Comedian Chloe Hillard Discusses Being Healthy and Her New Book “F*ck Your Diet” With Students

Valenti Govantes/Staff Writer

Staying healthy, both mentally and physically, has never been more relevant due to the current status of self-quarantines taking place all over the world. 

The FIU Student Programming Council invited Chloe Hilliard, a comedian and author of her new book “F*ck Your Diet: And Other Things My Thighs Tell Me,” to discuss body positivity and staying healthy with students on Zoom. 

Hilliard’s comedy stand ups have been featured on television programs including, “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” and “Last Comic Standing.” 

She originally began her career as a journalist but was inspired to become a comedian after the positive reception she received during a university event she participated in at New York University. 

Her new book mixes her comedic spirit while also tapping into her journalism side by including studies and findings on food and body image.

Hillard’s inspiration for her book comes from her experiences as a six feet tall woman and the unrealistic expectations when it comes to clothes sizing. 

The discussion began by Hillard introducing herself and touching upon her childhood background. 

“At five years old, I was very tall and that meant I had a lot of very awkward interactions with people who did not realize how old I was,” she said.

She emphasized the difficulty one can have when it comes to their height and weight. 

“I was also a size 12 at 12-years-old and that not only impacted how others viewed me but most importantly, how I viewed myself because when you label a child something it stays with them forever,” said Hillard. 

Hilliard discussed several opinions she had related to people, specifically women who are struggling with their body image. 

She made the point that someone does not gain weight by themselves and there are a lot of societal factors that play into this. 

“When you have someone who doesn’t make much money and is surrounded by many fast food places, it becomes much harder to simply tell them to get their life together,” said Hillard. 

Additionally, she felt that it is important for others to keep their self-esteem high. 

“Someone’s low self-esteem can lead to bad decisions. The way you feel about yourself, the way you project yourself to the world- that’s how people treat you in return,” she said. 

A notable opinion was how in her eyes, people should stop calling little girls “princesses” because it can build up the wrong mentality for them to have in life. 

“Princesses were cursed, poisoned, kidnapped and silenced- princesses had it rough. By calling a girl a princess, we are basically telling them that they will be emotionally and physically tormented and hopefully a man will come to save them,” said Hillard. 

As the last part of the discussion, the SPC opened the floor for any FIU students to ask Hillard questions. 

Hillard was asked some hard-hitting questions, including why she thinks black women are more prone to intimate partner violence. 

“I feel that people tend to misconstrue violence for a form of love,” said Hillard. 

She was also asked what she is currently doing to feed her soul and mind during these times.

“I think it has been really hard for all of us. What I have been doing is things such as trying out new recipes, reading stacks of books and video chatting with my relatives,” she said. 

The discussion was an enlightening one for those who have experience struggling with maintaining high self-esteem and concerns about their body image. 

The topics that were discussed were thought-provoking considering the current situation many FIU students are now facing, where some focus on maintaining their physical fitness more than ever.

“During these times, you have to control what you eat. Specifically, it is best to ration the food you eat. For example, when I buy snacks I make sure to focus on one snack and eat that until it is done and then I will focus on others,” said Hillard. 

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