Olivia Culpo felt like the "biggest loser on the planet" as a child.
Olivia Culpo
The 24-year-old model's parents "pushed" her to have cello lessons in school and whilst she hated it at the time, she "respects" her parents now for encouraging her to do it.
She said: "As a little girl, I was really chubby. I don't think kids know anything about diet, so I'm sure I was eating whatever I wanted to. And on top of that I was not athletic. I was definitely more into the arts. All of a sudden, I got really tall and lean. After my crazy growth spurt, I looked like a completely different person.
"In high school, the cool girls didn't understand why I would always play my cello because they thought it was dorky. I remember wanting to hang out with my friends after school and my cello wouldn't fit in their car, so I could never go home with them. There was a lot that set me apart.
"As I grew older, I began to love that because it is such a unique talent to have, and I do respect my parents for pushing it on me. [But] at the time, I thought it made me the biggest loser on the planet."
And despite her enviable body, Olivia insists she isn't "super strict" with herself when it comes to dieting, healthy eating and exercising.
She added to Ocean Drive magazine: "I don't think it means you have to be any particular size. It's different for every person. I am not super strict, but if I have something coming up and I know I need to be in bikini shape, then I will amp up the diet and the exercise. Naturally, I prefer to eat pretty healthy, but I am not the type of person who will count calories."
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