There’s no denying that Heidi Klum looks absolutely incredible by any beauty standard — and yet, as we reported earlier this week, the 52-year-old supermodel has still been forced to deal with her changing body being scrutinised in midlife.
“Many say she’s too fat or too thin or pregnant, but I am not pregnant,” she says in her new docuseries On & Off The Catwalk. “I’m just a little fatter now. It’s the menopause.”
Heidi’s words are a reminder that menopausal body image issues don’t discriminate — in fact, perhaps they’re even more pronounced when you’ve made your fortune from your looks.
In an era when many celebrities are quietly shrinking before our very eyes, we’re grateful to Heidi for speaking up about the totally normal changes that women experience in menopause, while still proudly embracing her gorgeous, enviable midlife body.
The German model and mother of four has never been shy when it comes to her fashion choices — from her notoriously extra Halloween costumes to her stunning red carpet looks. And, while most of us probably aren’t popping out for cocktails with mum friends in nude latex, or doing the weekly shop in an underwear-as-outerwear dress, Heidi is a reminder that we can still stay true to our own style in midlife, even if our body looks a little different from how it used to.
It’s a view echoed by our Second Act community on Facebook, who praised the supermodel for normalising menopause weight gain.
Your comments on Heidi’s menopause body
“We all gain weight during the menopause. Doesn’t change the person inside. I’ve put weight on but I’m still me,” said Wendy.
“She looks beautiful,” wrote Amanda. “And she is prob in better health than the ozempic users. But she shouldn’t be getting body shamed either way. No one should.”
Karlene added: “The struggle is real.. the menopause effects every woman! even supermodels.”
Susie praised the model for helping to bust menopause taboos: “Thank goodness it’s spoken more openly now. As long as we all get the right balance of HRT we can get on with our lives with a few extra pounds.”
While Rachael quipped that Heidi’s supposed weight gain was barely noticeable anyway. “Is the extra weight in the room with us….?” she wrote.
“So what if she gained a bit of weight?” asked Kate. “Weight and size isn’t the most important thing in life.”
Carrie agreed: “She looks fabulous! Nobody would complain having her figure for her age! Menopause is so difficult.”
Meanwhile, Angelika flagged gender inequality when it comes to weight: “Not only do we feel awkward with all the hormonal changes, we try our best to look OK only to get bullied if we have extra few kilos! Why only women in Hollywood get scrutinized to this level about their weight? I never see too much regarding men.”
And Yvonne thinks Heidi looks great too. “She looks so beautiful,” she said. “It’s sad how she feels she has to explain her weight gain. To me she looks perfect, curves really suit her.”
Katie related to the model. “Menopause weight gain is real no matter what these so called experts say! And it’s one of the hardest to shift as we don’t burn calories like we use too. Everything slows down.”
Sinem made a very pertinent point about celebrity beauty standards: “She looks great,” she wrote. “But let’s be honest, she did contribute and monetise with her profession to the unrealistic vision that women need to be perfect and skinny. The fact that she now feels obliged to publicly state her weight struggles because of menopause is a result of her and many others creating this false ideal of the perfect woman and body.”
Irene had similar concerns. “There is absolutely nothing wrong with her,” she wrote. “She looks beautiful and slim, I wish I had her figure. It’s this type of criticism that’s causing anorexia and other eating problems in young girls.”
Can you relate to Heidi’s body changes, and do you think she’s an inspiration for speaking up about the impact of menopause? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.
Read the full article here
