Chasing youth doesn't impress Shania Twain much.
The 60-year-old country star is embracing aging with a new perspective, saying menopause taught her to prioritize her health and "enjoy every day for what it is."
She also says that years of public scrutiny over her appearance no longer affect how she sees herself.
"My body is not shameable. That courage comes with time and maturity," Twain told People in an interview published July 30. "Body shaming is nothing that's going to affect me."
The hitmaker wasn't always so confident.
"I go from being this young, stunning figure, beautiful skin, everything's in the right place [to a] time in my life where I couldn't look in the mirror because all I could see were imperfections and not wanting to be that
curvy thing," she said.
Twain said she began reevaluating her relationship with her body while navigating menopause during her 2019 Las Vegas residency.
"I was just getting this bloat that I didn't understand," she recalled, explaining that she responded by cutting back on certain foods and wasn't drinking enough water while acclimating to Nevada's climate.
Soon after, Twain tore two muscles in her thigh and had to be carried offstage. Looking back, she said the experience reinforced the importance of putting her well-being first.
“To becoming an older woman and now looking in the mirror, no problem. I’m like, I just have to get over this because every day that goes by, I’m getting older; the dips and bulges and the sags are just getting more and more prominent.
"I'm not trying to be 30. I'm not trying to be 25, and I won't be ever again. That's my own fault for not looking in the mirror when I was younger, and shame on me," she said. "I encourage everybody: enjoy yourself the way you are right now and love it."
The interview comes as Twain promotes “Little Miss Twain,” her seventh studio album, inspired by her childhood, family and the experiences that shaped her life and career.
Twain has been candid about navigating menopause in recent years. Speaking with USA TODAY in 2023 ahead of her Queen of Me tour, she shared that she follows a mostly liquid diet, centered on protein shakes with raw greens, and typically eats one meal a day while avoiding dairy before performances.
She also said she doesn't follow a rigorous workout routine.
"Before tour rehearsals, I was riding horses and now I'm just running around a lot," Twain told USA TODAY. "If I feel like I'm losing too much weight, I'll eat some more. But I need to watch it for the wardrobe because [weight] goes on fast, especially now during menopause."
Contributing: Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Shania Twain says 'my body is not shameable' at 60
