Hilary Duff: ‘I don’t care to look perfect in a bathing suit. I’m a normal girl’

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Hilary Duff is having a pretty good year. She has a hit on her hands with her new show, TV Land’s Younger, she’s dating fitness trainer Jason Walsh and is collaborating with Stella Artois for Host One to Remember. The idea of Host One to Remember according to SA vice president Harry Lewis is, “to inspire as many consumers as possible to leave their own mark by hosting memorable events.” While promoting HOtR, Hilary appeared on Today Monday and spoke about motherhood and how she is really comfortable with her body, whether it’s perfect or not.

As long as she’s healthy, she’s happy! Summer may be right around the corner, but Hilary Duff isn’t obsessing over her bikini body.

“I don’t care to look absolutely perfect in a bathing suit,” the Younger actress, 28, told Today on Monday, June 27. “I’m a normal girl. I’m strong. I’m fit. I feel good about myself after I’ve had a baby.”

For the Lizzie McGuire alum, who shares 4-year-old son Luca with her ex-husband, Mike Comrie, it’s all about perspective.

“I go through ups and downs, being like, ‘Damn, I’m fit right now’ and ‘OK, I’m letting things slide a little’ and I’m totally fine with that,” she said.

To emphasize her point, the “Sparks” singer joked that she does 1,000 crunches a day before almost immediately laughing off the idea as ludicrous. “Never in my life!” she said.

[From Us Weekly]

Hilary says she keeps fit by running after Luca, which does burn many calories but so does dating a personal trainer with his own studio. Whatever her secret is, Hilary looks great and sounds happy. I agree that the point should not be as much about fitting into a bikini but being okay when I don’t look great in it. I have days that I feel fit and some days when I see every roll and jiggle. Whereas I used to cry into a carton of ice cream before, now I shrug and promise to skip the Chex Snack Mix the next day. Or not, because I love Chex Snack Mix and I can always wear a coverup.

Hilary also said that when she’s with Luca, “The easiest way for me to really connect with him when I’ve had a crazy week is to unplug from all my devices.” Man, this is so important and really hard to do. I was rewarded recently, however, when my Female Progeny told me I am more fun to talk to now that my phone gets ‘grounded’ at 5pm.

Oh what you do to me. #greatmothersday

A photo posted by Hilary Duff (@hilaryduff) on

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Photo credit: WENN and Fame/Flynet Photos, Getty Images and Instagram

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60 Responses to “Hilary Duff: ‘I don’t care to look perfect in a bathing suit. I’m a normal girl’”

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  1. freebunny says:

    She looks very good and yes, normal.

    • MrsBPitt says:

      This is what a woman is supposed to look like! Not dieted and exercised down to look like a twelve year old boy!!!!! I hate our “never skinny enough” culture for women…

      • Tate says:

        Agree! She looks great.

      • Kate says:

        And even more so the confusion of “love your body” but you have to look like a 12 year old boy fitness model.

        I’m a tiny little woman who works out on the regular but I still have a few squishy bits. I’ll never had a hard body because I love ice cream sandwiches and nacho cheese!!
        Hilary look great and happy!!

    • tracking says:

      +2

    • JudyK says:

      Yes, she does look great. I like her.

    • Crumpet says:

      Who gets to define ‘normal’? She looks very fit and great IMO. But ‘normal’ does not belong to this discussion.

      • Kitten says:

        Yeah at the risk of being the annoying person who polices everyone’s comments, the use of the word “normal” in reference to body type or saying that there’s a specific way that women “should” look is never really helpful.

        But I get that people are just being supportive of Hillary, which is a nice thing for sure. She seems to have a really healthy and positive attitude towards her health and her appearance.

      • Matomedah says:

        +1 kitten and crumpet. I have the kind of body that looks more like Sports Illustrated girls. But you know what? I’ve been battling my blood pressure since my early 20s and I have a very high breast cancer risk (mammograms every 6 months, yay) and PCOS. I would trade any body shape or size for better genetics for healthy insides. Who cares what the package looks like when the inside is scary-risk. I can’t even enjoy how I look because I’m always thinking about my future health with all my high risks. 🙁

      • JenniferJustice says:

        @ Kitten – Exactly! I’m sure to most woman Duff is by no means “normal” or “average”. In fact I’d argue she actually is pretty perfect to the ‘normal’ eye.

      • perplexed says:

        I don’t think her wording is wrong in the sense that it seems she’s admitting she’s not perfect. She did admit that she’s strong and fit so I just thought she meant she’s normal in the sense of someone who makes a regular effort to take care of themselves (she doesn’t let herself go but she isn’t obsessive like… Tracey Anderson? or someone lie that).

