Vanessa Feltz recently opened up about a very personal experience from her childhood, revealing that her mum put her on a “drastic” diet when she was just nine years old.
“I was always a chubby little girl,” Vanessa began, her voice calm. “And my mum – bless her – she was worried. She thought she was doing the right thing. But at nine years old? That was really tough for me.”
She paused for a moment, thinking back. “You know, at that age, you don’t really understand diets or calories. I just wanted to eat like everyone else.
But suddenly, I was on this very restrictive diet, and it wasn’t fun. I remember feeling confused. Why couldn’t I just have what the other kids were having?”
Vanessa went on to describe how this early introduction to dieting impacted her self-esteem. “I’d go to school with this packed lunch that looked nothing like what my friends had.
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They’d have crisps, sandwiches – you know, the good stuff – and there I was, with my plain little meal. It made me feel…different. And not in a good way.”
Despite the difficulties, Vanessa acknowledged that her mother’s intentions came from a place of love. “I get it now.
My mum wanted to protect me from being teased or standing out for the wrong reasons. Back then, there was so much pressure on how girls looked, even at that age. But I don’t think she realized how much it would affect me long-term.”
With a deep breath, Vanessa reflected on how this experience shaped her relationship with her body over the years. “It took me a long, long time to finally be at peace with myself.
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I mean, you don’t just shake off something like that. But I’ve learned to embrace who I am, no matter what size. Now, I know that beauty comes in all shapes, and it’s really about how you feel inside.”
Her story serves as a reminder of the lasting effects early body image pressures can have, especially on young girls.
“If I could say anything to my younger self,” Vanessa added with a smile, “it would be to just enjoy being a kid. You’ve got the rest of your life to worry about diets.”
