How Motherhood Helped Reframe Hilary Duff's Feelings About Her Body
Hilary Duff may have sung about her "metamorphosis" as a teenager, but her most drastic change happened much later in life. The "Lizzie McGuire" star and Y2K fashion icon has been under intense public scrutiny for decades, which would hurt anyone's self-esteem. Even though not much has changed since the early aughts, Duff has finally found her confidence and learned to reframe her mindset about her body. And it's all thanks to becoming a mom!
In the cover interview for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit May 2026 edition, Duff chatted about being famous at a time when body positivity was non-existent and diet culture harmed our body image in the early 2000s. "The amount of pressure I put on myself to look like other people was a lot," she told the outlet, adding that pregnancy and giving birth to her four kids helped change her perspective. "I can look at my body now and appreciate all the things it has done for me," she went on. "I no longer find that I am constantly comparing myself — and that is a better place to exist."
This former child star turned gorgeous actress is one of the rare kid celebrities who didn't grow up problematic. Duff is now a family woman mom to son Luca, born in 2012, with ex-husband Mike Comrie, and daughters Banks, born in 2018; Mae, born in 2021; and Townes, born in 2024, with husband Matthew Koma. She looks absolutely gorgeous, posing in the sand in different pictures from the SI Swimsuit issue. She is glowing and sexy, and most importantly, she seems totally confident in her body.
Being a mom has changed Hilary Duff in other ways too
This isn't the first time Hilary Duff has shared how having kids changed her. Duff admitted to having an eating disorder when she was 17 during an interview with Women's Health Australia in December 2022. She added that now, she's "appreciating my health, doing activities that make me feel strong instead of just bettering the outside of my body."
In a 2023 interview with E! News, the "Mature" singer revealed that her kids influenced this internal shift. "I had to change my mindset around it and not be like, 'This is for my body. This is for me to look good,'" she told the outlet. "I have to be like, 'No, this is for me to be good inside for my family.'"
She echoed those sentiments in a red-carpet interview at the TIME100 Gala on April 23, 2026. Here, she talked about growing up amidst the early 2000s fashion trends, at a time when everyone was "trying to, like, disappear and be waifs." "And that's not natural for my body," she continued, "and for most of our bodies, especially as we endure like the hormonal changes or motherhood and pregnancy and all of those amazing things that make us women, right?" Duff added that her mantra now is "stronger, not smaller," revealing just how much her thoughts on her body have changed.
The way Duff has prioritized a strong body rather than focusing on being too thin is an inspiration to her fans.
If you need help with an eating disorder, or know someone who does, help is available. Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website or contact NEDA's Live Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. You can also receive 24/7 Crisis Support via text (send NEDA to 741-741).