Shania Twain Refuses to Be Embarrassed by Her Body at 60

JAKARTA - Shania Twain is not interested in chasing youth. At the age of 60, the country singer chose to make peace with her body, including the changes that come with menopause.

USA Today, quoted Friday, July 31, reported that Twain spoke openly about aging, health, and public pressure on her appearance. She said menopause taught her to prioritize health and enjoy each day as it comes.

The spotlight on the body is not new for Twain. Years in the public eye have made his appearance often judged. However, now he admits that he no longer allows comments like that to affect the way he sees himself.

"My body can't be shamed. Courage comes with time and maturity," Twain told People in an interview published July 30.

"Body shaming is not something that will affect me," he said.

Twain admitted that he was not always as confident as he is now. He was once in a time when it was difficult to see his own body without feeling disturbed by changes.

"I went from being this young, beautiful, skin-in-the-game, everything was in the right place, to a time in my life where I couldn't look in the mirror because all I saw was flaws and didn't want to be that pitted figure," Twain said.

According to Twain, her body image started to change when she went through menopause during her Las Vegas residency in 2019.

Menopause is a natural phase when a woman's menstrual cycle stops. At this stage, the body can experience physical and hormonal changes.

Twain remembers that at that time he had an upset stomach that he didn't understand. He then reduced certain foods and drank less water while adapting to the Nevada climate.

Shortly after, Twain suffered a tear in two thigh muscles and had to be carried off the stage. He said the experience reinforced the importance of putting health first.

"When you get older and now look in the mirror, it's okay. I think, I just have to get through this because every day that goes by, I get older. The curves, the bumps, and the sagging parts of the body become more visible," he said.

Twain also emphasized that he was not trying to return to his younger days.

"I'm not trying to be 30. I'm not trying to be 25, and I'm never going back to that age," he said.

He encourages others to enjoy themselves as they are today.

"I encourage everyone to enjoy themselves for who they are right now and love it," Twain said.

The interview comes as Twain promotes Little Miss Twain, her seventh studio album. The album is inspired by her childhood, family, and experiences that shaped her life and career.

USA Today said Twain in recent years has been open about talking about menopause. In 2023, ahead of the Queen of Me tour, she said she was on a mostly liquid diet, especially protein drinks with raw vegetables.

Twain usually eats once a day and avoids dairy products before performing. He also admitted not having a strict exercise routine.

"Before the tour rehearsals, I was riding horses and now I just move around a lot," Twain told USA Today.

"If I feel my weight has dropped too much, I will eat more. However, I need to take care of it for the costume because the weight is easy to go up, especially now during menopause," he said.