A Victoria’s Secret model has spoken out about why she chose to end her five-year stint at the company.
27-year-old American model Erin Heatherton landed a role as one of the company’s official VS angels, reports The Independent.
However, Heatherton has now revealed in an interview with TIME’s Motto, that she struggled with her body image while working there – and was even told to lose weight for her last two shows.
She says during her time at Victoria’s Secret she put a lot of energy into healthy eating and exercising twice a day. But, eventually it became too much for her and by her final show in 2013, her body just couldn’t do it any more.
She said:
I was really depressed because I was working so hard and I felt like my body was resisting me.
I got to a point where one night I got home from a workout and I remember staring at my food and thinking maybe I should just not eat.
The model revealed that she simply couldn’t keep up the lie that maintaining her physique was simple or effortless.
Especially as young women perceived her as a role model:
I realised I couldn’t go out into the world – parading my body in front of all these women who look up to me – and tell them it’s easy and simple and everyone can do this.
She went on to say that she would sacrifice both her ‘pride and privacy’ because if she doesn’t speak out she could be withholding information that would really help women.
Heatherton also reflected on her ability to overcome body image issues in an Instagram post three weeks ago.
She posted with the image:
I was struggling with my body image and the pressures to fulfil the demands of perfectionism upon me.
I am not perfect. Through this struggle, however, I found the strength to love myself.
Hopefully her message will be helpful to anybody who has struggled with their body image.
