Earlier this week, Rica Peralejo took to Instagram with a message of body positivity. She posted an unfiltered view of herself in a swimsuit, pointing out a part of her body she used to be worried about.
Rica Peralejo opens up about her body image issues
"I used to hate my 'fat' legs (I come from the Kate Moss era, so her legs were standard, and my legs were already considered obese, hahaha) and wished they were thin legs," she wrote.
Rica continued, sharing how she outgrew her body insecurities over the years. "Now all I pray for are strong legs. I don't care how they look as long as they take me to places where I want to go. The shift in your forties can both be sobering and stress-free at the same time and I love it. I love how freeing it is to age and think of what others think less than what we actually want and need."
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In an interview, she disclosed more about her struggles, saying her enlightenment was a product of a long journey. "It happened organically," she recalled.
"I became mentally unstable and got really, really heavy. In a way, it was very liberating because for the first time in my life, being a little heavier than usual didn’t bother me."
That was actually the time when she began her fitness journey, picking up activities that made her feel good. "When I was snapping out of the funk, I picked up yoga. Later on, I progressed to strength training then also picked up jumping rope."
Her regular exercises inspired her weight loss and strength conditioning, which reframed her thoughts. "Only then did I realize that I no longer wanted a model-like figure but a strong one," she said.
Rica's statement inspires women everywhere to love their bodies in their natural state, regardless of what society thinks. It's also a reminder to be grateful for our bodies' strength—which lets us survive life's curveballs. Keep at it, Rica!
