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Jinger Duggar Vuolo Shares How Her Mother Guided Her to Build a 'Positive Relationship' with Food: 'I Believed I Was Overweight'

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The reality television star and author of a memoir discussed how her mother supported her during a time when she struggled with eating enough and felt inadequate when comparing herself to "extremely thin" girls.

Jinger Vuolo Instagram;James Duggar and Michelle Duggar appear on NBC News' "Today" show

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Jinger Duggar Vuolo and Michelle Duggar. Image credits: Jinger Vuolo/Instagram; Peter Kramer/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images.

Jinger Duggar Vuolo shared that she thought she was “too fat” as a teen — which led her to skipping meals.

“I was so insecure for so many years which led me to some bad places,” Duggar, 31, shared on the Jan. 15 episode of the Unplanned podcast. “Even with the way that I was viewing eating … I struggled with, like, just not eating enough and it was because I thought I was too fat, and I wasn't.”

The former 19 Kids and Counting star shared that, as she entered her teens, she would compare herself to her friends: “I had friends who naturally were super skinny and I would look at these girls and … I would compare myself to them.”

Jinger Duggar

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Jinger Duggar Vuolo. Instagram: Jinger Duggar

Even though Jinger says “I was actually pretty skinny at that point,” her fears of gaining weight led her to skip meals. “I didn't think properly about myself. I kept thinking, ‘Well, I'm just not pretty enough,’ or ‘I'm not skinny enough,’ so I would just try to wake up later in the day, try to avoid meals.”

Duggar, who is expecting her third child with husband Jeremy Vuolo, shared that if she went to a friend’s house, she would worry over what they might eat and if it would “actually not make me fat.”

“I mean we were in Arkansas, there were casseroles,” Duggar, who just released her memoir, People Pleaser: Breaking Free from the Burden of Imaginary Expectations, quipped. “You could easily gain 50 pounds in a meal if you wanted to.”

Jinger Duggar

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Jinger Duggar Vuolo featured on the "Unplanned" podcast. Available on YouTube and the Unplanned Podcast platform.

However, she clarified, "My mind was always preoccupied with food... Every single day of my life revolved around that idea." 

Jinger shared that her mother Michelle — who has talked about her struggles with bulimia in the past — is the one who helped her. “She came up with a plan: Text me what you eat every day and I'd love to be accountable, too, and I'll text you what I eat. It was so sweet, because in that time I was struggling so much and I was so embarrassed by how I was struggling.”

Michelle suggested to her, "How about we try eating healthy together?" and she dedicated herself to assisting Jinger in enhancing her nutrition. 

Jinger Vuolo

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Jinger Vuolo Duggar spotted in Santa Monica, California, in 2024. Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images.

Jinger shared, “It truly was the most beneficial experience for me, as it allowed me to cultivate a positive relationship with food. This shift in mindset helped me see food in a healthier light. From that point on, I focused on ensuring that I was consuming the appropriate portions that my body needs.”

“I began to feel an improvement, having more energy and really starting to enjoy life once more,” Jinger expressed, “as I stopped fixating on food.”