Sam Smith Reveals Past Struggles With Body Image: ''I Have Starved Myself for Weeks''

The singer says he'll "celebrate my body AS IT IS."

By Alyssa Morin Feb 12, 2019 9:28 PMTags
Sam SmithRyan Pfluger

Sam Smith is opening up to his fans about his struggles with body image in an emotional and empowering social media post.

The "Promises" singer took to Instagram to share the "body trauma" he says he's experienced and now he's "decided to fight the f--k back."

"In the past if I have ever done a photo shoot with so much as a t-shirt on, I have starved myself for weeks in advance and then picked and prodded at every picture and then normally taken the picture down," the 26-year-old star admits.

"Yesterday I decided to fight the f--k back. Reclaim my body and stop trying to change this chest and these hips and these curves that my mum and dad made and love so unconditionally."

He continued, "Some may take this as narcissistic and showing off but if you knew how much courage it took to do this and the body trauma I have experienced as a kid you wouldn't think those things. Thank you for helping me celebrate my body AS IT IS @ryanpfluger I have never felt safer than I did with you."

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Closing his statement, Smith wrote, "I'll always be at war with this bloody mirror but this shoot and this day was a step in the right f-----g direction."

Steve Granitz/WireImage

Fans applauded the 26-year-old singer for opening up.

One follower wrote, "You look amazing! And you are a beautiful person inside and out. Good on you for having the courage to do it."

Another fan commented, "Sam, thank you for so beautifully and with brave vulnerability speaking your truth. In doing so you give voice and inspiration to those of us listening and watching with similar truths! Nothing but love and respect!for you!"

The photographer, whom Smith mentioned in his post, also took to Instagram to praise the singer.

"@Samsmith thank you for trusting me to facilitate photographs that empower your ownership of your body and mind. I honestly wish everyone relinquished themselves to the experience like you did," Ryan Pfluger wrote.

Last year, the "Stay With Me" artist candidly spoke about his body struggles with V Magazine for the Spring 2018 "Discovery" issue.

"My body image is always going to be an issue," he said. "I need to constantly train myself to watch the right sort of films, to not look at certain ads and think that's how my stomach should look."

"It's something that I'm fighting every day," adding, "I think men should talk about it more."