Lizzo opens up about her body confidence journey: ‘I used to want to cut my stomach off’

'I am learning to radically love every part of myself,' said the singer

(Getty Images for Bauer Media)

Singer Lizzo has spoken openly about her past struggles with body confidence, telling fans she is still "learning".

The star, whose songs often focus on themes of confidence and self-love, admitted that loving her body hasn't always come naturally to her.

The 32-year-old told her Instagram followers she has started "talking" to her belly to promote self-love.

She shared a clip with her 9.7m followers of herself standing in front of her bathroom mirror and speaking lovingly to her stomach.

Rubbing her belly, the star said: "I love you so much. Thank you so much for keeping me happy, for keeping me alive, thank you.

"I'm gonna continue to listen to you, you deserve all the space in the world to breathe, expand and contract, and give me life."

Alongside the clip, Lizzo wrote words of encouragement to fans, urging them to love themselves too.

"I started talking to my belly this year. Blowing her kisses and showering her with praises. I used to want to cut my stomach off I hated it so much. But it’s literally ME," she said.  

"I am learning to radically love every part of myself. Even if it means talking to myself every morning. This is your sign to love on yourself today!"

Lizzo often posts videos of herself working out, and has spoken openly about the fact that exercise doesn't have to mean working towards a specific body type.

In a video shared to TikTok in June last year, the star said she had been working out "consistently" for the last five years."

It may come as a surprise to some of y’all, that I’m not working out to have your ideal body type," she said.

"I’m working out to have my ideal body type. And you know what type that is? None of your f***ing business."

The singer warned viewers not to "judge" others, or to assume that someone's health is determined by how they look.

She said: "So next time you want to come to somebody and judge them, whether they drink kale smoothies or eat McDonald’s or work out or not work out, how about you look at your own f***ing self and worry about your own goddamn body, because health is not just determined on what you look like on the outside."

While Lizzo is a body confidence advocate, she has also been open about the fact it is not always easy for women - especially plus-size women - to love their bodies in the face of criticism.

Last year, in another TikTok video, the star admitted to having "negative thoughts" about her body.

She said: "Like, you know, ‘What’s wrong with me? Maybe everything – all the mean things people say about me – are true.’ And, you know, ‘Why am I so disgusting?’ And hating on my body."