Hilary Duff has been in the spotlight for most of her life, and she has appeared relatively well-adjusted for a former child star who got her big break on Disney Channel. But as with many child stars, they begin to grow up and realize just how jarring being on screen at such a young age could be. It happened with Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez, and now Duff is reflecting on her past.
The Lizzie McGuire star recently opened up about her struggle with an eating disorder when she was a teenager. “Because of my career path, I can’t help but be like, ‘I am on camera and actresses are skinny,’” Duff told Women’s Health. “It was horrifying.” Duff battled an eating disorder for a year when she was seventeen, just a year after her iconic show ended.
After her Disney days, Duff went on to pursue other projects like music, before heading back to television earlier this year for How I Met Your Father.
Duff now uses a personal trainer to help keep her life in check. “[I’m] appreciating my health, doing activities that make me feel strong instead of just bettering the outside of my body,” she told the mag. “Spending time with people that make me feel good and share similar views on health and body positivity and getting enough sleep and balance in my diet.” Duff will star in the second season of How I Met Your Father sometime next year.
Meanwhile, fans are still holding out hope for a Lizzie/Gordo reunion.