Chrissy Metz opens up about 'unconventional size' and not feeling pressure to lose weight

There have been few actors in successful, mainstream TV shows that look like Chrissy Metz. Hollywood tends to elevate and glorify a certain body type so to meet This Is Us' Kate Pearson and see her journey and struggles with body image provided viewers with something they could finally relate to: a real woman.And while Kate is always looking to shed weight, all the woman portraying her ultimately wants is to live a healthy life. The actress attended WrapWomen's Power Women Summit on Thursday and was asked if she felt pressure to be thinner, revealing she's the complete opposite of her character. "I think it's more about the behaviour around what you're doing," said Metz. "And it could be social media, gambling, sex, drinking, food—it could be anything, fill in the blank—how is my behaviour around that and how do I want to change that behaviour? Because it's the stinking thinking of obsessing about something. So for me, I’m like, am I eating for my health, or is there something really going on? And whether I lose weight or I don't, I don't really hold on to a number. I don't think that’s important, 'cause who's to say what?"Metz scoffed at those who are shocked to learn her cholesterol is all good and her blood work comes back clear because, to them, "it doesn't make sense." She further explained that "contrary to popular belief or what we're told about what looks healthy or what doesn't look healthy" isn't always the case. "And people don't know people's medical history. So I think there's so many ways and I think it's important for every individual to determine what makes them happy and how to get to that." And she also shut down the stereotype that overweight women get pegged as the "lonely sad girl."

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Chrissy Metz (@chrissymetz) on Aug 18, 2019 at 12:16pm PDT

As far as maintain a healthy lifestyle, the This Is Us star takes it day by day—sometimes she eats her feelings; other times, "when [her] heart is full," she's not hungry. So like most everything, the good comes with the not-so-good.She added: "Do I wanna take care of my body and live a healthy life? Absolutely. But that doesn't mean that you can't do it at an unconventional size." That sound you heard was everyone putting their hands up in praise. Just like that time Metz wrote a letter to her teenage self. She just gets it.Chrissy also referenced what Kate is going through on the show and how the lone female of The Big Three is "finally contending with the things that she was eating over." Kate's current storyline finds her stress-eating as she copes with her and Toby's son, Jack, and the obstacles their blind son faces and will continue to face, all while Toby is doing the opposite and working out his pain. Literally.In the preview for the next episode, Kate questions Toby's desire for her now that he's getting jacked and, once again, many can relate to what she's going through. Metz's work on This Is Us an off continues to hit us right in the feels—all while staying true to herself.[video_embed id='5828400024001']Chrissy Metz reveals the most famous person in her phone[/video_embed]