Braun Strowman Discusses His Struggles With Body Dysmorphia, Focusing on Mental Fitness

– TMZ Sports recently spoke with WWE Superstar Braun Strowman, who discussed his struggles in dealing with body dysmorphia issues. Below are some highlights (via TMZ & Fightful).

Strowman on dealing with body dysmorphia: “I used to struggle and I still do struggle with body dysmorphia. I struggled with bullying growing up because I was a chubby little kid and then I grew to this gigantic mongoloid of a human being that I am and I’m still judged for it because people look at me and go, ‘Oh, this big meathead.'”

On hearing from fans on how he’s inspired them: “Plus, with seeing how much I’ve changed in the last year or so, what it’s done for other people. The messages I get from fans, friends, family, strangers from all around the world that send me messages, ‘Hey, I’ve seen your fitness goal. It’s made me change the way I eat, made me get back in the gym, I’ve lost 100 pounds, I’ve lost 200 pounds.’ All this stuff. I have moms, dads message me, ‘I’ve changed the way I cook for my family, for my kids. We eat at home more. We eat more homecooked meals versus eating out,’ and it’s really cool to see that trickle effect goes down when in the grand scheme of things, I never in a million years thought I’d mean this much to people around the world. I’m a simple country boy from a tiny little town in North Carolina that tripped and fell into the coolest job in the world.”

Braun Strowman on how it’s humbling for him: “It’s humbling, it’s really humbling. To see the transformation pictures that people send me it’s just, wow. Then to hear the stories of how not only are they physically healthier, but they’re mentally healthier. That’s been the biggest thing I’ve noticed because I used to struggle and I still struggle with body dysmorphia. I struggled with bullying growing up because I was a chubby little kid and then I grew to this gigantic mongoloid of a human being that I am and I’m still judged for it because people look at me and they go, ‘oh, this big meathead.’ Which, I don’t mind meathead, I take that as a compliment because I work really hard to make this look like this. But at the same time, don’t judge a book by its cover. I’m very articulate. I feel like I’m kind of intelligent and you know, I like to read, I like to learn, I like to explore and it’s more than just fee-fi-fo-fum I’m going to grind your bones to make my bread. It’s really neat to break stereotypes, push through these walls that have been put up for these toxic masculinity men and really show the world how compassionate and how loving that we really are. But just don’t piss us off because if you make us angry, you probably won’t like it.”