--- description: Kelly Clarkson is speaking out about a common misconception that being skinny means being healthy or that it brings happiness. title: Kelly Clarkson Says Being Skinny Doesn't Mean You're Healthy image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbb3ceb89b34ba706/6988e32a929fadfc43bee324/kelly-clarkson-being-skinny-not-happy-healthy.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Newsfeed](/tag/time-section-newsfeed/) ## Newsfeed Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Kelly Clarkson Wants You to Know That Being Skinny Doesn't Necessarily Mean Being Healthy or Happy  by [Cady Lang](/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Oct 24, 2017 6:39 PM CUT  TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 30: Kelly Clarkson performs at the Closing Ceremony on day 8 of the Invictus Games Toronto 2017 on September 30, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. The Games use the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and generate a wider understanding and respect for the Armed Forces. (Photo by Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage) TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 30: Kelly Clarkson performs at the Closing Ceremony on day 8 of the Invictus Games Toronto 2017 on September 30, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. The Games use the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and generate a wider understanding and respect for the Armed Forces. (Photo by Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage)Samir Hussein—Samir Hussein/WireImage  by [Cady Lang](/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Oct 24, 2017 6:39 PM CUT [Kelly Clarkson](http://time.com/4932131/kelly-clarkson-love-so-soft-video/ "undefined") is doing her part to dispel a [common misconception that slim bodies are healthy bodies. ](http://time.com/14407/the-hidden-dangers-of-skinny-fat/ "undefined") The former [_American Idol_](http://time.com/4866288/american-idol-ryan-seacrest-abc/ "undefined") winner and beloved singer recently told [_Attitude_](http://attitude.co.uk/kelly-clarkson-weight-skinny-wanted-kill-myself/ "undefined") magazine that she felt pressure to lose weight after releasing her wildly successful 2004 sophomore album, _Breakaway_, a period that she called a “very dark time.” “When I was really skinny, I wanted to kill myself,” she said. “I was miserable, like inside and out, for four years of my life. But no one cared, because aesthetically you make sense.” Clarkson later shared that she overtrained during this time, which eventually hurt her knees and feet. “I thought the only way out was quitting. I, like, wrecked my knees and my feet, because all I would do is put in headphones and run,” she said. “I was at the gym all the time.” Clarkson took to her Twitter after the interview was published to clarify some of her comments that could have been taken out of context regarding her weight in the past, emphasizing that happiness and health are not synonymous with thin bodies. > [](https://twitter.com/kelly%5Fclarkson/status/922829416639508480) > [](https://twitter.com/kelly%5Fclarkson/status/922832220192047106) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4995385/kelly-clarkson-skinny-not-healthy-happy/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4995385/kelly-clarkson-skinny-not-healthy-happy/"},"headline":"Kelly Clarkson Wants You to Know That Being Skinny Doesn't Necessarily Mean Being Healthy or Happy","datePublished":"2017-10-24T18:39:15.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:48:15.116Z","description":"\"I was miserable, like inside and out\"","url":"https://time.com/4995385/kelly-clarkson-skinny-not-healthy-happy/","keywords":["Newsfeed","celebrities","viral","kelly clarkson"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbb3ceb89b34ba706/6988e32a929fadfc43bee324/kelly-clarkson-being-skinny-not-happy-healthy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Cady Lang","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/cady-lang/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbb3ceb89b34ba706/6988e32a929fadfc43bee324/kelly-clarkson-being-skinny-not-happy-healthy.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Day 8: Invictus Games Toronto 2017","caption":"Day 8: Invictus Games Toronto 2017","creditText":"Samir Hussein—Samir Hussein/WireImage","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4995385/kelly-clarkson-skinny-not-healthy-happy/","name":"Kelly Clarkson Wants You to Know That Being Skinny Doesn't Necessarily Mean Being Healthy or Happy"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Kelly Clarkson: I Took Olive Oil Shots on American Idol","description":"The original American Idol explains her old vocal coach's technique.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/1FOWGQW8/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2015-05-11T17:17:12.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/1FOWGQW8.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/4995385/kelly-clarkson-skinny-not-healthy-happy/","duration":"PT48S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/4995385/kelly-clarkson-skinny-not-healthy-happy/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```