Linda Evangelista Reveals the 'Damaging' Diets she Adopted in her Early Modeling Career
Supermodel Linda Evangelista reveals the dark side of the industry, discussing her past struggles with harmful diets and extreme weight loss in a candid podcast interview on 'Ruthie's Table 4'
Linda Evangelista. ANDREA RENAULT/AFP via Getty Images
Linda Evangelista candidly discusses the extreme measures she took to lose and maintain weight during her early modeling career in a recent episode of the podcast "Ruthie's Table 4." She reveals that being a supermodel in the '80s and '90s required maintaining an unrealistic weight.
"I used to frequently engage in cleanses, and although I enjoyed them, I now realize they were detrimental to my health," she confided in Ruth Rodgers, the host of a podcast and owner of River Café.
"I've done the Master Cleanse multiple times, as well as medicinal cleanses involving powdered drinks or a rice-based approach," Evangelista added.
The "Master Cleanse" she is referring to involves consuming only salt water and an herbal laxative tea for a consecutive period of ten days. Evangelista acknowledged that in retrospect, she recognizes it was an unhealthy practice.
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"I was frequently engaged in cleanses, which I thoroughly enjoyed. However, I now believe that they had adverse effects on my well-being," she divulged. Moreover, Evangelista frequently attended fasting retreats, such as We Care Spa in Palm Desert, California.
“You simply consume liquids, primarily water with lemon, mint, and teas, resulting in a daily glass of juice, as well as a diluted vegetable soup once a day,” Evangelista explained. “However, it essentially amounts to a starvation diet. I will never subject myself to deprivation like that again.”
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Evangelista has previously addressed the detrimental impact of unrealistic beauty standards within the fashion industry. In September 2021, she shared an Instagram post in which she recounted a distressing encounter with a FDA-approved fat reduction technique named CoolSculpting. Despite its supposed safety as an alternative to liposuction, this procedure had a profoundly negative impact on the former supermodel's appearance, rendering her unrecognizable.
Evangelista's post revealed her distressing experience with Zeltiq's CoolSculpting procedure. Contrary to its promises, the procedure resulted in her being disfigured and instead of decreasing, it increased her fat cells. Despite undergoing two corrective surgeries, the disfigurement has become permanent, causing her immense emotional pain. She further shared that this ordeal has led her into a state of deep depression, profound sadness, and intense self-hatred.
Evangelista announced on Instagram that she had reached a settlement in her lawsuit against CoolSculpting in July 2022. She expressed her excitement for the upcoming chapter of her life with loved ones and her relief at finally putting this matter to rest. Furthermore, she expressed genuine gratitude for the support she has received from those who showed their care and concern.
