Paulina Porizkova, 59, Embraces Her Body After Weight Gain Following Surgery

Paulina Porizkova is embracing the natural changes that come with aging, and her latest Instagram post is a powerful reminder of confidence and self-love. The 59-year-old model recently shared that she had gained 15 pounds after undergoing double hip replacement surgery in January 2024. Rather than shying away from the changes, Paulina celebrates them, proving that beauty and strength come in all forms.

In January 2024, Paulina Porizkova posted a bikini photo and wrote, "It turns out I was born with congenital hip dysplasia- and because of that, the cartilage in my hips is worn out. And I don’t mean worn out as in “worn down.” No. There is none left. The three doctors I’ve visited all recoiled when they saw my x rays.

“Well, it’s bone on bone”, they exclaimed. “At least we know you’re good with pain tolerance!” It’s so bad, in fact, that doing one hip at the time is pointless. It would actually impede the healing and mobility. So. Had one last vacation with old hips- and now it’s time for some new ones."

At 59, the model shared on Instagram on Jan. 8 2025 that she had recently gained weight, which initially worried her as it affected her ability to fit into outfits for a job.

In a detailed caption accompanying several photos of herself in swimsuits during recent trips to Jamaica and Iceland with her boyfriend, she opened up about the experience. Paulina wrote, "I gained about 15 lb after my bilateral hip replacement in early 2024." She continued, "The funny thing is, I was so happy with my life ; the end of chronic pain, building a life with my love, traveling with friends and working on new writing projects - that I had no idea I had gained all this weight."

The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit alum shared that in September 2024, she traveled to Paris for her first modeling job of the year, where she realized she had gained weight after her surgery.

While she tried to adopt a "fake-it-till-you-make-it" mindset during the shoot, she confessed that by the end of the job, she felt "awful" about herself.

The No Filter author was determined to lose the weight but encountered a “post-menopause bump.”

“No matter how little I ate, the weight didn’t budge,” she shared with her followers. She incorporated weight-lifting into her workouts, increased her protein intake, and gave up desserts, yet none of these efforts made a difference.

Despite the challenges, Porizkova has embraced her “new, fuller body.” “Compared to a year ago when I was 15 lbs. less but in constant pain, my new softness feels soothing,” she explained.

Online, people praised the model for her honesty and flooded her with compliments for embracing her fuller figure. One person remarked, ''I really love her attitude. She is lively and positive.'' Another added, ''She looks amazing with 15 extra pounds.'' A third chimed in, ''I'm certain she is going to look fantastic even when she turns 80.''

Despite her courageous transparency, not everyone was entirely supportive of Paulina sharing updates about her body, creating an online debate. One person noted, ''Put on some clothes, you're embarrassing yourself. Old ladies need to be attired properly.'' A second wrote, ''She's fishing for compliments. She looks good and doesn't need to worry about the 15 lbs.''

Selena Gomez is also advocating for self-love, proudly showing her body’s changes. After battling lupus and undergoing a kidney transplant, she’s been open with her followers about the transformations she’s experienced.