For Victoria Beckham, motherhood came with perspective.
The former Spice Girl and current fashion mogul is famously mom to four with her well-known other half, David Beckham. Together, the power couple are parents to three sons, 20-year-old Brooklyn, 17-year-old Romeo and 14-year-old Cruz, and 8-year-old daughter Harper. After welcoming her first youngster at 25, the designer has spent the last two decades giving birth to and raising their family.
In a new interview with Glamour UK, the star opened up about the impact of motherhood on her own body image. "The older I get, the more I realize what works for me and what doesn't. How working out and eating healthy is key. When you have four children, you accept your body changes," she told the magazine. "And when you have children, it also puts a lot into perspective. You realize they notice everything. I would never sit down with my kids and skip a meal—they need to see that their mum eats healthily—you need to show little people how to be healthy and happy with who they are."
Now, after birthing four babies, she sees her body as "an instrument, 100 percent," she told the magazine. "I expect a lot from my body. I work a lot, I try to be the best professional, the best mother, the best wife and so I have to treat it in the right way—and make sure it has the fuel it needs to work long hours and be a mum, and have the energy to do it all."
So, what would the star relay to her younger self? Eat healthy fats.
"We're so much more educated now about how we eat and the effects of what you put into your body. When I was younger, I didn't realize the effect of simple things like more sleep, drinking more water, eating healthy foods. You know what I would tell my younger self? Not to be afraid of eating lots of healthy fats, as that was something I used to be scared to eat," she recalled. "Eating healthy fats doesn't make you fat! It's good for your skin, nails and hair, especially when you're exercising, which I am, two hours a day in the gym. You just can't build healthy muscle if you aren't eating enough fat and you shouldn't be scared of that."
As for her relationship with her body today at 45 years old, "I accept who I am," she told Glamour UK. "I make the best of who I am!"
See the full feature in the Autumn/Winter 2019 issue of Glamour UK, available on newsstands and via digital download on Sept. 19.