Shania Twain Says She Used to Do 'Very Unhealthy Things' to 'Be Thinner,' Reveals Why Menopause Has Been 'Very Good' for Her

Toria SheffieldSun, June 14, 2026 at 6:54 PM UTC

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Shania Twain at the Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas on May 17, 2026Credit: David Becker/Getty -

Shania Twain explained why menopause has been "very good" for her body image in a recent interview with The Times

The country music icon also revealed that she experienced a period in 2019 when she "stopped looking in the mirror" due to negative thoughts about her appearance

Twain also said she did "very unhealthy things" to try to control her weight at the time

Shania Twain says she once did "very unhealthy things" to try to maintain her weight — but menopause has been "very good" for her self-image.

The country music icon, 60, opened up about her evolving relationship with her body during an interview with The Times, published on Saturday, June 13.

During the conversation, Twain revealed that she went through a period in 2019 during a Las Vegas residency where she couldn't even face looking at her own reflection.

Shania Twain at the American Music Awards in L.A. in 2019Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty

"I stopped looking at myself in the mirror. I hated my body," she said. "I'm, like, 'Oh, I cannot stand this changing body.' But that was so unhealthy. Who cannot look at themselves in the mirror?"

She explained that her body had started changing with age, and she no longer felt like her old routines were working.

"So all of a sudden I'm bloating, and I'm definitely not in control. I can't just lose five pounds," she recalled.

"I was doing very unhealthy things," she added. "And I was working my body more than I was feeding it to keep up with the strain."

The star said that her punishing routine "to be thinner" ultimately led her to be "malnourished" and exacerbated an onstage injury.

Shania Twain at the Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas on May 17, 2026Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty

However, now, more than half a decade later, Twain said her outlook has completely changed.

"Now I'm like, bring on the mirrors, I'm going to look at myself all day long!" she told the outlet with a laugh.

She added that she largely attributes her changing perspective to menopause.

"Menopause has been very good for me because I've learned that some things you cannot control," she explained.

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This isn't the first time the five-time Grammy winner has been candid about learning to embrace her body as she gets older.

In 2023, Twain opened up about her decision to pose nude for the cover art of her sixth studio album, Queen of Me, while speaking to the New York Post.

"Well, I'm the opposite from being an exhibitionist," she told the outlet at the time. "But I like to feel sexy, and I like to enjoy my body more now than ever."

"I used to hate my body. So when my body was young and, I guess, maybe one wouldn't be afraid of exhibiting it, I was hiding it a lot," she added.

Shania Twain performing in 1995Credit: Beth Gwinn/Redferns

"I think I needed to capture where I am right now, because it's a moment that I want to remember," she continued. "I'm perfectly the way I should be. This is the way I should be at my age. I'm fine with it. And I'm not afraid of it anymore. It's all good."

Twain added: "I think menopause was a very good thing for me because there were a lot more things changing in everything about me physically that I had to very quickly come to terms with. Menopause taught me to quickly say, 'You know, it may only get worse. So just love yourself now. Just get over your insecurities — they're standing in your way. And fear is standing in your way.' "

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While speaking exclusively to PEOPLE in December 2022, Twain said she hoped to inspire generations of women to embrace body confidence by leading by example.

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"I want other women that are aging, or any women … even if you're 12 and you're developing, you shouldn't feel like you need to hide behind your fear or your self-conscious shield," Twain said.

"But you have to do it within your own sense of what is right and good and safe for you," she added.

If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, The Alliance for Eating Disorders provides a fully-staffed helpline at 1-866-662-1235, as well as free, therapist-led support groups.

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