Aly Raisman Talks to Chrissy Teigen About Body Doubts and Posing in SI Swim: ‘I Used to Be So Insecure’

Even Olympians and supermodels have body insecurities.

Aly Raisman sat down with Chrissy Teigen and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit editor MJ Day to talk about the gymnast’s jaw-dropping photoshoot in the 2017 issue.

“You brought home some medals for us. We owe a lot to you, and now you’ve been kind enough to grace us with that amazing a–,” Teigen, 31, tells Raisman at the SI Swimfest in Houston. “You look incredible in the magazine, like absolutely bonkers, strong, confident, beautiful, amazing woman.”

“[You] surprise yourself how comfortable you are when you’re shooting,” Raisman, 22, says. “It was one of my favorite days of my life — I’m not just saying that — because I felt so confident, so strong, so feminine, and it’s an incredible feeling, because I feel like a couple of years ago I wouldn’t have had the confidence to do it.”

The six-time Olympic medalist says she still deals with body doubts.

“It’s so empowering to be out there and just, you have insecurities just like everyone else, your body’s not perfect, but you feel confident and beautiful.”

“How do you have insecurities?” Chrissy asks, shocked.

“I used to be so insecure, I thought my arms were too muscular, but now I’m growing to like them,” Raisman admits.

Issue editor Day, who chose size and body diversity as the theme of the 2017 issue, explains that this very conversation drives home that idea.

“This is the point. Everyone thinks that because you’re an elite athlete, because you’re an enormous celebrity, superstar model, that your world is perfect, and that you think everything about yourself is perfect,” Day says.

“It doesn’t matter if you look like you, or you, or me, we all have our issues, and the world should know that. We should love everything that we’re given.”