Hayden Panettiere, star of the Nashville series, opened up to Women’s Health about when she saw a picture of herself in a tabloid at age 16 with the word “cellulite” written above it, and how it impacted her life.
“I was mortified,” she said. “It gave me such body dysmorphia for so long. But I remember reminding myself that beauty is an opinion, not a fact. And it has always made me feel better.”
Body dysmorphia, also known as “perceived ugliness,” is a type of mental illness where a person is fixated on a perceived flaw in their appearance. A page from the Mayo Clinic explains that a person with the disorder feels intense shame and seeks to avoid being seen.
Sarah Michelle Gellar has also battled the disorder.
“I totally have body dysmorphic disorder. I think most women do,” Gellar said in 2011. “I just have to remember that I’m human, and I’m a mom. Being a parent changes the vanity at least a little bit.”
“People can tell when you’re happy with being you and when you’re not. It’s only cheesy because it’s true. As I’ve gotten older and grown into my body, I’ve started realizing that the way you carry yourself and that light coming out of your eyes are the most attractive things about you,” Panettiere said.
The star is open about the fact that there is no magic formula for staying in shape and notes that she tries to do exercises like swimming and hiking that incorporate fun.
“Treading water for 10 minutes is a great workout,” she said. Panettiere says eating healthy is a “constant battle” but she doesn’t eat like a bird. “I’m a huge pasta fan. That’s my splurge right there.”
She also takes the stairs whenever she can and avoids the elevators.