Train hard to stay healthy and be strong, not to be skinny

Mar 2, 2015 10:32 GMT  ·  By
Demi Lovato posts inspirational photo, says beauty doesn't mean you have to have a thigh gap
   Demi Lovato posts inspirational photo, says beauty doesn't mean you have to have a thigh gap

Former Disney star Demi Lovato has come a very long way from her teenage years, when she struggled with bulimia and emotional issues that made her turn to drugs, alcohol and self-harm in a desperate attempt to have at least a smidgen of control over her life and body.

In 2011, Demi checked herself into rehab and emerged a new woman, one that wasn’t afraid to speak up for herself anymore, confident, healthy and willing to use her own experience to help others.

She’s been doing that since then.

You don’t have to have a thigh gap to be beautiful

Demi’s most recent Instagram photo and caption is part of her ongoing efforts to demolish industry beauty myths and send the message, loud and clear, that women whose bodies are outside the “norms” are beautiful too.

Showbiz has been telling us that beauty means skinny, so a thigh gap is essential for a woman to be considered beautiful. It’s only in recent years that an opposing trend has started, with curvy women standing up for the average Jane.

Industry standards / beauty norms are impossible to attain in real life and they’re not exactly healthy either. Curvier models are working overtime to point that out, and Demi is proud to be considered among them.

Her latest message speaks volumes in this sense: “Regardless of what society tells you these days... You don't have to have a thigh gap to be beautiful. It is possible to love your body the way it is. #fitness #health #acceptance #selflove☀️🌴💗”

Health is beauty

In recent months, Demi has been very vocal about how beauty shouldn’t be considered synonymous to skinny anymore. For her, beauty means self-confidence and health, which, she found out, means sticking to a healthy eating plan and busting her backside at the gym.

However, she wants her fans to know that she’s not doing these things because she’s trying to shake off pounds, but because she loves feeling strong and full of life. Beauty means much more than the numbers on a scale, and to Demi, it also means feeling like she could take on the world if she wanted to.

In a December interview with a fitness publication, Demi praised women like the Kardashian girls and Beyonce, who have made curvy happen in an industry in which a size 8 is considered “plus-size.” She also explained that staying active was the most important thing in her life, not just because it kept her in shape but because it was the best form of stress relief.  

Regardless of what society tells you these days... You don't have to have a thigh gap to be beautiful. It is possible to love your body the way it is. #fitness #health #acceptance #selflove☀️🌴💗 A photo posted by Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) on Feb 27, 2015 at 12:05am PST

Don't train to be skinny, train to be a #badass 💪👍💛 #healthy #fitness #selflove A photo posted by Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) on Feb 26, 2015 at 11:26pm PST