Craig David has shared a deeply personal reflection on his journey from battling body dysmorphia to achieving a state of calm and self-acceptance. The singer, songwriter, rapper, and DJ opened up about being 'softer around the edges' in a candid Instagram post, contrasting his current mindset with a past where he was 'super conscious' of his physique.
From Miami's Body-Conscious Culture to Inner Peace
David, 44, recounted his time living in Miami, describing it as an environment that was intensely body-conscious. He revealed that during this period, he dropped to an extremely low 4.5 percent body fat, a figure he discussed in his book, 'What's Your Vibe?'. This level is notably below the average range of 8 to 19 percent for men in their 20s to 40s.
'I used to be like super conscious of... it was so body conscious out there,' David told his followers. 'I was, it was all sort of about that, and then looking for some sort of out there authority to be like 'yeah when you look a certain way you're whole.''
A Shift in Perspective and Embracing Vulnerability
The artist explained how his perspective has fundamentally changed. 'I'm just calm now, do you know what I mean? Life is softer around the edges and I think that's the beauty of it, softer around the edges. And it's an inside job so that's why it's like super vibes right now,' he said.
David emphasised the importance of sharing personal struggles, stating, 'I just felt like I needed just to land that cause I think when we share our vulnerabilities it's really empowering and other people can see the same thing and be like 'ah okay we're doing good here.''
Looking Back on Extreme Fitness and Body Dysmorphia
This reflection follows previous admissions where David spoke about spending every day at the gym in 2013 to achieve what he perceived as the perfect body. He suspected he was suffering from body dysmorphia, a mental health condition involving an obsessive focus on perceived flaws in appearance.
In the BBC series 'Imposter Syndrome', he recalled looking at old photos and thinking, 'You're looking like Skeletor from He-Man. What's happening here? Are you looking at yourself? And who is this for?'
He reflected on that extreme phase with a dual perspective: 'It's like, one, wow look how far you can take it to. But also, to what means? What was the end goal? When I looked in the mirror, it was never quite right.' David confirmed his body fat dropped to 4.5 percent, yet he still felt the need to push further, describing it as a 'very body-building lifestyle'.
Finding Wholeness Beyond Physical Appearance
Ultimately, Craig David's journey led him to a profound realisation about self-worth. 'But now, sitting here, I feel like I had to go back to the little kid who was carrying a bit of weight (who was) the shoulder to cry on and be like, 'You know what? You always had everything that you could have ever had wanted.' It was never about the body,' he concluded.
His story highlights a significant shift from external validation and extreme physical goals to finding peace and acceptance from within, offering a powerful message about mental health and body image.
