Demi Lovato Talks To Ashley Graham About Recovering From An Eating Disorder

Demi Lovato opened up to Ashley Graham about her recovery from an eating disorder

Demi Lovato is making a big comeback this year after some time away from the spotlight to work on taking care of herself. She performed at both the Grammys and the Super Bowl to absolutely rave reviews, and now, she’s opening up about life before her 2018 overdose — and the disordered eating and extreme exercise that led up to it.

“I don’t have to be in a one-piece leotard on stage, because I’m tired of running myself into the ground with workouts and extreme dieting, that I thought the past few years was recovery from an eating disorder when it actually was just completely falling into it,” Lovato shared about the pressure she was putting on herself a few years ago to look a certain way.

Lovato explained how sneaky the eating disorder was in manifesting itself. “I just realized that maybe my symptoms weren’t as obvious as before, but it was definitely an eating issue,” she continued. “I think when you have certain people around you that are telling you certain things that you should look a certain way, it makes it harder.”

The disordered behaviors are, Lovato says, what got her to the point of overdosing in 2018.

“I honestly think that’s kinda what led to everything happening over the past year was just me thinking I found recovery when I didn’t, and then living this kind of lie and trying to tell the world I was happy with myself when I really wasn’t,” she shares. “And when I realized I wasn’t happy doing that stuff I made a choice going into this next album,” she says. “When I present this, I’m not going to worry about what I look like. I’m not going to worry about trying to look a certain way or fit a certain mold or whatever. That’s just not who I am.”

Lovato has definitely dealt with her share of the public weighing in on her body and appearance. Trolls comment on her body routinely, and knowing she’s struggled with disordered eating and exercise is simply heartbreaking. But now, she’s had enough of that toxicity and is using her voice to speak out against it.

“Someone needs to stand up for people that don’t naturally look that way. I had to work my ass off every day in the gym, six days a week, to maintain that figure and it’s just like, that led me only one way and I don’t want to go down that path again. I’m not willing to destroy my mental health to look a certain way anymore.”

We couldn’t love her attitude more. Here’s the full video of Lovato’s interview with Graham.