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Daisy Fuentes graces the cover of September’s issue of Fitness Magazine. She is their first Mind, Body, Spirit Superstar. Along with reminding all women not to be too hard on themselves, she talks mainly about her new focus in life: Positive body image.

Fitness: Do you think our society has an obsession with thinness?
Daisy: Yeah. There was a time when I was caught up in it too. I had to stop myself from saying, “I’m fat.” It’s not good for your self-esteem, and it’s not good for the people around you. I see moms with little girls who say, “I’m fat. I can’t eat that.” We need to stop doing that. We have to set an example for younger girls.

Fitness: Do Hispanic women feel the pressure to be thin?
Daisy: I think we do. There’s a part of you that really wants to embrace your curves, then there’s society saying no one likes curves. It takes someone as confident as Jennifer Lopez to turn a body part that’s often considered a flaw into something hot. The lesson? Stop listening to society and focus on yourself.

Fitness: Did you ever worry about the way you looked?
Daisy: When I was younger, I used to worry about it all the time. Now I know that I’m doing the best I can. I don’t care about the criticism.

Fitness: When do you feel best about your body?
Daisy: When I’m exercising. For this shoot, I did a lot of circuit training, and I really felt my body working. I didn’t obsess about calories. I just made sure all the basic food groups were in my diet.

Fitness: What is your typical diet?
Daisy: I try to make healthy choices. I keep cookies and chips for guests, but I also keep veggie sticks and salad fixings. I’d say 90 percent of the time, I go for the healthy option. If I’m really full after I eat, I feel like crap. So I’ve learned to eat just until I’m satisfied.

Fitness: How do you think the image Hispanic women have of themselves will change in five years?
Daisy: I like the multicultural celebration of body image that is going on now. [I’m happy] that we’re all starting to see how beauty shines through no matter what you look like. I’m also a big supporter of charities that boost girls’ self-esteem. Girls on the Run, a group that helps preteens develop healthy lifestyles through running, is one of my favorites.

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