ASHLEY James has opened up on her experience with body dysmorphia and the horrendous hate she has received from nasty trolls.
The broadcaster and DJ, 37, who has two children, daughter Ada, one, and son Alfie, three, with her partner of five years Tommy Andrews, explained that keyboard warriors have accused her of ‘letting herself go’.
Ashley James has candidly opened up on her experience with trolling and body dysmorphia[/caption]
The broadcaster admitted to using ‘exercise as a punishment’ back in her modelling days[/caption]
Now, she claimed that she has now learnt to ‘brush off comments’ from haters[/caption]
She shared ‘being smaller is not always healthier’[/caption]
Not only this, but the Made In Chelsea and Celebrity Big Brother veteran, who is now a regular guest on This Morning, has been asked on numerous occasions by haters when she would ‘bounce back’ after having kids.
The star, who describes herself as a ‘Voice for Women’, took to social media to open up on her relationship with her body, leaving many open-mouthed.
Alongside bikini pictures from when Ashley was at her slimmest, she wrote: “I was praised here, when really I was suffering with body dysmorphia.
“Wasting so much brain power thinking about food. Tired and hungry. Not having periods. Exercising as a punishment.”
Moments later, Ashley shared clips of her posing in a bikini, shortly after she gave birth to her children.
Alongside mean comments from trolls which read ‘You’ve let yourself go’ and ‘Are you going to bounce back?’, Ashley continued: “My body was constantly being judged here.
“When actually I had just created life! Was breastfeeding a baby. Had more love and respect for my body than I’d ever had before!
“Now I see exercise as a way to enjoy moving my body. I never restrict food and therefore have space to think of other things.
“Being smaller is not always healthier. ‘Heathy’ looks different on everyBODY.”
Alongside the video, which was shared on Instagram to her 460,000 followers, the mum-of-two penned: “One thing I’d love to unpick is the societal idea that being smaller is always healthier.
“Diet culture has permeated fitness and exercise so much that we equate weight loss with results when so many times it doesn’t factor in health strength.
“One thing I’ve realised from my own experience, is that every time I’ve been my smallest I’ve been the least healthy and the least happy. And yet it’s the version of myself people have praised the most.
I’ve had people judge my body for years – from being called too big when I modelled, to people judging me for being too big or too small
Ashley James
“The happiest and most love and respect I’ve ever felt in my body was postnatally when I just felt so in awe that my body produced my babies and the dialogue was entirely around bouncing back and letting myself go.
“It’s kinda sick actually that we can’t even let women recover without judging them.”
Reflecting on her ‘body neutrality’ journey, the blonde beauty admitted: “I’ve now got to a place of body neutrality where I don’t restrict food, I move my body because it feels good and I want to be strong (something the postnatal recovery made me feel very passionately about).
When Ashley was her smallest, she wasted brain power ‘thinking about power’[/caption]
But now, she has the ‘most love and respect’ she’s ever felt in her body[/caption]
“I’ve had people judge my body for years – from being called too big when I modelled, to people judging me for being too big or too small, to being praised when I was sick and judged when I was happy.
“I’ve learned to let comments brush off me as they’re a reflection of others.
“But one thing I would love is for society to stop thinking that health can be judged from appearance and that women should have to shrink themselves down when beauty comes in all shapes and sizes!”
The 5 Best Body Positive Influencers To Follow
- @_nelly_london – Nelly has been on a journey with breast corrective surgery and has also shared her experience with eating disorders, her honesty and openness makes her a great follow.
- @lottiedryna – She regularly shares content on living with IBS and finds bloat-friendly outfits to share with her followers.
- @stephanieyeboah – Stephanie Yeboah’s body positive content has the most incredible message – everyone is worthy of being loved, plus she has the best fashion inspo going.
- @isabelladavis6 – Bella’s content spans more than just body image and is ideal for women wanting a community of women supporting women.
- @jessontheplussize – She advocates for women wearing what they want no matter their body shape.
Ashley’s fans react
Ashley’s inspiring reel has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up 314,000 views and almost 8,700 likes.
Fans and even many of Ashley’s celebrity friends eagerly rushed to the comments to praise the influencer, with many hailing her an ‘inspiration’.
One person said: “Beautiful woman, powerful message.”
Such an important message
Nicola McLean
Another added: “You’re so gorgeous! Inside and out. Such an inspiration.”
A third commented: “What a powerful message. Absolutely beautiful.”
Meanwhile, glamour model and TV personality Nicola McLean beamed: “Such an important message.”
Whilst broadcaster and Countdown star Carol Vorderman simply praised: “As ever spot on.”
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She claimed people judged her for being too big or too small[/caption]
She was being praised when she was sick and judged when she was happy[/caption]
