Belissa Escobedo, recognized for her role as Brenda in the film "Blue Beetle," has recently garnered attention not only for her acting prowess but also for her inspiring weight loss journey. This article delves into Escobedo's experiences, exploring the motivations, methods, and impact of her transformation, while also addressing the broader context of body image and eating disorders within the Latinx community.
From Rising Star to Role Model
Belissa Escobedo began acting at a young age, participating in school plays and local theater productions. Her first major role was in the television series “Red Oaks,” where she played the character of Heather.
Beyond her acting career, Escobedo is also a talented musician and songwriter. But Escobedo's journey extends beyond her professional achievements. She has openly shared her weight loss transformation with her followers on social media, inspiring many along the way.
The Weight Loss Transformation
Belissa Escobedo has been open about her weight loss journey, sharing her progress with her followers on social media. She has attributed her success to a combination of regular exercise and a healthy, balanced diet. In addition to her workout regimen, Belissa has also made significant changes to her diet. She has cut out processed foods and has been eating more fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins. Belissa’s weight loss journey is not just about looking good on camera. It’s also about setting a positive example for her fans and followers.
A Personal Decision
Nine years ago, another Latina weighed 100 pounds more than she does today. She didn't feel good about herself or her body at the time. She was frustrated and, most of all, she knew that her lifestyle was terrible. She drank a lot and ate giant portions. She couldn’t stop. So when her mami told her on Thanksgiving that a few of their family friends had gotten a gastric bypass with a reputable, well-known doctor in Colombia, she was intrigued. It was a scary decision, since she knew it would mean watching what she eat for the rest of her life and having to supplement her diet with calcium, iron, and B12 supplements, but she knew it was the right one for her.
Read also: Weight Loss Guide Andalusia, AL
Weight loss surgery (a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in her case, where the the doctor would cut away a part of her stomach to create a small “pouch” and then bypass a part of her intestines) gave her the tools she needed to lose weight and most of all, get healthy for the first time in her life. Yes, there were risks with the surgery, such as potential complications during the surgery itself such as, bowel obstruction, gallstones, hernias, malnutrition, ulcers, and more. Previously, she lost weight simply by restricting calories but still eating crap.
The thing that most amazed her about her weight loss surgery, however, was how much her family was behind her all of the way. The truth is that both of her parents supported her during this turbulent time in her life - both financially and emotionally, which she really needed. And she is forever grateful for that.
Overcoming Challenges and Embracing Change
Losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is not without its difficulties. The Latina who underwent gastric bypass had to slowly reintroduce food, like the tacos she ate pretty regularly, and be careful that she wasn’t overloading her newly tiny stomach. She dropped 100 pounds in the first year, and spent the next year learning to cook healthy so that she could ensure to maintain her weight loss. In fact, one of the proudest moments of her post-surgery life is when she introduced her mom to kale. Seeing her successfully lose weight and begin to cook healthier Latin meals, her family began to implement their own dietary changes. And it’s all brought them closer together - first with her parents supporting her and then with her supporting them right back.
Representation and Body Image
Belissa Escobedo has spoken openly about the importance of representation in the media, particularly for Latinx actors and characters. Her commitment to setting a positive example extends to her approach to health and body image.
Eating Disorders and the Latinx Community
It's important to acknowledge the prevalence of eating disorders, with about 29 million Americans experiencing a clinically significant eating disorder during their lifetime, reports The Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness. It is essential to uplift and share the voices of Latina and Black women who have in the past bravely opened up about their struggles with an eating disorder.
Read also: Beef jerky: A high-protein option for shedding pounds?
Starla Garcia, M.Ed, RDN, LD, is a registered dietitian based in Houston, Texas. Garcia has also been open about her struggle with an eating disorder and how that’s influenced her identity as a Latina. Garcia added that it was her track and cross-country coach that helped her out when they noticed what was going on with her. She writes, “He connected me with a dietitian and psychologist who I could regularly see on campus.
Iris Beilin, a Panamanian makeup artist and YouTuber, shared a powerful video in 2018 where she opened up about her struggles with depression, drug addiction, dieting, and an eating disorder.
Samantha Maria, a style, make-up, and beauty expert, shared a video on YouTube to discuss how she overcame her eating disorder in 2018. The YouTuber described how during her relationship with her current partner, she began to feel insecure about the way she looked because of the type of women he followed on social media. She added that her restrictive diet led her to develop a complicated relationship with food: “If I ate anything that wasn’t [healthy] food, I would feel really, really guilty about that and beat myself up so much that I ate something bad. Further, she described that we, as a society, should be careful and mindful before commenting on someone’s weight because we don’t know their full story or journey.
Rosci Diaz, the 39-year-old Honduran-American television and radio personality, first opened up about her battle with anorexia while working as a correspondent for Entertainment Tonight in 2013. Diaz also shared her experience while she was a co-host on the BET program 106 & Park from 2006 to 2012 to shed light on how eating disorders impact women from Black and Latino communities. In 2015, she also went on The Meredith Vieira Show to discuss her struggles with body image.
Jazmin Gonzalez first shared her eating disorder journey in 2015 through a YouTube video, detailing that she would starve herself in order to lose weight after her classmates would make unsolicited comments about her body. Gonzalez uploaded another video to her YouTube channel in 2016 titled, “What Is Bulimia? ED Awareness” where she further expanded on dealing with the eating disorder and told followers that she has gotten better over time.
Read also: Inspiring Health Transformation
Promoting Healthy Habits
Belissa’s weight loss journey is not just about looking good on camera. It’s also about setting a positive example for her fans and followers. The actress serves as an inspiration to others who are looking to make positive changes in their lives. By sharing her story, she is helping to break down the stigma surrounding weight loss and encouraging people to prioritize their health and well-being.