How Hilary Duff is working toward her goal of feeling strong, according to her trainer

How Hilary Duff is working toward her goal of feeling strong, according to her trainer

Hilary Duff is opening up about her relationship with her body, and right now the How I Met Your Father actress is all about feeling strong.

"[I'm] valuing my health, doing activities that make me feel strong rather than just improving the appearance of my body," Duff recently told Women's Health Australia, serving as the magazine's latest cover star. “Spending time with people who make me feel good and share similar views on health and body positivity and getting enough sleep and balance in my diet.”

The most recent story surfaced in an interview Duff did with Women's Health earlier this year, when she opened up about dealing with an eating disorder at age 17, the publication reported. "Because of my career, I can't help but say, 'I'm in front of the camera and actresses are skinny,'" she said at the time. “It was horrific.”

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Duff posed nude for the May/June 2022 cover of Women's Health and shared some relatable comments about her body and how it has changed over the years, especially since becoming a mother.

"I'm proud of the fact that [my body has] produced three children for me," she said at the time. “I’ve come to a place where I’m at peace with the changes my body has gone through.”

The Lizzie McGuire star made a point of explaining that a lot of behind-the-scenes work went into the final photos of her previous cover shoot. "I also want people to know that there was a makeup artist there who made my whole body glow, and someone put me in the most flattering position."

Duff's trainer Dominic Leeder gave Women's Health Australia an insight into how he helps the actress achieve her fitness goals these days. They focus on resistance training to build muscle and often layer a strength exercise with a stability exercise, Leeder explained.

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Leeder also works with Duff on her diet. He helped her develop a diet with 50 percent complex carbohydrates, 30 percent healthy fats and 20 percent protein, he told the magazine.

At the end of the day, the actress seems to be striving for a realistic balance between focusing on her health goals and living her life, which includes a family and a busy career. “Yes, her fitness and health are extremely important to Hilary,” said Leeder in the interview. “Her family and her work are more important to her.”

While it's not always easy to find a balance between work, family, and fitness, Duff seems to be in a good place right now. And her honesty about how she struggled with an eating disorder as a young actress will certainly help others feel less alone.

If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, NEDA's toll-free, confidential helpline (800-931-2237) is here to help.