I’ve always been a late bloomer. I’m active and athletic, but I grew up insecure about my body. In middle school, I had a huge growth spurt. I went from 5'2'' to 5'10'' but didn’t put on any weight, so I was 90 pounds. I was lanky and skinny and got made fun of for it.
But eventually, my insecurity turned out to be my secret strength: I got recruited to play volleyball in college.
Once I started gaining muscle mass through training at a higher level, I became more in awe of my body’s capability. That realization encouraged me to stop accommodating other people’s opinions about me. I just started doing what I love, and then I started loving myself more.
Watch Hannah Stocking talk about overcoming insecurity and what she loves about her body:
Being active in general has been such an important part of my life. Working out totally rejuvenates me—I love doing lunges, heavy lifting, deadlifts, squats, sprints. When I’m consistently active, whether rock climbing, hiking, or playing pickleball, I feel
the most resilient.
This article originally appeared in the May/June 2023 issue of Women’s Health.
Addison Aloian (she/her) is an editorial assistant at Women’s Health. When she’s not writing about all things pop culture, health, beauty, and fashion, she loves hitting leg day at the gym, shopping at Trader Joe’s, and watching whichever hockey game is on TV. Her work has also appeared in Allure, StyleCaster, L’Officiel USA, V Magazine, and Modern Luxury Media.
