Every month E! News correspondent Alicia Quarles shares her latest musings on Hollywood and what it's like in front of—and behind—the lens.
As an on-air personality, I've rightfully opened myself up to judgment about everything in my life—including my weight.
I try to take the scrutiny in stride. For instance, I recently replied to one Instagram comment asking if I was pregnant. My response? "Unless you know something I don't know, no. I just ate a burger."
In this industry, it's all too easy to get caught up in weight and a dress size, but it's taken life experience and an amazing support system (along with double Spanx) to understand that being healthy and happy are what matters most. Here's a deeper look into my nearly every-size odyssey, played out in HD:
The "Full Figured"
Most people gain the freshman 15. Not me. I gained the post-college 30. I was newly in love and living life. It wasn't until I went to put on my bridesmaid's dress for my sister's wedding that I realized, "Houston, we have a problem." I gained weight. Big time. Eating Del Taco several times a week and not working out will do that to you.
Eventually, I lost the weight. As I grew older, I started to be more cognizant about my health and what I was putting into my body. Plus, I adopted a fitness routine. It's interesting though; during my heavier period, no one I loved told me to drop weight, which is ironic because during my super-skinny period, those same people were constantly asking me if I was OK.
The "Skinny"
A few years back, I admittedly became too thin just by eating clean and working out hardcore. After a period in which I didn't work out much, my high-cardio exercise routine became a form of therapy, perhaps even bordering an addiction. It was much-needed "me" time, and weight loss was just a side effect of my low-carb, high-energy lifestyle.
Suddenly, I could fit in a very small sample dress, with room to spare. I also found myself more aware of my body, constantly looking, sometimes twice a day, at my weight. And others had noticed as well. The true a-ha moment came when my parents visited. When I opened the door to greet them, my father flat out said, "You look horrible. You need to eat." Tough love at its best. When everyone started telling me the same thing, it set me straight. I threw out my scale and kissed my low-carb diet goodbye.
The "Healthy"
I haven't weighed myself in two years (with the exception of my annual doctor's visits). Instead, I judge whether or not I should gain or drop a couple of pounds based on how my clothes fit. Can I still wear a 00-dress or those size 8 clothes (yep, 8 was sadly considered my heavy days)? No. Do I care about that? No. I don't work out every single day anymore. I don't eat fast food, but if I want to have a burger with—gasp—fries, I will have the burger and fries, washed down with an Instagram post.
Whether on or off screen, I was always happy with my body—no matter what its weight and size. It was other people who made judgments about how I should look. Women come in all shapes and sizes. Don't let Hollywood or magazine spreads influence you. Variety is what makes us beautiful. So, when people ask me how much I weigh or what size I am? The answer is simple: I'm size happy.