Danielle Brooks Defends Lizzo’s Detox Diet, Actress Says She’s ‘Felt Shameful of Gaining Weight’

After seeing Lizzo defend her decision to do a detox diet, actress Danielle Brooks is supporting the singer and sharing her own experience with trying to lose weight.

Brooks, 31, has long been an advocate for body positivity and created a hashtag in support, #voiceofthecurves. But recently, the Orange Is the New Black star said, she has been afraid to talk about loving her body because she’s working on losing weight after welcoming her first child, daughter Freeya, in Nov. 2019.

“I’ve muted my voice for a few months now out of shame. I felt shameful of gaining weight,” she wrote on Instagram. “Even though I brought a whole human into the world, I still felt shameful because I wasn’t able to maintain my normal body weight post-pregnancy. And a year later I have only lost roughly 20 lbs. of a 60-lb. weight gain. I was quiet in hopes to post that snatch back photo like so many celebrities miraculously do.”

Brooks said, though, that she decided to speak out now after seeing the criticism directed at Lizzo for doing a detox diet.

“Just like Lizzo, and so many other ‘fat’ girls we should be allowed to make healthy choices publicly without being made to feel like frauds for trying to be healthy,” she said. “I feel it’s important to share the journey, as a reminder that we are not alone, we ain’t always got it together, and that we are ALL works in progress.”

The new mom said that she’s now sharing her experience to normalize losing weight at any size.

“I’m doing all kinds of diets, cleanses, making all kinds healthy choices. Not because I don’t love myself now, but because I DO love myself, my body and my mind,” she said. “[Because] I want to continue to feel strong and sexy without catching ‘the sugars’ [diabetes] or any other disease. It’s okay showing the in between of growth. You ain’t always gotta have it all the way together. Just speaking from the heart.”

Lizzo had shared a similar message on Tuesday about being able to love herself while also improving her health, after she dealt with backlash for posting the details of her detox diet.

“I detoxed my body and I’m still fat. I love my body and I’m still fat. I’m beautiful and I’m still fat. These things are not mutually exclusive,” she said. “To the people who look to me, please do not starve yourselves. I did not starve myself. I fed myself greens and water and fruit and protein and sunlight.”

“You don’t have to do that to be beautiful or healthy. That was my way. You can do life your way,” she added. “Remember, despite anything anyone says or does ✨DO WHAT YOU WANT WITH YOUR BODY✨”

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