Rebel Wilson describes the “emotional war” she went through over her weight.
In an interview and exclusive photo shoot with PEOPLE before the release of her book Rebel Rising: A Memoir, the actress (44) opened up about her weight loss journey. She recalls experiencing the mental tug of war of being a “proud fat woman” while also being “ashamed of her eating behavior.”
“I think I’m a beacon of body positivity for a lot of people because I see people who are medically considered obese if you look at their weight, but I think they’re absolutely beautiful,” she tells PEOPLE. “I really think that beauty comes in any shape and size so I really promote that.
“People are like, ‘Well, how can you be so body positive and then hate yourself?’ But I didn’t hate myself, I just hated these shameful behaviors,” she explains. “For example, eating a whole bunch of ice cream every night and then feeling bad about myself, pushing myself early in the morning and going to the gym for an hour and a half and running on that strips until sometimes my back hurts.”
Rebel Wilson.
Cliff Watts
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Wilson says that cycle continued until she realized the emotional roots of her behavior. The Pitch Perfect The alum describes herself as an “emotional eater” and says it took her time to change her lifestyle with the help of therapy.
“I would be hard on myself,” she admits. “I wonder, ‘How can I be a person who excels at so many things, and gets two college degrees, and can make millions of dollars, and can start from nothing, and then create this great career, but I couldn’t lose weight?’ I would always get mad about it and ask, ‘What’s wrong with me?'”
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Rebel Wilson’s new book, Rebel Rising: A Memoir.
Simon & Schuster
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Wilson was finally able to achieve significant weight loss during the pandemic after committing to a “year of health.”
She tells PEOPLE that the achievement inspired her to share her journey in her memoir, which will be released on April 2.
“People often think there’s some magic pill, or some sick special diet, or exercise regimen or whatever,” the comedian explains.
Wilson wants her book to “give a message to people, if they’re like me and they’re eating away emotionally, that it’s not about these things. It is literally about dealing with your emotions in a healthier way and there is no magic solution. Maybe my story can inspire them to do the same and make a healthy change in their lives.”
For more on Rebel Wilson, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday, or subscribe here.
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Source: HIS Education