The singer and actress opened up about “deep self-dysmorphia” for Eating Disorder Awareness Week, saying she’s now “deeply committed to giving my body love”
Credit: Neil Mockford/FilmMagic; Eiza Gonzalez/Instagram
NEED TO KNOW
- Eiza González opened up about her lifelong struggle with body image, sharing that she was “measuring my worth in pounds”
- The actress, who rose to fame as a teen on a Nickelodeon Latin America show, said she was “constantly weighing myself”
- She said that she’s now “deeply committed to giving my body love” and is “proud of where I am”
Eiza González opened up about her lifelong struggle with body image in an honest post on Instagram on Wednesday, Feb. 25.
The Lola: Once Upon a Time actress, 36, posted images of herself throughout the years, stating that Eating Disorder Awareness Week prompted her to share her “complicated” relationship with her body.
“It feels like an important moment to acknowledge how much of a rollercoaster it can be to feel unsafe in your own skin,” the Fountain of Youth star wrote about the National Eating Disorder Association-supported week, which is meant to raise awareness and help reduce stigmas around eating disorders.
“Most of my life my relationship with my body has been complicated. It began at a young age, after my father’s sudden death, when I coped with depression by eating compulsively—trying to soothe pain I hadn’t processed,” González wrote about her father, who died when she was 12 in a motorcycle accident. “By 13, I had gained 30 pounds almost overnight, navigating grief, puberty, and confusion all at once,” she continued.
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But at age 15, she landed the lead in the Nickelodeon Latin America show, Sueña conmigo. That’s when, she shared, “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."
The "scrutiny" caused "deep self-dysmorphia" that "sent me down a painful path," she reflected. "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.”
She played a Hannah Montana-esque teen who lived a dual life — competing under an alter ego for a singing reality show — and the cast of Sueña conmigo was in demand to perform concerts. But while Gonzáles was, on the surface, experiencing a career boost, the "approval never came. Instead, the opinions multiplied. What I thought looked like strength—molding myself into what others wanted—was perceived as weakness. I caved to the noise and felt emptier than ever.”
She continued: “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. The same energy you put into shrinking yourself, or conforming into the standard can be used to build what you really dream to be.”
Her caption was accompanied by a carousel of photos juxtaposing selfies of her younger self along with photos of herself today, showing off a strong body in the gym. As Gonzáles wrote: “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.”
Credit: Eiza Gonzalez/Instagram
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She ended her post with a note of how her body image has changed, and an encouraging message for her supporters.
“I’ve become deeply committed to giving my body love—fueling it with kindness, care, and respect so it can feel happy and fulfilled. I’m proud of where I am and of the hard work it’s taken to break old patterns," Gonzalez concluded. "I hope anyone reading this knows that choosing yourself and honoring your body for the right reasons is far more meaningful than trying to be liked by others even ourselves sometimes. I don’t like to pretend the journey is over, it’s hard, complex. But NEVER too late ♥️.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, The Alliance for Eating Disorders provides a fully-staffed helpline at 1-866-662-1235, as well as free, therapist-led support groups.
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