caved to the noise and felt emptier than ever.”
González reflected that her experience with body image struggles has taught her powerful lessons as she moves forward.
“The one thing I learned from all this is how powerful the mind can be and how much we can change when we set our will to it,” she wrote. “The same energy you put into shrinking yourself, or conforming into the standard can be used to build what you really dream to be.
She added, “Today, as a grown woman, I choose myself. It hasn’t been an easy journey, and it’s still ongoing. Over time, as my body has carried the weight of my experiences and spoken back to me, my priorities have shifted. Its power now serves a different purpose.”
González concluded by revealing she was now “deeply committed to giving my body love — fueling it with kindness, care, and respect so it can feel happy and fulfilled.” She urged her followers to follow a similar path and choose themselves and their own happiness.
Taking to her comments section, many of González’s followers expressed their support for the star.
“Thank you for this. [In] so many ways ❤️” Emily in Paris actress Lily Collins, 36, commented, while her costar Ashley Park, 34, added, “Love you Eiza ❤️.”
As these Hollywood celebrities show in their words, actions and online posts, the body-positivity movement has officially entered the mainstream. Well-known activists have used social media as a tool to spread more messages of self-love to their fans. Mindy Kaling made a splash when she posted a series of photos of herself wearing different two-piece […]
Another follower applauded how open and transparent González was in her Instagram post.
“Your honesty is so powerful. Thank you for sharing something so personal and real. You inspire so many of us to choose ourselves too. 🤍🥺❣️” the follower wrote.
Another follower wrote, “This message is incredibly important to me, especially as someone who has struggled with an eating disorder. It’s so easy for others to judge our bodies, and it can really take a toll on our mental health in ways we might not fully grasp. True beauty isn’t about being super skinny; it’s about feeling happy and confident in your own skin, finding a healthy balance, and ignoring anyone who tries to tell you you need to lose weight.❤️”