Born in the Land Down Under as Melanie Elizabeth Bownds, Rebel Wilson has always been known for her size especially after getting her start in Australia as a stand-up comedian, actress and writer. Answering the call of Hollywood and moving to the United States in 2011, Wilson was soon cast in films like Bridesmaids and What to Expect When You’re Expecting before earning widespread praise and several awards for her role as Fat Amy in the musical film Pitch Perfect and Pitch Perfect 2 .
Usually recognized for her oversized physique amid a slew of wafer-thin Hollywood stars, Wilson turned heads in November 2015 when she launched her plus-size fashion line with Torrid. So what caused her to take a leap of faith from the stage to the catwalk? “In the plus-size fashion market there wasn’t really stuff out there that I saw that was kind of youthful and on trend,” Wilson told Marc Malkin of E News. But, a new clothing line filled glamorous patterns and new trends wasn’t all the talented star had up her sleeve.

In April 2016, the 36-year-old actress and fashion designer shocked her Instagram followers once again when she revealed a much slimmer figure thanks to a more active lifestyle after years of being a spokesperson for Jenny Craig in Australia and the United States. Initially contracted by Pitch Perfect producers not to lose any more weight to maintain her character’s famously large size, Wilson resumed dieting once filming wrapped with the hopes of reaching her target weight of 180 pounds. To kick start her journey, she spent roughly $4,000 for four days at the famed luxury boot camp known as The Ranch in Malibu, California where she happily endured food deprivation and extreme exercise. 

Posting, “OMG just finished 4 fantastic days at #TheRanch4.0… so challenging but very rewarding! Not to mention I lost 8 pounds from marathon hiking over the 4 days! Thanks to the amazing staff and masseuses! Feeling great!!” on Instagram, many of Wilson’s fans wondered what inspired their favorite Aussie to battle the bulge—was it the pressures of Hollywood, health reasons or something else? By July 2016, Wilson finally came clean when she told reporters that she had gained quite a bit of weight on purpose to help her early on in her career. “I saw my size as being an advantage” to help get laughs, the Bachelorette star said.
As for the pressure to be thin in Hollywood, Wilson said she’s never actually felt it. “You know what? People say, ‘Don’t lose weight.’ You don’t want to be in that weird range of are you skinny or are you fat? Because how do you classify yourself then? Weirdly, a lot of people say don’t. But then I guess you’re doing movies with actresses who are super skinny and whatever and you got to do a photo shoot side by side…then you notice you’re twice the weight they are.”

After spending four days at The Ranch fully immersed in a vegan diet and extreme hiking, weight training and yoga, Wilson says that the hardest part of returning to her “normal” life after boot camp has been maintaining consistency with her diet and avoiding junk food. Hiring a trainer to boost her exercise routine, she even consulted a nutritionist who encouraged her to take in at last 35 grams of fiber per day and curb her sweet tooth cravings by drinking a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and snacking on a piece of celery. 

For Wilson, whose weight continues to fluctuate after losing around 35 pounds, it’s not so much about the size of her waist or her clothes, the pressures of Hollywood to stay thin or her Pitch Perfect roles. Instead, she offers sound advice to young women around the world and says, “For me, it’s just about being comfortable in your own skin. You never want to be too unhealthy because that’s bad. But you just want to be comfortable with who you are, whatever your size.” Source : 7 News