Beauty
Plus-Size Model Shares Her Journey About Body Acceptance With Therapy And Daily Exercise
“Your body does change — and that’s what’s beautiful about it.”
Hunter McGrady was born into the modeling world. Her mom was a successful model, so McGrady started modeling at age 15, at six feet tall. At the time, she hadn’t even gone through puberty, yet every agency had told her they would only sign her up if she lost a little more weight.
Hunter McGrady recently detailed her struggles with weight and eating disorders.
She was very THIN already but then lost more weight as instructed. Things went downside again when she booked a job with a stretchy T-Shirt company at the thinnest she had ever been. She was told they wouldn’t work with her as “they didn’t realize how big she was. For McGrady, that was the last straw.
McGrady is a 28-year-old model and mother who welcomed her first child in June 2021.
The plus-size model is known for working with some of the biggest brands, including Sports Illustrated.
She informed her mom she didn’t want to model anymore. “I was feeling it emotionally and dealing with anxiety and depression. Mentally I knew I needed help,” McGrady told Health and also mentioned her eating was out of control. She went to therapy to help undo her feelings, and there, she realized she had to learn about her body and how to nourish it and love it again.
McGrady has her clothing line with QVC called All Worthy & partnerships with famous brands.
However, things didn’t just fall into place for McGrady. She had tons of downsides in becoming who she is today.
One thing that helped McGrady was a daily exercise her therapist suggested. The therapist had said: “Listen, this is going to sound silly, but I want you to take a shower, slick your hair back and stand in front of the mirror naked. Then tell yourself ten things you want to love about yourself.” The therapist told her she might believe them initially but chose the words she wanted to love.
She got into modeling at 15 when she was 6 feet tall and only weighed 114 pounds.
Though she was at her “thinnest,” yet she couldn’t land a gig with a clothing company, which rejected her by saying they “didn’t realize how big” she was.
Even though it felt so silly, McGrady claimed she kept doing it, and every time she got so emotional, it was hitting something in her. She’s been doing it every day since but not always naked because sometimes she does it in the car or wherever she is. McGrady insisted: “It helped me change the way I thought about my body.”
McGrady had to seek therapy, which eventually helped her love herself and her body.
Constant reassurances in front of the mirror and behind, including determination, have helped McGrady.
In taking care of her mental Health, McGrady meditates and works out aside from therapy. She’s obsessed with her Peloton. She continued: “I think that’s another misconception, that if you’re bigger, you don’t like working out. I work out for my mental Health – it’s where I get my me time.” McGrady saw three plus-size models on Vogue Italia cover during her body-positive journey.
And at the moment, she is an inspiration to many.
Therapy did change the way she thought about her body and helped her with mental and physical growth.
The plus-size models were Tara Lynn, Robyn Lawley, and Candice Huffine. McGrady didn’t even know that plus-size modeling was a thing, but just when she related to these women, she went to Wilhelmina Models and indeed got signed up. She’s working for Forever 21, Nordstrom, Lucky Brand, and Macy’s. McGrady is now a plus-size model, and she’s proud of it.
Just when McGrady realized plus-size models were a thing, she signed a contract with Wilhelmina Models.
So far, her arduous journey has made her worthy, fearless, confident, resilient, powerful, and boundless.
She went on to reveal the tons of anxiety about getting pregnant. Early in her pregnancy, McGrady claimed she told the doctors she didn’t want to discuss her weight unless it became an issue to her or the body. She wasn’t interested in knowing the number on the scale, and she even appreciated her body more since it provided for someone else. And at postpartum, she dealt with the whole bounce-back culture.
