Hunter McGrady is feeling extremely proud of her body.
After celebrating her very first Sports Illustrated cover, the 31-year-old model said she’s hoping the inclusivity encourages others to embrace all body types, which, she admits, took her a long time.
“Much of it goes back to me being 15 years old and starting as a straight-sized model,” she told Fox News. “I was a size two. I was striving for something that I couldn’t attain. Once I grasped the fact that this wasn’t going to be my journey, I let myself live and be happy. I grew into the person I am today. I’m proud of my body and what it has done for me.”
McGrady admitted that she’s even more excited to celebrate her body in a “weird” time where many are vocal about taking Ozempic, an FDA-approved prescription medication for people with type 2 diabetes.
It’s one of the brand names for semaglutide — also known as Wegovy — which works in the brain to impact satiety. The weight loss tool has become popular in and out of Hollywood.
“I still very much believe that sexy comes in all sizes,” McGrady explained. “But I had to work on myself first. It’s a journey to get there. I’m not saying I don’t have bad days, because I do. We’re all human. I think what Sports Illustratedis doing — celebrating all bodies — is so powerful. They’re doing the work… Especially right now when we’re entering this weird era, an Ozempic era, and just celebrating thinness.”
“Look, do what you want to do with your body,” she continued. “But I also think it’s so important to showcase diversity, different body types, different ethnicities, different kinds of women. We all exist, and we will always be just as important.”
McGrady — who has long stood up against body shaming online — told the outlet that she’s learned through therapy how to accept and love her body. She said although it can be a work in progress, blocking out the negativity is so beneficial to her journey.
“It’s all about having self-love,” she said. “Everyone has their bad days. Confidence is not linear. It’s a climb. You think you’re at the top, and then you get knocked down, and you don’t feel so great. But it’s about doing the work. A lot of people in our society think, ‘All I have to do is lose weight, and I’ll feel better, and then I can get in that swimsuit.’ You can lose all the weight you want, you can gain all the weight you want. You can get anything done. But if you’re not doing the self-love work, nothing is going to matter.”
“It has to start with the way we look at ourselves,” McGrady added. “I’m a firm believer in that.”
