I've tried to maintain a healthy image but not necessarily a size because as women, we're all different sizes. I go for being the healthy size; whatever that is for you. It's important to embrace that and love your body for what it is. Each woman has her own body.
It's important to me, no matter what size I am or weight I am, to feel beautiful. Even at my biggest I was rocking body con dresses and you couldn't tell me twice. That's what I think Good American is. It's about women of individuality and diversity, but also about being comfortable in yourself. That's what we're trying to promote. It's not about fitting into a size two and that's what makes you beautiful. I just want people to be healthy and love who they are and be in control of your life. But that doesn't mean you have to be a size six.
I think my body is beautiful, and I'm confident to embrace it. There's nothing to be ashamed of if you're a size 14, as long as you're fit and healthy.
With any body shape it's important to buy the right size and not be dictated to by size you think you are. Try on a bigger and a smaller size in the shop and see what fits visually. If you do have to go up a size, cut the label out, it's just a number!
You shouldn't be pressured into trying to be thin by the fashion industry, because they only want models that are like human mannequins. They know that if we see an outfit on a mannequin in a shop window we will love it and want to buy it whatever size we are. That's why they have size zero models - they want to sell clothes. But you have to remember that it's not practical or possible for an everyday woman to look like that. Being size zero is a career in itself so we shouldn't try and be like them. It's not realistic and it's not healthy.
I do think moms should be given a break, all across the board. And I think that the most important thing is that you're healthy. After I had my little girl, I wanted to be healthy for her and have a healthy body image so that she hopefully grows up to see that her self worth isn't defined by how thin she is.
In the (film) industry, body size doesn't matter. What matters is how much an actor contributes through his performance and not his body size. It is important that every person should wear clothes that go with their body - the cut, the fabric make a lot of difference.
I felt the term 'plus size' was inaccurate and kept all these beautiful, stunning women with the widest spectrum of body types I've ever seen - mind you, curvy agencies start at a size 6 and go up to a size 18 - from being seen and resonated with.
I think that whatever size or shape body you have, it's important to embrace it and get down!
We're fit, we're healthy, we eat right, we work out. 'Plus size model' does not mean that we're not healthy. Plus size is not glamourising obesity: it's about empowering. The message behind the fashion is feeling confident in whatever you're wearing.
I have no problem with plus-size term because it kind of saved my life; however I don't love that we have to give each other titles. I don't think that there's any reason I should be any different than a size two girl. But I'm not embarrassed of that term. I'm lucky that I have a place where I can model and be healthy.
I think valuing what your body can do over how your body looks is the No. 1 advice I would give to young women about how to have healthy body image. It's not, 'Do these pants fit?' It's 'Can I do a split?'
I personally don't like guys who are super-muscly and stacked and overdo it in that way. Having a natural, healthy body is the best. It doesn't mean you have to be a certain size, because everybody's different.
I feel it's very important to remove labels; the progress in fashion will be when people completely cut out the words 'plus size' from their vocabulary and accept that women come in many sizes - especially over a size 4. Once that happens, I feel as though inclusiveness of body type will finally start happening.
It's important to do what's right for you. Some people who have a healthy diet and exercise regularly will always be a size 14 because that is right for them. It's about being fit and healthy rather than being a perfect 10.
Instead of a woman who is starving herself to be a size 0, give me a healthy woman who is a size 8 or 10 any day.
For all aspects of memory, keep yourself physically fit. My catchphrase is, Healthy mind, healthy body, healthy body, healthy mind. Your memory needs oxygen as fuel, so why not feed it often?