Hunter McGrady doesn't want her kids 'to grow up having a bad relationship with food'
Hunter McGrady wants to set a better example for her kids when it comes to food.
The model, 29, is mom to 1-year-old son Hudson, whom she shares with husband Brian Keys. In a recent post on Instagram, the industry trailblazer spoke candidly about the messages she wants to send her kiddo on the topic of food and its relationship to his body.
“Have you ever caught yourself saying any of the below?” the model captioned a black-and-white image of herself eating noodles, followed by three examples: “Oh wow this is WAY more food than I thought. This is a meal for 5 people!” and “I’m just gunna have a bite I’m trying to be good” and “All you really need is x amount of food!”
"Well, same," she said before explaining why such statements can be harmful.
“I’m desperately trying to break this cycle for my children,” McGrady said. "I don’t want them to grow up having a bad relationship with food or having ‘bad’ food and ‘good’ food which then results in extremely harmful habits and statistically results in disordered eating.”
“One thing I’m ensuring I do is to never make food an issue,” she said of her parenting style. "You didn’t finish? No worries. Not hungry? Don’t stress. Dessert and main course are served at once and it’s never an issue. FOOD. IS. NOT. A. REWARD."
"Our kids are listening," she added. "The way we talk about food, our bodies, other peoples bodies — all of it. Be cautious.”
Conversations about body positivity and cultural shifts — especially around eating habits — are nothing new to McGrady. The model has routinely used her platform to elevate broader discussions on the issue.
"I think people have this idea that plus-size models sit around all day eating brownies, while other models starve themselves and work out all day," she told Yahoo Life in June. "That's just not the case. I've been every size, from a two to a 22, and I was at my unhealthiest when I was a size two."
As far as baby Hudson, McGrady, who lives on "an almost-vegan diet," was quick to point out that he out eats them all. "He eats so clean and healthy," she shared at the time. "He always has a protein, a starch and a veggie, but it's been so exciting to watch him taste and learn new foods."
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