Riverdale's Camila Mendes Opens Up About "Obsession" With Dieting

Riverdale's Camila Mendes Opens Up About Her "Obsession" With Dieting

Riverdale star Camila Mendes says she's given up dieting in an emotional Instagram post, saying she realised she had an "obsession" with being thin and let it "consume" her.

The 23-year-old wrote: "When did being thin become more important than being healthy?" revealing, "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," the actress wrote. "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."

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!

"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."

Mendes finished with the hashtag, #Imdonewithdieting, and encouraged her fans to do the same.