Loving herself! Love Is Blind‘s Danielle Ruhl didn’t hold back about the ups and downs that came with accepting her body.
“The past year I’ve worked so much on self love and focusing on inner beauty regardless of weight and appearance. I know I discussed my insecurities on the show, and want everyone who related to know that you can overcome those insecurities, and are beautiful no matter what,” Ruhl, 29, captioned several Instagram photos of herself throughout the years on Monday, March 28.
The reality star recalled deleting pictures at her “heaviest” because she was ashamed of herself. “But I realize I shouldn’t be and I regret it and now embrace it,” she continued. “I wanted to share a few photos of how my weight fluctuates throughout the months and years. (I even gained 20 pounds during filming due to stress). Showing this to remind myself and everyone that beauty comes from the inside. We should love ourselves no matter what.”
The associate marketing director, who appeared during season 2 of the hit Netflix dating series, noted that having a healthy relationship with her body was important on her road to wellness.
“My weight can change all of the time based on time of year, healthy habits, stress levels, how busy I am etc. Now I forgive myself when this happens, and refuse to be my own worst critic,” the Illinois native added. “Also I’m not saying I’m heavy, fat, etc in these photos. Just showing how it is all over the place and has been and continues to be today.”
While offering some book recommendations, Ruhl reflected on her “unhealthy” approach to weight loss in the past.
“I did a weight loss program (there are many now) that send meals bc it helped w portion control & I needed a rly strict regime to stick to. It made me realize what I should and shouldn’t eat, made me less hungry/overall changed my habits so I was able to crave healthier food,” she continued. “I got off of the meal plan & sarted [SIC] meal prepping (using my fitness pal to count calories/ macros/ overall making sure I was getting the right nutrients) now I just am used to knowing what I should eat! (While indulging while I feel like it).”
Earlier this year, viewers watched Ruhl form a connection with fellow Love Is Blind contestant Nick Thompson. The couple, who later walked down the aisle on the show, were the first to get engaged after meeting in the pods during season 2.
After a rocky reality TV debut, Ruhl opened up about how her anxiety influenced her behavior on screen.
“I understand that I have things to work on, and I was in a great mental space before going on the show. However, the stressful environment brought me back to a place that I never expected,” she wrote via Instagram last month. “I hope that in the future everyone will get to know the real me — as a human being — and not a character on a reality TV show.”
Ruhl concluded: “I am not looking for sympathy or saying that I did not make mistakes throughout my experience. I am looking for understanding for every single person who may have demons they are facing behind closed doors, for everyone who feels misrepresented, or for anyone who is triggered by those who attack others for having feelings that others may not understand.”
