When Harnaaz Sandhu won Miss Universe in 2021, the spotlight was intense. And so was the scrutiny. Not long after, she found herself being trolled online for weight gain, with conversations around her body taking over everything else.
The criticism got to a point where she had to speak up. She revealed that she was dealing with Celiac disease, an autoimmune condition triggered by gluten, which is found in wheat, barley, and rye. More recently, she has again caught attention for her toned physique and visible transformation.
Harnaaz Sandhu reveals the one addiction that affected her physique
Speaking on the Origin Story podcast, Harnaaz opened up about a habit she now looks back on differently. During her time in New York, she developed a routine that quietly worked against her fitness goals.
“It’s so funny. My building in New York had a Starbucks. I could smell the coffee, and I used to just go. I used to order a venti caramel frappuccino, extra drizzle, extra everything. After the gym, imagine,” she confessed.
What seemed harmless at the time slowly added up. A post-workout treat that turned into a pattern.
Harnaaz Sandhu on trolls and using food as a crutch
She also spoke about the emotional side of that period. From being crowned Miss Universe to dealing with online trolling, the shift was not easy. And somewhere in between, food became a coping mechanism.
“I used to go to the gym, come back, and feel like I was looking the same. In the beginning, when you go to the gym, that first one month, you feel like you might be gaining more weight because you look more puffy or whatever,” she shared.
That phase, she admitted, was frustrating. The effort was there, but the results were not immediate. Over time, she realised what was needed.
“But it became my comfort because I was really upset not to see the change in my body. It took me some time to kind of tell myself that I had to be patient; it’s a process. I’m not going to look at the weighing machine. I’m going to just go, close my eyes, blind myself, and keep doing it. After six months, I saw some results.”
The shift, in the end, came down to consistency. And patience. Not instant fixes. Just showing up, again and again.
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