    • jinglebellsmell says:

      I think “normal” can encompass more than one body type. I consider myself a “normal” body, but also my best friend who is about 3 inches shorter, a little thinner with bigger boobs, also “normal”, on top of my friend who is about 4 inches taller, flatter chested, and has about 20% more body fat “normal”. What I like to think we as a society support is that a woman’s body doesn’t have to be perfect or unattainable in regards to what you start out with, through plastic surgery, diet, and insane training to the point where it’s a distraction or obsession.

      • MrsBPitt says:

        I agree “normal” can be any shape or size for a woman. I’m saying “Hollywood” dictates that “normal” is scary skinny. Remember, Kate Beckinsdale was told to lose weight for Pearl Harbor. I mean, C’MON….

    • Sarah says:

      On another post, I remarked that I love that younger women seem to be very aware of reclaiming their bodies for themselves, not as an object to be for the admiration of others, and mocked for any fat. They have lots of tags like body positivity and #effyourbeautystandards and have lots of support in this. Yay for these younger women, who don’t feel they need to conform the way my generation (I’m 54) did and still does!!!! Hillary looks fabulous – and healthy. Good for her.

  2. InVain says:

    I think she looks great and has a realistic/healthy attitude about it. Obviously dating a trainer and being able to work out whenever she wants certainly gives her an advantage….but at least she’s not trying to tout some ridiculous diet re: kale and 2 oz. of salmon skin per day.

  3. Erinn says:

    She looks like a ‘regular’ active, healthy woman. It’s nice to see in comparison to all of the fakeness of hollywood.

    I’ll always have a soft spot for Lizzie McGuire, but I haven’t been a big fan of adult Hilary. But it’s really nice to see her looking so happy, and being a mom seems to really be something she loves.

    • Adele Dazeem says:

      I was never a fan either but have you watched Younger? It’s such a guilty pleasure!

    • Flowerchild says:

      Well she still apart of the fakeness that is hollywood with her staying fit by “running” after her son. Did she forgot about all her photo ops at the gym.

  4. Alix says:

    If I had a dime for every celeb who claims to stay fit running after her kids…

    • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

      Right? Hillary stays fit by being 28 years old.

      • Locke Lamora says:

        Most 28yolds need to work to stay slim too. The “running after Luca” is such a cliche. And so annoying.

      • Bettyrose says:

        I hadn’t had a baby at her age, but I stayed fit walking to and from the train station, while eating whatever I wanted. 28 is a magical age! Enjoy it while it lasts. 🙂

      • qwerty says:

        Obesity is a result of overeating, not a natural part of getting older. Plenty of women her age and younger who weigh 2 times more than her.

      • perplexed says:

        I think it is much easier to stay slim at 28, even if you have to work at it. The weight falls off more easily below a certain age when you work out. She did say she’s strong and fit so I didn’t think she was saying she doesn’t exercise at all. I don’t think of fit people as skinny couch potatoes.

      • Maya says:

        I was pretty fat at 28 (actually since about 14-29) and am in great shape in my 30’s. It just took me a long time to figure out what works for my body. So far, every year since I’ve turned 29, I’m in better shape for my next birthday (just turned 34).

    • Mieke says:

      It’s just a way of saying kids take up a lot of your energy.

    • Beckysuz says:

      Ok while I tend to agree that most celebrities are lying about staying fit by chasing kids, I will say that chasing my toddler keeps my weight down. However(!!!), that doesn’t tone anything. Once my youngest son started walking and was old enough to get into everything, I did lose the extra baby weight( and then some). Mostly because the only chance I get to sit down in on the toilet lol. But skinny or not I didn’t look good naked until I started lifting weights and really upping my workouts.

      As far as HD is concerned, she has been papped going to the many many times, so it’s def not just chasing her kid. But she has generally speaking always been a more “normal” sized celebrity than most starlets her age. And i realize “normal” is a charged word and I’m not trying to start a fight. I simply meant she’s not emaciated like a lot of the girls she came up with.

  5. Jen43 says:

    She looks great, and I’m sure that dating a trainer who, I assume, is happy with her body, is a confidence builder. I think women sometimes can gain a respect for their bodies after they’ve given birth.

  6. Emylee says:

    I am confused she has a great toned boby

    • megs283 says:

      Agreed. Like, is this the Twilight Zone?? She looks incredibly fit, like someone who works out and watches what she eats, and looks amazing. Good for her, but let’s not pretend she’s brave or bold for wearing a bikini.

  7. GoodNamesAllTaken says:

    She looks great. I’ve always liked her. But her “secret” is youth, I think. At her age, I considered myself on a diet if I only ate one candy bar. But I’m glad she’s happy.

    • Locke Lamora says:

      Jesus, I am so envious of people like you. Genetics + a f***ed up thyroid means I’ve basically been on a diet since I was 17. The first proper diet I ever went on was when I was about 12. I wish I knew what eating everything you want without guilt feels like.

