Stephanie Hollman Says She Would Diet to 'Stay as Small' as Possible for RHOD : 'This Was Unhealthy'
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Stephanie Hollman/Instagram Stephanie Hollman
Stephanie Hollman is learning to love the "real" version of herself.
The Real Housewives of Dallas star, 41, shared an unfiltered, makeup-free photo of herself on Instagram on Monday and opened up about the intense pressure she put on herself in the past to look "perfect."
"This is me. This is the real me without extensions, makeup, filters or good lighting," Hollman captioned the photo. "It took many years for me to love this version of myself."
Hollman, who has been on the show since its premiere in 2016, said that she used to worry about keeping her weight low to avoid criticism.
"The first year of filming Housewives, my diet consisted of tuna fish and egg whites. Someone said that the camera adds 10 lbs. so, along with the strict diet, I did cardio every day," she said. "It terrified me that people would likely criticize my appearance. I knew my self-esteem wasn't high enough for too much of that. I decided to do anything necessary to stay as small and 'perfect' as possible."
Tommy Garcia/Bravo Stephanie Hollman on The Real Housewives of Dallas
Hollman said she recognizes now that she was too concerned about what other people thought of her.
"Looking back, I realize that this was unhealthy," she said. "I love people and wanted to bring something light and fun to their lives. However, I took it to the extreme and allowed my value to rise or fall based on what the fans thought week to week. If I perceived that I let myself or the fans down, it reminded me of my shortcomings and insecurities would surface. If I perceived that I had a good week, I was at peace and felt worthy."
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The mom of two encouraged her followers to "love and honor ourselves as we are" instead of trying to compare themselves to people on Instagram or TV who "give the appearance of flawless perfection."
"At forty-one years old, I periodically get Botox and filler to help me maintain a youthful look. Additionally, I get yearly laser treatments. I have stretch marks on my butt from a growth spurt when I was twelve years old. I also have cellulite and the skin of my stomach isn't as tight as it used to be since having two amazing children," she said. "My lifetime experiences taught me to better accept the fact that I am a perfectly flawed human and I am ok with that."
