Layla Taylor is getting candid about a past experience that she says played a role in her ongoing struggles. “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star revealed that a moment behind the scenes at a modeling job left a lasting impression and reinforced unhealthy expectations.
The Modeling Career Moment That Stuck With Layla Taylor
In a recent interview, Taylor recalled a situation that she described as “weird” while getting ready with other models. “I’ve had weird experiences before,” she told Page Six. “In a show that I walked in, I was hanging out with some of the models in the morning while we were getting our glam done, and I was like, ‘Does anyone want anything from Starbucks? I’m gonna DoorDash some food.’”
“This was before my eating disorder started to get bad again,” she added. “And all the girls were like, ‘No, we don’t eat before shows.’” The interaction, she explained, reinforced harmful ideas about the industry, including the pressure to be “bone thin” and avoid eating.
Taylor Says Rejection From Ford Models Took A Toll
Taylor also opened up about a difficult moment shown on the show, being rejected by Ford Models. “That rejection is someone physically looking at you and saying no,” she said. “That’s obviously very hard, especially for someone like myself who deals with such bad body image issues and confidence issues to begin with.”
Despite the setback, Taylor now sees that experience differently. She described it as a “blessing in disguise,” explaining that she eventually signed with an agency that “feels like home.”
“Especially with what I deal with internally,” she said. “I needed an agency that was going to be friends over business and I feel like that’s what I found.”
Layla Taylor Says Eating Disorder Is ‘Lonely And Exhausting’
Taylor is now channeling her experiences into her work, recently launching a 30-piece collection with Showpo titled “Becoming by Layla Taylor.” She described the line as being about “choosing yourself, over and over again.”
The reality star also revealed she recently entered treatment for her eating disorder and stopped taking GLP-1 weight loss medication. “For the past two years, I’ve been struggling silently with an eating disorder I believed I had left behind in high school,” she wrote. “It’s been lonely and exhausting, fighting a battle in my own brain while trying to show up like everything is okay and receive comments daily on my body.”
While acknowledging that recovery isn’t easy, Taylor said she’s committed to the process. “I’m still learning how to choose self-love over self-criticism,” she shared. “But I’m still fighting, not just for me, but because my boys deserve a healthy, present mom.”
Layla Taylor Admits Ongoing Struggle
Taylor has also been open about just how serious her battle has become. During a March episode of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” the model revealed, “I just feel like, I don’t think I’ll ever be small enough in my head. And I know it’s affecting me. Like, I’m so exhausted all the time because I don’t eat. And my body hurts every night when I go to bed.”
She continued, “I literally lay down, and if my knees are touching each other, it hurts because I don’t have enough fat on my body to cushion it. I know that it’s going too far, and I’m taking it too far, but I can’t stop.”
Taylor also opened up about how social media reactions have impacted her mindset throughout her struggle. The “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star admitted that, at one point, comments about her being thin actually felt validating.
“I feel like for a long time there, people calling me ill or saying that I look sick or too thin. It was almost a dopamine rush for me because I feel with an eating disorder. It’s like, ‘Someone’s noticing all this work that I’m putting in to look this way, and it’s paying off in a way.’”
But over time, that constant scrutiny has become overwhelming. “But now I can’t even post a simple ad to make money to support my family without there being a bunch of comments on it,” she said. “And it’s actually starting to get a lot that I don’t even want to post right now because I can’t run away from it.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, support is available. You can call the free ANAD helpline at 1-888-375-7767.
