Chrissy Teigen Says Sports Illustrated Never Pushed Her To Lose Weight

When Chrissy Teigen had her first meeting with Sports Illustrated editor MJ Day, the model basically walked in to find staffers cheering, air horning and performing a layered a cappella version of Bruno Mars' “Just The Way You Are.”

OK, maybe her reception wasn't quite this exciting, but in the fashion world, hearing a client warn you not to lose weight is basically a surprise jamboree from planet OMGYASSS.

Teigen told Huffington Post Live,

Your body type isn't important to [Sports Illustrated]. It was way more about having a personality and being able to represent this iconic brand, which was really exciting… I've done six Sports Illustrated shoots, and every single time I get an email from them hoping that I haven't lost weight. It's such a cool thing, no other client has ever said that to me, like, 'Please don't lose weight.'

Though Teigen was never considered plus size by industry standards, her body type landed her somewhere in the athletic valley between plus size and the tall, willowy runway ideal.

She recalled,

I was actually the athletic, curvy one, which is so crazy because I can't play any sports. I am in no way curvy. I wish I had the hips and the little waist and everything. But I was always kind of more box-shaped. To them I was a catalog girl or lingerie. I wasn't ever invited to walk in a New York Fashion Week fashion show.

Teigen added women of varying shapes and sizes are gaining more appreciation and footing in the fashion industry, and the industry is slowly beginning to expand its definition of a “real woman,” regardless of height or weight.

Looks like my time finally arrived as a 5'10" pizza fanatic who once ran a 23-minute mile.

Come Monday, I'm putting in my two weeks notice here at Elite Daily. I'll see you all at Fashion Week.

Citations: Chrissy Teigen Says "Sports Illustrated" Begged Her Not to Lose Weight (Cosmopolitan)