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Leon Bennett/Getty Images for ESSENCEActress Danielle Brooks is supportive of Lizzo and her decision to do a 10-day smoothie detox.
In an Instagram post Wednesday, the Orange Is the New Black star defended Lizzo, while sharing her personal struggle with weight loss since giving birth to her daughter, Freeya in November 2019.
“I’ve muted my voice for a few months now out of shame. I felt shameful of gaining weight,” Brooks wrote, sharing a nude photo of herself. “Even though I brought a whole human into the world, I still felt shameful because I wasn’t able to maintain my normal body weight post-pregnancy. And a year later I have only lost roughly 20 lbs. of a 60-lb. weight gain. I was quiet in hopes to post that snatch back photo like so many celebrities miraculously do.”
Brooks grew tired of social media commenters accusing Lizzo of “promoting diet culture” for posting about a detox diet on Tuesday.
“Just like Lizzo, and so many other ‘fat’ girls we should be allowed to make healthy choices publicly without being made to feel like frauds for trying to be healthy,” Brooks continued. “I feel it’s important to share the journey, as a reminder that we are not alone, we ain’t always got it together, and that we are ALL works in progress.”
Brooks — the longtime body positivity advocate and creator of the hashtag #voiceofthecurves — admitted she’s been “doing all kinds of diets, cleanses, making all kinds healthy choices.”
“Not because I don’t love myself now, but because I DO love myself, my body and my mind,” Brooks said, “speaking from the heart.” “[Because] I want to continue to feel strong and sexy without catching ‘the sugars’ [diabetes] or any other disease. It’s okay showing the in between of growth.”
By Rachel George
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