Camila Mendes Opens up About Her Body Image

The Riverdale vixen opened up Monday about her past struggle with her body image.

Riverdale’s Veronica Lodge, played by Camila Mendes, is one of the biggest names on television. We are all jealous of her beauty and her beau. However, Mendes announced that she herself struggled with body issues in the past. Her post served as a reminder to all of us that even the prettiest of people have insecurities. Mendes, 23, has opened up before about her eating disorders, but this time it was different.

Rather than speaking to a magazine, Mendes has interrupted your feed to be vulnerable with her followers, most young girls who admire her, who want to be her. An activist for self-love and a healthy lifestyle, in October 2017, she had announced her involvement with Project HEAL, a nonprofit organization that aids those suffering from eating disorders financially in order to provide them the treatment necessary.

When did being thin become more important than being healthy? I recently went to a naturopath for the first time in my life. I told her about my anxiety around food and my obsession with dieting. She phrased a pivotal question in such a way that struck a chord with me: what other things could you be thinking about if you didn’t spend all your time thinking about your diet? I suddenly remembered all the activities I love that used to occupy my time. At some point in my life, I allowed my obsession with being thin to consume me, and I refused to make room in my mind for any other concerns. Somehow I had stripped myself of all the pastimes that brought me joy, and all that was left of me was my anxiety around food. My passion for education, cinema, music, etc. — all the interests that used to occupy my mind — had been eaten away by my desire to be thin, and it made me miserable. I’m done believing in the idea that there’s a thinner, happier version of me on the other side of all the tireless effort. Your body type is subject to genetics, and while eating nutrient-dense foods and exercising regularly will make you healthier, it will not necessarily make you thinner, and the current system fails to make that distinction. I’m sick of the toxic narrative that the media consistently feeds us: that being thin is the ideal body type. A healthy body is the ideal body type, and that will look different for every person. I’m #donewithdieting – join me in this movement and share your story!

A post shared by Camila Mendes (@camimendes) on Feb 19, 2018 at 9:13am PST

You can catch Mendes in her pearls on Wednesdays on CW at 8/7C.