Why IVF Made Maria Menounos Feel Self-Conscious at Her Health Cover Shoot

Photo: James White

Wouldn’t you love to chat with Health cover star Maria Menounos? Our executive editor Lisa Lombardi was lucky enough to talk with the E! star yesterday on her radio show, “Conversations with Maria,” about no-gym workouts, photo shoot insecurities, and the reality of fertility treatments.

“So how do you guys pick a cover?” Menounos asked Lombardi at the start of the show. “Like, why me?”

The answer to that question was easy: “What we look for, in general, in our cover celebrities is women who are living the life, who believe in health and fitness, and who take really good care of themselves,” Lombardi explained.

There’s no doubt that Menounos does just that. The two-time Health cover girl stays fit “pretty much year-round” by mixing up her workouts often. “I’m either hiking or I’ll play basketball or I’ll go on a kick like now that I’m on with my FitBit, and getting my steps,” Menounos said.

RELATED: Maria Menounos Opens Up About IVF: “It’s Exhausting, Physically and Mentally”

But the star admitted that she actually felt self-conscious before her recent cover shoot for Health. “This time, because I was in the middle of IVF, my body was not right,” Menounos said. Even after working out with friend and trainer Harley Pasternak for the three weeks leading up to the shoot, Menounos wasn’t feeling like herself.

Still, she said she felt grateful for the opportunity to speak openly about the challenges that accompany the IVF process. After undergoing the fertility treatment twice, she’s learned that “bloating and extra weight gain are okay and normal, and [I’m] not crazy or doing something wrong.”

The candid star also encouraged other women who are undergoing IVF to speak up. “It’s amazing to me how silent people are, that are going through this,” she said. “When it’s all secretive, no one can learn and help each other.”

RELATED: Maria Menounos Snapchats Her Egg-Retrieval Procedure

Check out the full interview below for more of the conversation.

You’ll also get a sneak peak at what’s inside our July/August issue (including wacky breast trends and avocado fudge pops!) on stands now.

from Health News / Tips & Trends / Celebrity Health http://ift.tt/1S9E394