Selena Gomez has candidly reflected on her changing body image over the years.
On Monday night, the actress took to her Instagram Stories to share before and after bikini snaps of herself to show the contrast in her shape and size.
“Today I realised I will never look like this again…” she wrote, referring to the 2013 image of her looking super slender in a zebra bikini at age 21.
While she captioned the photo, which showed her looking curvier in a high-waisted two piece from her holiday in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, last year: “I’m not perfect, but I am proud to be who I am…
"Sometimes I forget it’s ok to be me."
Gomez has previously discussed her struggle with her body image and last October spoke to Fast Company business magazine about being body-shamed after undergoing surgery following her lupus diagnosis.
The Only Murders In The Building star was 24 when she was diagnosed and recalled that she felt like she no longer “had a teenager’s body” during a magazine fitting.
“None of the sample sizes were fitting, and that would make me feel embarrassed,” she told the publication. “Although how unrealistic is it to expect a normal woman’s body not to change?”
She also told her fans last February that her weight gain is one of the side effects of the medication she takes for the autoimmune disorder.
“When I’m off of it, I tend to lose weight," she said. "My medications are important, and I believe they are what helps me.'
In response to the trolls, she added: "go away, because, honestly, I don't believe in shaming people for [their] body or anything.'
"So, yeah, not a model. Never will be. And I think they're awesome - mind you - I just, I'm definitely not that."
"I just wanted to say and encourage anyone out there who feels any sort of shame for exactly what they’re going through, and no one knows the real story," she concluded.