    • Zip says:

      *massive eyeoll* If that was the case there would be no overweight people under 30.
      I’m 31 and since I can remember I had always a hard time staying at a normal weight. It took and still takes me lots of excercise (at least 4 times a week) and a strict look at my calorie intake. And I don’t even have any health problems. Also, I’m as short as she is (even shorter) which means there are only so many calories you can consume. I buy that she would have a hard time to look very fit and toned.

      • Crumpet says:

        I’m confused. Are you saying GNAT is lying about what her idea of a diet was at Hillary’s age?

        Everyone is different due to genetics. Some people are all about food, some people are not. Some people are more hungry because of medications or natural ghrelin levels. Some people have more muscle without having to work for it, because of their DNA. All of these things effect your weight. Find what works for you and don’t snark at folks whose have found what works for them, because it will likely be different than what works for you.

      • Kitten says:

        At the risk of depressing you: if you think it’s hard at 31, just wait till you’re 37. It gets harder every year, believe me…

  8. Matador says:

    Are there people who don’t think she looks great? Because she’s looks fantastic.

    • nicole says:

      I’m pretty sure a commenter on this site called her fat a few days ago on that thread about her dating her personal trainer. I remember because I was horrified.

    • hunter says:

      I know someone who worked with her and she appears to have been the same size. He was unkind about her figure.

  9. Miss M says:

    I like Hilaty and she looks healthy and toned!

  10. Annie says:

    She looks great!

  11. KittenFarts says:

    Those tan shoes she’s wearing w/ that dress are from Target. I have the same ones. Super comfy too

  12. Tania says:

    She looks awesome!

  13. Esmom says:

    She looks great and it’s nice to hear she thinks unplugging is a good idea. I can’t tell you how many parents I see at the playground next to our school who are staring at their phones the whole time. It’s so depressing.

  14. Micki says:

    Please spare me! I run after 2 kids, stressed husband and a cat with an attitude.
    Either I must change my running shoes TM or I have to stop eating altogether.
    And before I forget : many “normal girls ” I know buy “body shaping” beach wear. I haven’t heard once:“I don’t care to look absolutely perfect in a bathing suit,”

    • Size Does Matter says:

      Tell me about it. Four kids, husband, and dog who pukes up tinfoil at night. Either my kids are lazy or my diet is crap because I’m breastfeeding and working out every day and the last ten pounds aren’t leaving. But I’m 38 not 28. And my husband isn’t a trainer.

      She looks fantastic. She looks way better than “normal” if 70 percent of the population is overweight or obese.

      • Crumpet says:

        I wouldn’t stress about those last 10 lbs while you are still breast feeding. JMHO.

      • Size Does Matter says:

        Thank you @Crumpet. My doctor basically said the same thing, that my body has one priority now, making milk. So I’m working mostly on weight lifting and getting ripped underneath that fat layer.

  15. Kk says:

    She looks great. One of my greatest wishes is that they’d ban photoshop and bodywork in media/film. It’s so destructive for everyone, especially young women. I realize banning it is a pipe dream but oh what a nicer world it would be.

  16. Kitten says:

    @Hecate-The sweet and salty Chex mix…oh my god that stuff is crack.
    When I lived in Fenway my apt was right across from a 7/11 and I would occasionally pick up a bag of that stuff. I Googled to see what they call my favorite part of the Caramel S&S mix and they describe it as a “crunchy swirl cookie”.

    http://www.chex.com/products/caramel-crunch

    But yeah, I would pick out the “crunchy swirl cookies” and go to town on those things…

    Oh yeah and Hillary looks nice whatever…mmmmmmm Chex Mix….

    • Hecate says:

      OMG – I love that stuff. I got into a bag of their turtle mix at just the right time of the month and couldn’t climb out.

      Not sure if you get this on the Right Coast but my true weakness is Gardetto’s Snack Mix. I can suck all the moisture from my body in one sitting with a proper binge of that.

      • Kitten says:

        YES!!
        OMG Gardetto’s are why I gained 10 lbs my freshman year in college.
        Like a salt lick in a bag that stuff, but SO. DAMN. GOOD.

  17. LuluPolly says:

    Remember when she called the paparazzi to photograph her “surprise” engagement? That’s all I can think of whenever I see her.

  18. Lisa says:

    I think she looks good.

  19. lucy says:

    She’s a beauty. She does look perfect. As is.

    Love the show, Younger.

  20. Six of Nine says:

    How about well-designed bathing suits and bikinis which don’t emphasize each and every wriggle while still being stylish and sexy? Surely a bikini bottom can be sexy while covering more than the obligatory pu_bic?

    Nowadays less is more in bathing clothes and it is barely-there-bathing-clothes and that isn’t really a good look for anybody above size 4. Same for men. Sometimes I think a 100-Dollar-Note covers more square inches than most bikini bottoms or tops.