Kelly Osbourne is on the December issue of Shape (for some reason, she’s not standing thigh-deep in water, like most of the mag’s cover models), and she tells the magazine that negative commentary in the press really affected her.
Kelly explains:
“I was called fat and ugly in the press almost my entire life… I understand that being judged by others comes with the territory, but it broke my heart and ruined my self esteem. It sets you up to hate yourself in a huge way. I was so angry about the things people said about me. I truly believe it’s the main reason I turned to Vicodin and ended up in rehab three times. I just hated myself.”
After leaving rehab, Kelly says, “I replaced the drugs with food and just got fatter and fatter.”
On the one hand, it’s obvious that Kelly has a new-found confidence. There she is in a two-piece, after telling the magazine editors, “I’ve never worn a bikini in my whole life.” But on the other hand, Shape‘s focus on her figure — and the quantity of her weight loss (50 pounds, exclamation mark, is in highlighted, large text on the cover) — overshadows the fact that her tranformation was emotional. What she really whipped into shape was not her body, but her mind. It seems important to recognize that her struggle was partly psychological, even as she admits, “I used to eat chips and cookies and drink soda all day long.” Because selling the story as a “how she did it” instructional guide ignores the fact that while Kelly’s process worked for Kelly, it’s not necessarily right for everyone. In the end, if she feels comfortable posing in a bikini, that’s awesome for her, but hopefully we can realize what she’s really showing off is her mental health.
Kelly Osbourne Reveals Bikini Body and How She Dropped 50 Pounds [Radar Online]
Kelly Osbourne: Weight Lost, Confidence Gained [Shape]