Spice Girl Mel B has opened up about the "ups and downs" she has battled with her body confidence.
The 48-year-old singer and TV presenter and talent judge, who grew up in Hyde Park, Leeds, says while she finds it harder to stay in shape nowadays she "is very grateful" for her body. Mel, who will star in the second series of Queen of the Universe in June, is also encouraging her daughters - Angel and Phoenix - to love the skin they are in.
Mel said "I am never going to have the body I had as a teenager, but this body has given me three children, it’s been through a lot of ups and downs so I’m very grateful to this body. It’s harder staying in shape but I feel so much better when I really push myself to exercise, to eat right and to just feel like I am totally comfortable in my skin."
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Scary Spice is starring in a new 'girl power' campaign in partnership with Pour Moi, called 'Own Your Confidence', alongside her 24-year-old daughter Phoenix and her mother, Andrea Brown. They intent to spread positivity, empowerment and encourage people to be themselves.
Speaking about growing up in the limelight and body image pressures, Mel said: "Back in the 90s there were less women who looked like me in the public eye and now there is a much bigger melting pot. We just need to relax and stop putting pressure on ourselves. We need to think less about being thin and more about being fit, we need to honour our bodies and appreciate everything they do for us even if it’s something as silly as looking at ourselves in the mirror and telling ourselves we are beautiful."
She added: "We live in an era of social media where girls – and boys – are constantly comparing themselves to perfect images all the time. There is no such thing as a perfect body. We all come in different shapes, sizes, colours, skin tones and all of them are beautiful. We need to celebrate all body types and shapes. To me it’s about fit, healthy bodies, it’s about confident bodies, it’s about loving the body you are in."
Mel said Phoenix loves going through her Spice Girl wardrobe. She added: "She calls my vintage wardrobe - and I still wear catsuits, leopard pints and everything I wore back then."
Michael Thomson CEO and founder of Pour Moi comments: "We believe that everybody should feel confident and empowered to be unapologetically themselves. That’s why we couldn’t resist sharing this journey with Mel B. Charismatic, confident and a true inspiration to many women, Mel B embodies everything our Own Your Confidence campaign stands for. It was a no brainer to have her, and her family help us spread the feel your fabulous vibes."
Speaking about the campaign, Mel B says: "I love that Pour Moi’s philosophy is about feeling fabulous, feeling confident and celebrating women of all shapes, sizes and ages. It’s about being real, not being edited and not taking ourselves too seriously. I love that it was a collaborative experience – it was my idea to include my mum and my daughter at the shoot and we had so much fun!
"I love their lingerie and swimwear and how it makes me feel. It means a lot to me." Pour Moi is making a donation to Women’s Aid to support the campaign.
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