"Fit Mom" Maria Kang is back in the headlines after she revealed to the Daily Mail that she used to be overweight and struggled with an eating disorder. The 32-year-old Los Angeles, Calif. native told the newspaper that she had body insecurities when she was younger and had to make a conscious decision to live a healthier life.
Kang caused outrage last month when she posted a photo to her Facebook showing off her toned body as three young boys sat around her. She captioned the photo "What's Your Excuse?" The picture immediately drew the attention of hundreds of women. Some moms called Kang an "inspiration" while others told her she was being "obnoxious" and a "fat shaming bully."
She explained to the Daily Mail that she posted the photo to let women know "if I can make health a priority as a working mom of three kids who has struggled with bulimia and weight issues, then you can too!"
Kang revealed that it's a constant struggle for her to keep her toned figure because she's not "genetically predisposed to looking like a model or Barbie doll," the website writes.
"I was always heavier... I was chunky," she said adding that at her heaviest she was 152 pounds and stood 5ft, 4in tall.
In the early twenties Kang said she was uncomfortable with her body and started abusing food, sometimes eating junk food two to three times a day.
"I used disordered eating to fill an empty void," she said. "It was worse when I was feeling anxious. People often call bulimia the 'good girl drug' because we don't do drugs or drink alcohol we just abuse food."
As a result of her eating disorder Kang's weight yo-yoed until she made a decision to get in shape and start living a healthier life. The turning point for her she said was in 2007 when she met her husband David Casler and became pregnant with her first son the following year.
"I had to let go of being perfect," she said. "When I became pregnant with my first child I was like 'Wow this is what my body is really made for.'"
After the birth she continued to eat right and work out which helped her body bounce back after each pregnancy. She was soon able to get down to 125 pounds.
"I work to be a role model. It's important to love yourself and remember to strive to be better physically, professionally and personally," Kang said.
