By January Nelson

Updated 6 minutes ago, July 30, 2026

Heidi Klum says her husband was the one who told her to eat more, that she’d look better with a little more on her bones. At 53, she stopped chasing the size she used to be and decided the fuller version is the better one.

“I’m no longer a size 24 jean,” Klum told Us Weekly, adding that “with age, we look better when we’re not as skinny.”

The credit goes to husband Tom Kaulitz. “He said, ‘You should eat more; you would look better if you had more meat on your bones,'” she recalled. Her reaction at the time was “What?” because the modeling world had trained her the opposite way. “This is not something you’re told in the industry, ever, because you’re always supposed to be skinnier than you are.”

Looking back at old photos changed her mind. “Proportion-wise, I look better, bigger,” she said.

At Cologne’s Calzedonia Summer Beachclub red carpet on May 26, 2026, Klum appears in a deep-plunge ruched dark brown halter gown. Photo by Backgrid.

The German supermodel and Project Runway host is a mom of four in her 50s who’s been open about going through menopausal weight gain. She addressed the change after her Cannes appearance this May, and instead of fighting it she’s leaned in.

Heidi Klum arrives at the amfAR Gala Cannes 2026 at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Cap d’Antibes, France, on May 21, 2026, wearing a black strapless corset gown with diamond jewelry. Photo by Julie Sebadelha / AFP via Getty Images.

Fans followed her lead in the comments. “Let’s be healthy, not skinny,” one wrote. Another: “Finally! Someone who is putting their health first!”

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