Demi Lovato Won’t Let Body Shamers Get Her Down, Chooses To ‘Live In Freedom’

Singing sensation Demi Lovato has recently made it her mission to publicly denounce what she describes as “diet culture,” which she does regularly on Twitter and Instagram. She publicly gave up dieting over the winter and, as a result, Demi is still dealing with body shamers. Instead of giving into the social pressures of the naysayers, Demi Lovato continues to tell her fans to follow a health plan that works best for them and reject the cultural expectations of what a “perfect” body should resemble.

“Society has been obsessed with dieting for a long time now. I’m just focused on being happy and healthy in my own way.”

In January, Demi Lovato sent out a Twitter message to her followers claiming that she experienced a “feeling gross” sensation during her photo shoot that day. At that time, she made a conscious effort to accept what she sees, choosing to love herself for who she is. She gave thanks to her fans and followers for offering enough support to help her through the tough moments.

“If you’re struggling as well, don’t forget… if I can do it, you can too!”

Shortly after her expression of gratitude, the singer sent out an announcement that she had recently given up the stress of dieting.

No longer depriving myself of treats (in moderation) and I’m not gonna lie, I put on a couple lbs since I’ve given up dieting BUT I’ve given up the chronic stress of what I eat because I don’t want to set that example for my fans. No more food shaming myself!!

— Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) January 19, 2018

The 25-year-old singer admits that she feels “a lot more free” since she declared she was done denying herself the pleasure of occasional snacks. Demi claims that she made a decision to give up on dieting and learn to love her curves based on her “past history of eating disorders.”

After posting a photograph on Instagram that was meant to celebrate her body and encourage her followers to be proud of who they are, the Confident singer was berated with negativity.

The respect that Lovato’s followers have given to her is, for the most part, positive. According to PEOPLE, Demi Lovato is still dealing with negativity and body shaming, however, she doesn’t let the unfavorable comments bring her down.

“I had been on a really strict, regimented diet for so many years, and it felt like I didn’t have a lot of freedom with food.”

Three years ago, reports Fitness, the singer checked into a rehab center for self-harm, bulimia, and addiction where she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. At that time, she stated that she was “tired of hiding and relieved to know what was wrong” so that she could make changes and get healthy.

The strict dieting caused Demi to overindulge when the opportunity struck. Because overindulgence is an unhealthy behavior linked to eating disorders, Demi made the choice to do away with the diet plan entirely. She resolved to, instead, “live in freedom” and allow herself to “enjoy certain things without feeling guilt or shame.”

“There are some people who body shame me, and sometimes it’s difficult, but I say to myself, am I happy? and that’s the most important thing. And I want my fans to be happy too.”

The pop star expressed that she stays active, but also makes sure to take time for herself. Although dieting is out of the picture for Demi Lovato, she exercises regularly and emphasizes that “moderation is key.”

Demi’s unfiltered openness is what makes her such an inspiration to millions across the globe. She continues to use her platform to inspire others to accept their differences. “Someone has to speak out,” she says, “you don’t have to force yourself to lose weight, or to look a certain way.”