On dating men who did not appreciate her body:
“I dated all the wrong men. I thought I could feel appreciated in my body through guys.” Graham speaks openly about being in an abusive relationship during this period. “He never hit me, but he did throw me up against a wall. I didn’t know to get out then because I was so insecure.” When a different boyfriend dumped her, “He said, ‘I’m afraid you’re going to be as fat as my mom.’ ” The now oft-quoted remark, Graham says, “was the start of how I began to look at my body and relate it to men. Like, Oh, I’m not pretty or skinny enough for men.”
On starting to exercise again in her 20’s:
“So it was like, okay, I’m an athlete. I need to move. I know that working out releases endorphins and makes me feel my best. I’m really excited because I feel like my body’s just going to be, like, de-fi-ni-tion! It helps to shatter these preconceived notions that thin is the only way you can be athletic.”
… says Ashley in Self Magazine.
