As a model, worrying about your body shape and fitness is hard enough, but for Gigi Hadid, just a diet and exercise regime isn’t enough. At a recent event for Reebok, the 21-year old super model revealed that she battles an autoimmune disorder—Hashimoto’s disease—that causes her weight to fluctuate.
You May Also Like: Here’s What Really Happens to Your Body After Weight Loss
Hashimoto’s disease affects the thyroid, which makes hormones that controls the metabolism. Those who have the disorder experience hypothyroidism, which prevents the thyroid from functioning properly, leading to, among other things, weight gain from a slower metabolism. Earlier this year, Molly Sims also revealed that she had a thyroid problem (although she did not clarify which one) that led her to gain more weight than normal while pregnant.
As reported by Elle, Hadid told the crowd that her “metabolism actually changed like crazy this year. It’s a thyroid disease, and it’s now been two years since taking the medication for it. For the VS show I didn’t want to lose any more weight, I just want to have muscles in the right place, and if my butt can get a little perkier, then that’s good.” Although Hashimoto’s disease can cause weight gain, the hormonal treatment for the disorder can cause weight loss.
You May Also Like: 5 Foods that Boost Metabolism
For Hadid, the focus is not on the weight, but on her health. She says that she enjoys eating “fresh ingredients” and opts for boxing to get strong. Speaking about her workout trainers, she says, “They care that I give a good punch, and that’s how I want to be judged. That’s what makes me proud of myself.”
