FORGET photo editing, lighting tricks and "sucking it in" – this inspirational wave of celebs are keeping it real.
Last week, popstar Selena Gomez, 30, shared a candid video stroking her belly and insisting she would not hide it.
Wearing a one-piece on a boat, she told TikTok fans: “I’m not sucking s*** in… real stomachs is coming the f*** back.”
Selena was inundated with praise from fans, but she's far from the only celeb proudly flaunting her natural body and sending a powerful positive message to fans.
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez has one of the most famous bodies in the world but even she revealed the changes her figure went through.
In 2013, she spoke proudly about embracing her expanding her “back, belly and butt” while pregnant with twins Emme and Maximillian five years earlier.
She told Stella Magazine that she accepted how her body would “never be the same again” and found inner happiness instead.
J-Lo said: “I remember, right after the twins were born, having that weird jiggly belly and kind of loving that. Because I earned that jiggly belly."
Recently, she told InStyle that she refused to “lose a few pounds” as advised by music industry bosses.
J-Lo, now 53, added: “It finally got to the point that I was like, ‘This is who I am. I’m shaped like this.’”
Melissa Suffield
Former EastEnders star Melissa Suffield – who played Lucy Beale for six years until 2010 – has flaunted her curves in lingerie since becoming a mum.
She proudly showed of her stomach and chuckled while switching between different bras back in June.
In a caption, Melissa wrote: “A reminder that belly overhang affects LOADS of us, pregnancy related or not. It affects people of all shapes and sizes."
The actress said people should not be “ashamed of” their bodies, adding that carrying more weight “doesn't necessarily mean you’re unhealthy”.
Last week, Melissa shared another “belly appreciation post” where she played with her tummy, described it as an “excellent stress ball/figet toy” and added: “Show yours some love.”
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga wowed fans in sparkly hotpants and an American football-themed crop-top during her 2017 Super Bowl performance.
But on Twitter, trolls mocked her “stomach hanging over her pants” and said her “stomach was protesting”.
Fans were quick to defend her “pouch”, with one arguing her “normal-person stomach” was the real star of the NFL game.
Later Gaga wrote on Instagram: “I’m proud of my body and you should be proud of yours too.”
Maura Higgins
We’re all guilty of overindulging over the Christmas period, but it's rare to see celebrities admitting to it.
In 2020, former Love Island star Maura Higgins was heavily praised for revealing her “food baby” after enjoying festive treats.
The 31-year-old shared a snap of her stomach and was inundated with positive comments – which she shared as a collage online.
Many thanked her for “keeping it real for us all” and showing “a bit of normality” and another said it helped because she felt “bloated and ugly… in comparison to Insta”.
Gemma Atkinson
Former Hollyoaks beauty Gemma Atkinson, 37, revealed her own struggles with bloating in an inspiring post where she said she refused to suck in her tummy.
“Genuinely look like I could be pregnant again today,” she joked in a 2020 post. ‘Embracing the period bloat… Still strong AF.”
Previously, the actress said she would “strive to be the strongest” she could “both mentally and physically” without stressing about getting back her pre-pregnancy body.
“No pressure, no silly diets or quick fixes, no guilt about not doing it sooner and no killing myself in the gym or depriving myself of foods I enjoy,” she said.
Rihanna
While pregnant, Rihanna was unafraid to show off her bump and sported a number of open tops that revealed her tummy.
She told People magazine: “I liked it! I’m enjoying it. If I feel a little chubby, it’s like, whatever! It’s a baby.”
Prior to then, the hitmaker had been at the forefront of spreading body positive messages, including in 2018 when she spoke confidently about her changing figure.
“You've just got to laugh at yourself, honestly. I mean, I know when I'm having a fat day and when I've lost weight,” she told Vogue.
“I accept all of the bodies. I'm not built like a Victoria's Secret girl and I still feel very beautiful and confident in my lingerie."
Malin Andersson
Love Island alumni Malin Andersson has regularly spoken out about her battle with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), to help others feel less alone.
She wrote about "struggling" with her self-image during her teenage years but now proudly posts pics for fans to see.
Another IBS sufferer responded to her post: "Love this caption, nice to be reminded you’re not alone in things."
Recently, the mum also shared a snap of her stretchmarks which she embraced as "part of who I am" after giving birth to daughter Xaya in January.
Nadia Sawalha
Loose Women star Nadia Sawalha, 57, shared a shot of her full tummy with the caption: “Blessed with the most perfect food baby ever.
“Each day I can feel her growing and am overwhelmed with emotion… we will name her … Ms Ferror rocher roses Baileys !!! [sic].”
The TV presenter's 2020 post went viral and inspired others to name their post-Christmas bloated bellies.
One fan branded hers “Miss Gin Sauvignon amaretto egg nog” and another called theirs: “Christmas cake cookie heroes.”
Lucy Mecklenburgh
Former TOWIE beauty Lucy Mecklenburgh opened up when she shared a video of her “tummy bloated” and says she had “100s of DMs in minutes” praising her.
She revealed she struggled with bloating every night for 10 years despite working out up to four times a week and eating healthily.
Read More on The Sun
Drivers warned over petrol prices at supermarkets including Tesco and Asda
Woman captures ‘sad’ tourists sprinting to reserve hotel sun loungers at 9am
The 30-year-old added: “I never shared it with anyone maybe because I thought it looks bad… but actually I really wish I had as it doesn’t make me unfit or unhealthy it MAKES ME HUMAN!”
The actress received a barrage of support online including from Coronation Street star Catherine Tyldesley who admitted: “I’m the same momma…it’s awful.”
Source: Read Full Article
